A Definition Of Art Music In The 21st Century

Music is the presentation of sound. Sound has four characteristics:

-Pitch - the quality of the sound as governed by the vibrations that produce it, ie. degrees of highness or lowness of a tone (C, F sharp, B flat etc etc) -Timbre - the character of the sound (for example the different qualities of a sound of the same pitch produced on a piano or a clarinet or a violin or with the voice or electronically etc.) -Loudness - how loud or quiet the sound is -Duration - the amount of time that passes between the beginning and the end of the sound.

All music is built from consideration of these characteristics. Very simply put, considerations in music fall into four broad fields:

-Harmonic - anything to do with pitch -Temporal - anything to do with how sounds are expressed through time -Those of amplitude - anything to do with how loud or quiet a sound is, whether sounds maintain the same volume or whether the volume changes through time -Those of how a sound is produced - anything to do with what sound source is used, what method, what technique, what combinations, and the quality that the sound is thereby imbued with.

Art Music is a term that can be used to describe music in which ALL of these fields are approached freely, each dimension of musical form treated (equally) as a force of expression.

In the 21st century, Art Music has no particular established social function. If music has a social function it must adhere to and follow a set of rules or conventions in order to fulfil this function. For example, people must be able to dance to Dance Music. So, despite endless possibilities for imagination and experimentation in the harmonic and timbral fields, it must have a regular and obvious pulse, be highly rhythmic, usually be metered in 4/4 and maintain a fairly consistent volume and speed. Popular Music, which is designed to appeal to as many people as possible, must be written in a very straightforward vernacular. To this end it adopted the tonal system, a harmonic language based upon a hierarchy of fixed pitches and the varying strength of relationships between these pitches. Words or lyrics advance the potential for the listener to form an immediate relationship with the music so Popular Music is usually driven by vocal melody, melodies that in their pitch range and contour are integrally limited to the abilities of whoever is singing them. Because words play such an important role, Popular Music is also usually strophic in structure (verses and choruses).

In spite of these and many other inhibitions that may be observed, the beauty of kinds of music such as these lies in the subtleties and nuances within an established musical language, as well as the wealth of variety in overall character that arises from imaginatively transcending those intrinsic limitations whilst working within them. Art music is music which is totally free. Each piece may be written in a completely unique musical language. It is universal. Upon hearing a piece of art music for the first time, the only advantage one listener may have over another is prior experience of engaging with something new; no amount of knowledge will equip any one listener with the capacity to appreciate the music in any greater way. This is music that belongs to everybody and everyone's individual responses are equally valid. Anyone who values music as an important part of their life owes it to themselves to explore music with no limits, music that is purely about searching for and discovering new possibilities.