What is Music?

[Deafone]

Tonight I heard the U.S. premier of Anthony Cheung's Bagatelles (2014) for Piano Quintet. The piece is definitely not one where you are humming the melody afterwards. In a sense it was different sounds played by the various instruments. I actually found the way he put the sounds together interesting. I also enjoyed the piece to a certain extent, although I would not go out and buy a recording of it. Since I found it interesting and liked it, I consider it music.

On the other hand, I was in the record store the other day and they were playing some rock music where the singer was growling something into the mike. I don't remember the instrumentation. To me it was a cacophony of noise and I was ready to yell to the clerks to turn the noise off. Obviously someone thought this noise was music, otherwise they probably wouldn't have played it.

So at what point does noise become music for you?

 

[Ventura_Rodriguez_Vallejo]

ALL that we call "music" is just sound ("noise" is sound too).
What differenciates mere "sound" from "music" has become a very debatable matter, and nowadays there are many points of view on the subject.
For me, "sound" (even "noise") becomes real "music" when I can perceive structure, sense and purpose.

Enviado desde mi Luno mediante Tapatalk

 

[Old Bob]

at the risk of being VERY opinionated!

Music is:

Eva Cassidy singing her heart out with "over the rainbow" and making you cry. she will be missed.

Van Cliburn or Evgeny Kissin thundering Chopin or Tchaikovsky on a 9 foot Steinway with the orchestra roaring away. sit up close.

the Berlin Philharmonic, like a runaway locomotive, Beethoven's Fifth. in person

Anne Sophe Mutter playing anything, especially Mozart on a priceless violin. in person

the Beatles Eleanor Rigby.

the Beatles, long and winding road.

something that makes you STOP and listen. and feel so so sad, or strong, or GLAD to be alive.

it is NOT who let the dogs out. it is NOT Madonna.

a thundering Bach organ recording, TURN IT UP! shake the walls!! talk to God

Martha Argerich age 70, blasting through Partita #2 at machine gun speed.

music is something magic, MORE than the notes.

with apologies,

Bob