the artistic value of music
by helen stallworth
Gadamer defines art in many ways. Some of the characteristics of art are timelessness; art should speak to us, that is, it conveys something to the listener in a new way or in a way that moves them; and that art should not be viewed as a historical document. Most people would agree that music is an art form that is quite good at portraying the emotions and views of the artist. However, it is generally thought that today’s ‘popular’ music isn’t quite as well thought-out as music in the past has been. So should today’s music even be considered an art form? And if not, what sort of music would qualify as a type of art?
Today’s ‘hits’ seem to die out pretty fast. The songs that are considered good or fashionable one week might be completely obsolete the next. This would go against the trait of timelessness that Gadamer describes; the songs cease to be meaningful over a period of days, much less generations. The successful work will stand the test of time. Most of the music that has lasted has been classical, orchestral music. Compositions from the 18th century are still performed and enjoyed over two hundred years later, and they appeal to all ages. A child of eight can enjoy a Mozart concerto just as much as an adult of eighty. This is not the case with popular music, which only appeals to a specific demographic.
Music today often has a very superficial meaning described with unimaginative, repetitive words. An excellent example would be ‘Shots’ by LMFAO. If you haven’t heard this song, be grateful. Don’t look it up. It’s bad. Lyrics themselves are not a bad thing, and the words of a song can often change someone’s view of the world around them. However, the most expressive music often has no words, only instruments. This reinforces the idea that music in itself can impact people in extraordinarily profound ways. Beethoven’s 5th symphony expresses a variety of feelings and thoughts without using a single word. This reinforces the idea of music being its own language that goes beyond the limitations of spoken language. Anyone can understand the message of music, because it’s a universal language. The meaning that people might get from a piece of music might be slightly different, but the overall emotion remains the same.
Gadamer argues that music and art should not be viewed as historical records. Historical records often have the aim of recalling something to the reader through their “stark presentation”, and this is not the case with music. Music and art can mean different things to different people, depending on when they are viewed or heard and the mindset of the individual, among other things. This is true with classical music, but not so with popular music. Popular songs reference modern day events and ideas, including the recession, among other things. Music from the 1970s often has a very psychedelic tone because of the prominent use of hallucinogenic drugs in that time period. People often listen to certain songs because the songs and artists have similar political views or ideas that are expressed in the song. This means that while they could still sound good to people ten years later, in a century or two when the problem is gone, the songs will become inapplicable.
Analyzing music as an art form from Gadamer’s perspective makes it clear that today’s popular songs aren’t an art form, but that songs that have stood the test of time, like classical pieces, are.
Today’s ‘hits’ seem to die out pretty fast. The songs that are considered good or fashionable one week might be completely obsolete the next. This would go against the trait of timelessness that Gadamer describes; the songs cease to be meaningful over a period of days, much less generations. The successful work will stand the test of time. Most of the music that has lasted has been classical, orchestral music. Compositions from the 18th century are still performed and enjoyed over two hundred years later, and they appeal to all ages. A child of eight can enjoy a Mozart concerto just as much as an adult of eighty. This is not the case with popular music, which only appeals to a specific demographic.
Music today often has a very superficial meaning described with unimaginative, repetitive words. An excellent example would be ‘Shots’ by LMFAO. If you haven’t heard this song, be grateful. Don’t look it up. It’s bad. Lyrics themselves are not a bad thing, and the words of a song can often change someone’s view of the world around them. However, the most expressive music often has no words, only instruments. This reinforces the idea that music in itself can impact people in extraordinarily profound ways. Beethoven’s 5th symphony expresses a variety of feelings and thoughts without using a single word. This reinforces the idea of music being its own language that goes beyond the limitations of spoken language. Anyone can understand the message of music, because it’s a universal language. The meaning that people might get from a piece of music might be slightly different, but the overall emotion remains the same.
Gadamer argues that music and art should not be viewed as historical records. Historical records often have the aim of recalling something to the reader through their “stark presentation”, and this is not the case with music. Music and art can mean different things to different people, depending on when they are viewed or heard and the mindset of the individual, among other things. This is true with classical music, but not so with popular music. Popular songs reference modern day events and ideas, including the recession, among other things. Music from the 1970s often has a very psychedelic tone because of the prominent use of hallucinogenic drugs in that time period. People often listen to certain songs because the songs and artists have similar political views or ideas that are expressed in the song. This means that while they could still sound good to people ten years later, in a century or two when the problem is gone, the songs will become inapplicable.
Analyzing music as an art form from Gadamer’s perspective makes it clear that today’s popular songs aren’t an art form, but that songs that have stood the test of time, like classical pieces, are.