Does music matter? That was the "elephant in the room" that was NOT addressed yesterday at Eastman's "Generation E" music conference about entrepreneurship. My "issues in music" class attended one segment of today's lecture, which was a series of "idea fueling" exercises and activities. My friend and fellow musician Ben was wondering this very question as we left the conference. To paraphrase his view, (sorry!) he asked whether the arts really do matter in the big scheme of things- the world as a whole, world peace, the economy, poverty, etc. He said, and I agree, that the only way you could even attend such a conference is if you were 110% committed to the importance of music by (mostly) dead (mostly) white (mostly) men. So my first task, is figuring out, what is the importance of art in our society? Our economy is down right now, and many of us are wondering, 'have we just put $160,000 down the drain? are there jobs for us, or did we just pursue a dying field?' So I've decided to do some serious research. Hello Google.
Here are some of the results of my search:
Arts are important because...
They cut across cultural barriers
They integrate mind, body, and spirit.
They provide opportunities for self-expression.
They develop independence and collaboration.
They improve academic achievement.
They exercise and develop higher order thinking skills.
They provide the means for every student to learn.
( courtesy of newhorizons.org)
Let's attack these first. 1) How many of us music students have been to other countries where music has cut across these barriers? How many of us have experienced this in the US? I have had only one such experience, in my 22 years of living. 2) Music does this integration, but as a society, we don't necessary place a huge value on this integration. As a culture, we don't really have an educational system that takes into account mind and spirit combined, and we focus mostly on mind without the other two bits. 3) Self-expression in classical music isn't exactly taught like it might be in visual or dramatic arts. We are taught to have a good sound, good rhythm, and correct phrasing. You have to work really hard to put yourself into the creative seat of classical music, unless you improvise or compose. 4) Independence and collaboration are definitely taught in classical music land. (In fact, we spend so much time alone that we are quite socially awkward.) But seriously, this is true. 5) Academic achievement: I don't know the stats for this sort of thing, but I do believe it's probably right. 6)Thinking skills: yes, hopefully, musicians have these. We do have to think about phrasing, sound, playing together, etc. The question is how many skills we can manage at a given moment. 7) This is the one point that I especially agree with. As someone working with special needs kids, the arts give them opportunities that typical situations do not. The arts are not necessarily goal oriented, giving them the chance to develop key skills like coordination, visual tracking, processing, etc.
What I'm wondering though, is why so little of our professional education gives us the skills to do these things or the opportunities to see the benefits of music as an art. Now, let's see what google will say about the importance of classical music...
My results are a huge fail. I instead get basic introductions to classical music and its composers. Let's reword.
Apparently, there's a book, "Why Classical Music Still Matters." Unfortunately, there's no synopsis, so I have no idea what it's about. Here's a quick quote from a review though.
"Ranging from J.S. Bach to John Adams, the author shows again and again how classical music participates in the exploration of subjectivity, the conquest of time and mortality, the harmonization of humanity and technology, the cultivation of attention, and the liberation of human energy."
Great. But don't the other arts do that too? Isn't "Metropolis" about exploring the harmonization of humanity and technology? Aren't Jackson Pollack's paintings liberations of human energy? What makes classical music special? Apparently, I'm asking a question that no one wants to answer.
I also can find other articles and books on similar subjects such as "Who killed Classical Music?" and articles about the slow death of classical music in America. One author suggests that classical music is dying because less people are exposed to it, therefore making less personal and spiritual connections to the art itself. He instead advocates more education at a young age for all children. I guess the truth of the matter is that no one really knows the value of classical music in the big scheme of life, and that we must all possess a blind faith that what we do is important and meaningful. How can we make music more meaningful in society? How can we feel more fulfilled? These are all questions I'll continue to ponder, and probably pester others to answer.
