Shoreless.org

Well, it so transpired, as often does, that I started arguing about music with random people while inebriated. Of course, because I was so impaired, so were my attempts at expressing myself. I recall getting all CHAFFUE CHAFFUE about it though so let's try to retrace the argument again!

The crux of the debate was 'feelings vs brain'. Someone, I don't recall exactly who, was telling me that people like Bach wrote music because he had a 'feeling' first. And, when you listen to music, it sucks you in because of the 'feeling'. Obviously, I disagreed. Vehemently. I think one of the major reasons why I disagreed was because he used the example of Bach OMG. I mean, Beethoven I could probably understand but BACH OMG.

What I wanted to bring up, but couldn't due to being momentarily handicapped, was actually what I wanted to talk about in this installment of Investigations Into Music. That is, the difference between Absolute and Program music.

Years ago, when I heard the term 'Absolute Music', I mistook it to mean something like 'Objective Music', that is - music that was 'objectively' better than... other music. The proper definition however, is closer to something like 'Abstract Music'. That is to say, a type of music that distills the essence of what music is - a system of sounds - and works on that. It's actually easier to define it by negatives. The wikipedia entry for Absolute Music uses this definition: 'In contrast with program music, absolute music has no words and no references to stories or images or any other kind of extramusical idea.' From this, we can gather then what Program Music is. It is music that specifically wishes to evoke certain moods, emotions etc.

However, if we think of Absolute Music as a kind of music that has no words, we start to think of it as Instrumental Music, and this has many clear problems. Given our social conditioning, we automatically associate major keys with 'happy', minor keys with 'sad' and so on. Also, since the major part of the music that surrounds is Program music, more and more associations are created every day. This is why I prefer to think of it as 'Formalist Music', where the formal elements of music are what is appreciated.

So... where do feelings come into this? If Absolute/Formalist music was not created for the purposes of evocation, how then, did it become feelings foot forwards?

The problem, as I see it, is that we 'think' about music with narrativisitic associations. Formalist music, in its exploration of structures, comes close to something like Mathematics. It exists in a realm very foreign to us because, unlike other artforms, it has no anchor in the real world. Of course sounds exist but those are texturally rather than melodically engaging. The easiest way for us to grasp music is for it to attach meanings to it via nebulous experiences like emotion.

So... I'm right back to where I started. Is there a difference when we 'think' about music and when we 'feel' music? I'm not sure there is. Contrary to popular belief, feelings do not originate from the heart but the brain. So, some people think about music emotionally and some rationally. Case solved.

BUT HANG ON, WHAT ABOUT THE COMPOSER? Are his intentions even relevant?

I have to have lunch now so I'll think about it some other time. And yes, I will check out 'This Is Your Brain On Music', thank you Mr Mysterious Commenter whoever you are!