Writing about music

Throughout my education and into my career, I have read an untold number of books and essays on music. But aside from informational type of writing such as biographies, analytical descriptions, historical perspectives, lists, scientific properties, and cultural impact, none has ever been satisfactory. Let's take a quick look at some descriptions of Beethoven's 5th symphony. The power, concentration and white-hot compression of Beethoven's music is staggering. The first movement creates its tumultuous organic chemistry of interrelationships from the atomic particles of the notes it started with; in different guises, the four-note rhythmic idea permeates the rest of the symphony as well; then comes the elaborate variations of the slow movement, and its teeming effulgence of string writing that is a lyrical, long-breathed structural counterpoint to the first movement's explosive fragments (http://www.theguardian.com/music/tomserviceblog/2013/sep/16/symphony-guide-beethoven-fifth-tom-service--accessed 5/10/2014).

Here is another from January 1, 1841:  Beethoven’s symphony in C minor had closed the programme. Let us be silent! How often we hear it in public, but also in our deepest self, and how it projects its force upon all people of all ages, just like the great natural phenomena, which leave us in awe every time they appear. This symphony alike, will still resound centuries to come, for as long as there will be man and music (http://www.all-about-beethoven.com/symphony5.html--accessed 5/12/2014). 

Such is also true of writings on popular music or even film music. Here is a review and fairly critical description of the music from The Alamo: The majority is made up of a score that has its stirring moments (like "General Santa Anna"), but often drags along in an impersonation of the almost 200-minute film. The touches of old west/Mexican flavor are also relatively effective, yet completely typical and not very original. Fans of The Alamo or Wayne -- who as Crockett contributes one other melodrama-steeped monologue -- should find some interest in this soundtrack. But its hit singles are available elsewhere, and Tiomkin's score hasn't aged very well (http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-alamo-original-soundtrack-mw0000199761--accessed 5/14/2014). This brief description includes factual information but also tries to impose subjective opinion on the reader. Such is true of most descriptions of music.

 Why is it so difficult to write about the actual sound that we call music? Why do words seem inadequate to describe the experience of hearing music and give it actual meaning? Is it due to the personal nature of sound which causes individual interpretation? When we listen to music or even when we apply meaning to any sound, we bring our interests, concepts, and experience to the table and search for meaning to what we have heard. As I was completing the previous sentence, I sneezed. Since nobody heard it (and, yes, it really did make a sound!), I was not subjected to the inevitable "Bless You" or concern about a possible illness or allergies. The sound is usually quickly interpreted, meaning given to it, and causes a variety of emotions from people. Such is true of all sound.

Thinking through this I realize that music, by its subjective nature, cannot be described adequately nor universally. This does not make such efforts futile but, rather, reminds us that emotional descriptions of sound are, indeed, personal and driven by individual human responses. Yes there are many collective responses to sound apart from the association generally ascribed to particular sounds, but on deeper introspection, sound and music become personal without broad social generalities. Group think influences aside, the very properties of music require individual ascription which, unfortunately, negates successful writing about the subject. Most writings on music, as mentioned earlier, fall into rhetorical hyperbole meant to elicit similar emotional reactions to the writer.

If I write that "the soaring melody of the song Stardust lifts the listener to a sublime atmospheric state that is powered by harmonic invention, tension and repose, and merges naturally to a text that is inspiring, noble, and poetic," then I write from my own perspective and seek to convince the reader not only of my experience but also to encourage a similar view. Such is true of most descriptions of sound. We cannot objectively describe sound without invoking an emotion attached to the sound, and the emotion is personal and individual.

This, however, does not mean we should stop trying to write about music. On the contrary, this very element gives music and its descriptions greater curiosity and interest. Although emotional responses to sound and to music remain subjective, their very qualities make them ironically valued. Objectively inadequate at best, it is still wonderfully colorful to read about music, listen to music, describe music, and give it meaning.This is probably why music will continue to be a vital part of the human experience.