Music As Art

Ahoy!

Last week we began the discussion about music as entertainment versus music as art. Music as entertainment is easy to describe as it’s what most of us are exposed to. It’s the top 40’s radio hits, the music you hear without trying to and the artists you see in the news. Music as art is a little trickier to describe.

Art music, as I see it, is not tied to any specific genre. Certain genres will inherently have more of it, like jazz and classical, however it doesn’t mean there isn’t a watered down pop version of those genres as well. Some genres have very little art music, like rock n’ roll, however it doesn’t mean that there is no depth to be found in that style. First and foremost: Art music is written without consideration for how well it will sell.

The entertainment industry looks at everything from a money point of view. If record executives don’t think it will sell it won’t be created, no matter how novel an idea may be. Art music drops this consideration. Every decision is based on what will serve the music best, and how to best tell the story. Jazz and classical musicians often relate this concept to complexity. If it’s not rhythmically or harmonically complex they scoff at it. This leads to an elitist mentality and actually hinders a musician’s growth. Complexity can be a useful tool if, and only if, it is serving the music. If you write complex music solely to write complex music it will sound complex, and that’s about it.

Now, this doesn’t mean that people creating art music don’t want to sell their music. Instead of asking “how can I write something that will sell?” art musicians ask “how can I sell what I’ve written?” It’s a subtle yet distinct difference. Art musicians write what naturally pours out of them. It doesn’t mean there is no thought or production in their music but they make all their decisions based on what the song calls for, and what they think fits the music. Only after the product is written is the emphasis placed on how to market the album so that it will reach the highest number of people. The result: Art music is honest.

Lastly, art music makes you think. This is the “depth” I’ve mentioned. Art music forces you to reflect on what you’re listening to. You don’t always have to be completely focused on it but when you sit down with headphones and do nothing but listen with your eyes closed, there’s something more than a couple catchy choruses to take away.

To recap, art music is honest, deep, and made without considering its monetary value. By defining art music this way it allows me to be freed from the jazz elitism that plagued my early/mid twenties. I now have a greater appreciation for a wider range of music and it helps me sift through the large amounts of pop music that pollute the radio. Now I’m an art music elitist. I demand more than a few catchy melodies but that doesn’t mean I don’t have a huge appreciation for a well told story accompanied only by an acoustic guitar.

Until next time,

Heard

HAVE YOU HEARD?

Julien Baker- Sprained Ankle

I discovered Ms. Baker earlier this year and took an immediate liking to her music. This is the kind of singer songwriter art music I'm talking about. Her stories are deeply rooted in emotion and you can feel the pain of the experiences in her music. At it's core, the music is simple and raw and gives the perfect backdrop for the lyrics to unfold. I fully admit that listening to the entire album isn't something I do much of these days as it is so emotionally draining, however, that is something that should be done at least once. It's like watching your favorite sad movie on a dreary rainy day. It's a recharging for the soul and inspiration for all us hopeless romantics.