Musical Aesthetics
Introduction
Music is an exceptional art form, due to its influence on the emotive parts of the human being. Understanding the concept of music aesthetics is thus one of the ways through which the diverging musical appeal can be understood. As compared to other art forms, music does not offer visual appeal and cannot be depicted physically. This implies that there have to be unique features that make music an interesting form of art. Unique characteristics that make one piece be described as of higher value and beauty than the other. Elements of music such as pitch and rhythm create different impacts on the reader which, determine the value placed on pieces by individuals or different groups of people. Musical aesthetics thus forms an interesting topic of study as it helps to understand the rationale behind the discrepancies in values accorded to different pieces of the same genre by a single person. Many authors have attempted to explain the concept of musical aesthetics before with significant variations in outcomes.
Demers, D. (2010). Listening through the noise: The aesthetics of experimental electronic music. New York: Oxford University Press.
The author attempts to explore the relevance of musical aesthetics theory in electronic music forms such as dub, glitch, techno and electrostatic music. Through the use of an exploratory approach, the author determines that the application of cultural theory of musical aesthetics is indispensable in understanding electronic music. The rationale behind this argument is said to be the transformation brought about by such music types on the practice of listening to music. This implies that besides listening to the words, the sounds must also be considered in determining the aesthetic value of any piece. This comes with the need to understand the sound as a musical frame or an abstractive element in music. The book provides a useful reference for the research as it explores sound exceptionally as a contribution to musical aesthetics.
Kelly, R.D. (1999). New monastery: Monk and the jazz avant- garde. Black Music Research Journal, vol. 19, no. 2, pp. 135- 168.
From the developments made by Kelly in his argument in the article, it is predictable that he finds the context of reception to be influential in determining musical appeal. The article begins through an explanation of the achievements made by Monk in the development of the avant- garde jazz. Kelly explains that the same music that was considered experimental and far out in the earlier days was now considered among the top in the later years. Furthermore, the author explains that some other artistes found Monk’s music inspirational contrary to what Monk himself felt about the music. This shows that aesthetics in music can be a function of the context of musical reception as well as of the differences in the listener’s beliefs and values. The article provides a real life example of musical aesthetics hence can help one relate to the concept at a more basic level.
Lippman, A. (1999). The philosophy & aesthetics of music. Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska Press.
In his book, Lipmann explores various philosophical literatures on music that had been done in the past. The book is founded on several articles and books across the world, which focuses on the nature of music and the components of music. He explores the physiological as well as physical factors depicted in most of the past literature as associated with musical appeal. Lipmann asserts that one of the features that make music aesthetic is its use of symbolic language to convey persuasive rather than formalistic messages. The author further explores different motivations towards creativity in music and how these motivations impact on the aesthetic values of the musical outcomes. He also highlights the development of different styles in music and concludes that musical interpretation supersedes analysis and the comprehension of conventional theory. This book offers a strong resource in understanding musical aesthetics. Not only does it attempt to explain what aesthetics is in music, but also explores how it comes about through a preview of historical sources.
References
Demers, D. (2010). Listening through the noise: The aesthetics of experimental electronic music. New York: Oxford University Press.
Kelly, R.D. (1999). New monastery: Monk and the jazz avant- garde. Black Music Research Journal, vol. 19, no. 2, pp. 135- 168.
Lippman, A. (1999). The philosophy & aesthetics of music. Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska Press.