What's Music For #2

I had a back and forth with Kyle Gann regarding the What's Music For? post and want to save it here. Going forward I want to do more posts on this subject, and maybe try to get others to chime in. The hope is this discussion will yield ideas on how to use the Music Room in innovative ways.

That isn't a subject I would dare write about. I do think the article you post is the only way to go about it: a heterogeneous list of overlapping reasons. To ask "What is music?," or "What is the essence of music?," is a time-wasting dead end - language just doesn't work that way. I used to theorize about stuff like that a lot when I was young, and I was very facile at it, but my theories always crashed into reality and burned. So what I learned is that theories are very easy to spin.

I have noticed that sometimes my music seemed to reflect my own neuroses, and that I could solve a psychological problem in my music as a prelude to solving it in my life. I think art's capacity as self-therapy needs some more study. And I compose mostly because I find it an enjoyable thing to do. Part of the enjoyment for me, though, is the anticipation of people listening to it or playing it, and now that I no longer anticipate that happening, a certain resentment turns on when I start to compose and I can't enjoy it anymore. Thus the hiatus.

Thanks so much for taking the time for that reply - lots to think about. Your, "my music seemed to reflect my own neuroses", reminds me that sometimes on hearing my music played I realize I'm putting my unconscious on public display, but since I'm the only one who can really decode it I'm safe ;-) I'm going at the performance issue by participating in the playing and writing for friends who like my stuff. As for "art's capacity as self-therapy" - working as music therapist with others have found that simply the act of expressing one's self musically helps people feel better - and I think that's why I write music, to express things I haven't found in other people's music - and hoping it will resonate with an audience.

"I'm putting my unconscious on public display, but since I'm the only one who can really decode it I'm safe" - that's a good line. Kind of sums it all up.😄