3 comments:
so here's my mostly likely high-and-mighty and self-indulgent answer, which you are free to dismiss.
first, i don't think we have to negate the importance of the other arts in order to prove music paramount! jackson pollock doesn't make bach any less powerful. but as all arts are "non-functional," not fulfilling any specific task in sustaining our way of life, the question here is really "does art matter?"
to that i say this: the non-functional nature of art is precisely what matters. artists, at their very best, "do" nothing. they are not the do-ers; they are the be-ers. great art reveals the beauty of what is, expresses the exquisite joy of being, sanctifies the mundane. mozart's harmonic palette is stiflingly limited in comparison to the harmonies we use (and discard!) today, yet his music is still full of palpable madness and magic; monet's water lilies are just some flowers. a sensitivity to the awesomeness of this place in this moment is the way to a peaceful world, and great art/ artists awaken that sensation in those who would otherwise overlook it.
Let music work its power on you. "Music, such music, is a sufficient gift." So, just let it be. I can't articulate this one very well, but maybe you know what I mean. I think what I mean to say is to find the joy in music. If you find the happiness in a piece you'll play it better. Remember what good ol' Leo Tolstoy once said, "Art is a human activity having for its purpose the transmission to others of the highest and best feeling sto which men have arisen." Shakespeare had a good one too from Sonnet 128. "How oft when thou, my music, music play'st upon that blessed wood whose motion sounds with thy sweet fingers when thy gently sway'st."
Sound familiar? It should, because you wrote it in the summer of 2002 (part of a larger opus you mentioned was your "audition and possibly life story"). Yes, I still have it (and I still read it before every audition) and perhaps you ought to reread it too. I think it's slightly amusing because back then in our "naive youth" you were quite a bit more confident in the power and value of music.
But nonetheless you raise an important question. I would first say that I think music's value is not something that is easily quantifiable, especially in terms of material or monetary value. So while music and arts organizations may be suffering in funding during this economic downturn, this does not necessarily mean that music matters less. In fact, I believe that it is during the hard times that music matters even more. It is one of the constants that people can turn to when they are down. Because I do not want to discern music's value in economic terms, I instead assess its contribution on quality of life.
Speaking from my own experience, I can say with certainty that the quality of my life is significantly richer because classical music is in it. Of course, the study of violin performance instilled in me discipline and skills that are useful for my other studies and career aspirations. But I also think classical music has intrinsic value. There is something almost magical for me about making music with others ... the teamwork, the beautiful harmonies, the working towards creating something greater than its individual parts. There are certain performances that I will never forget because of these qualities … one that we shared was the performance in Sarasota, Florida in 2002 playing the Borodin Symphony No. 2 and Ginastera’s Estancia for the NYOF. And at the end of the work day, no matter how tough or long, music will always for me be a constant. To me, the ending of Mahler 1 always sounds titanic, Thais always sounds meditative, Beethoven 9 always sounds joyful (what else could they have played as the Berlin wall fell?), and when I’m in far off lands Dvorak 9 and Rach 3 for some reason always remind me of missing home. I suppose I’m not too worried in justifying that music matters, because I am sure that music matters to me. And if music matters to me, it certainly must matter to others, especially those who dedicate a great deal more time to music than I do.
To step away from the personal experience a bit, I am also quite sure that music makes a difference in the clinical setting. I have been privileged to work in music therapy programs in a children’s hospital and an oncology unit and I know that while drugs, medication, and treatment are important in a patient’s recovery, there are so many other factors that matter. When a patient can escape their dreary hospital room for a few moments and live in the music, or even better when patients can express themselves through their own music, I believe they are able to recover faster. And I believe the quality of their lives is stronger and richer.
So, in summary, music matters. It might not be easily quantifiable, or easily justified in economic terms, but music definitely matters. It matters to me, for sure, and to you too (even if a rising 11th grader needs to remind you in the form of a letter). Can you really imagine a world without classical music? It would just be boring. And quiet too.
I really like what you both have to say. I don't so much deny that art matters. I just don't know why it matters, and that interests me. I also don't know that it really is non-functional, but both of your arguments are compelling and well-thought out.
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