Originally posted by PawnokeyholeAtypical cases as in minimalism, modernism, etc.? At this point, most composers are expanding horizons that have never been expanded. These expansions frequently move into the dissonant (Jeffrey Mumford), modernist (John Cage), and minimalist (Steve Reich). However, they are really not pleasant to listen to sometimes, and they only work if the listener is in a cosmopolitan mood.
Or intentional silence, in the case of John Cage.
But there are surely atypical cases.
Originally posted by PawnokeyholeI personally wouldn't call 4'33" music, but it raises an interesting question:
Or intentional silence, in the case of John Cage.
But there are surely atypical cases.
If I buy a ticket to a performance of 4'33", and get presented with 4 min 33 sec of silence, did I hear music? Possibly. Now, what if I wander into the performance by mistake? Did I hear music?
A poster I pass occasionally each week says "Music is the color of sound." or something near that.
In a scientific sense, music involves tones (frequencies) held for particular recognizable intervals in fairly understandable patterns. Harmony, is the overlaying of individual musical tones simultaneously in cadence or in a counter cadence (rhythms). Certain harmonic intervals tend to produce positive uplifting thoughts and feeling, while others produce opposite effects. The interpretation of the positive and negative combinations appear to be universal across cultures. The one specific musical anomoly I can not understand is the use of quarter tone scales prevelant in middle-eastern cultures. To the best of my knowledge, all other cultures use half-tone scales, although the Far East scale contains five notes instead of the seven note western scale.
Western Scales use two tetra chords (the major scale having 1 step - 1 step - 1/2 step - 1 step - 1 step - 1 step - 1/2 step which is two 1 step - 1 step - 1/2 step patterns linked by a 1 step interval) while the Eastern scale is 1 step - 1+1/2 step - 1 step - 1 step - 1+1/2 step.
The octave is double (or half) the frequency of the original tone. The fifth is 1.5 x the frequency of the original tone. Other intervals have similar fixed mathmatical ratios.
Why is music pleasurable and why do we enjoy music? For the same reason we enjoy color and visual patterns. Rhythm may be likened to patterns and harmony and frequencies may be likened to colors. Combine them well and you get a most enjoyable sensory experience.
Originally posted by PBE6How could you tell if the performance was delayed? Or if the all musicians didn't start or end together? Could one musicians have played for 4'35'' without anyone noticing?
I personally wouldn't call 4'33" music, but it raises an interesting question:
If I buy a ticket to a performance of 4'33", and get presented with 4 min 33 sec of silence, did I hear music? Possibly. Now, what if I wander into the performance by mistake? Did I hear music?
Originally posted by dinosaurusIf so, whence dissonance?
A poster I pass occasionally each week says "Music is the color of sound." or something near that.
In a scientific sense, music involves tones (frequencies) held for particular recognizable intervals in fairly understandable patterns. Harmony, is the overlaying of individual musical tones simultaneously in cadence or in a counter cadence (rhythms). C ...[text shortened]... may be likened to colors. Combine them well and you get a most enjoyable sensory experience.
Originally posted by PawnokeyholeI hope you will excuse my inability to describe the whole of music in a single lifetime of posts; however,
If so, whence dissonance?
Regarding disonance ...
Random or persistent diconance would be called noise by most folks. I believe the aesthetic beauty of disonance can only be enjoyed when the disonant harmony is going somewhere, most often a pleasurable resolution. Based on my observations, enjoying disonance is an acquired taste. Most untrained music followers tire quickly of even a little. But the folks that appear to enjoy it the most are trained musicians, but they are the most likely to complain openly if a disonant pattern is poorly executed.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
I think music is the sound the universe makes while it hoes about its business of making stars, planets, quarks and anti-quarks, and such. All these objects probably emit a different tonal range, just as elements have a unique light pattern. The symphony of the cosmos is probably mostly strings, which is a shame, since my favorites are the woodwinds.
