9/15

The purpose of language is to communicate. At its most basic definition, communication is simply the act of sending and receiving a message from one subject to another. Understandably, some languages are more complex than others. The argument against music stands on the ground that there is a lack of syntax in music, and that the message that one person receives from a piece of music may be different from another person. Music is not lacking in syntax. There is structure, form and rules that comprise music. Interpretations of a selection vary in the same way as one interprets the tone of voice in a language. Two people can say the exact same sentence with two different tones and one will understand and hear different messages. When judging a musical piece, one must listen to the performer and how they go about presenting the piece, but at the same time listen to the technicality and substance. Herein lies the work of the composer, the creation of a message from scratch. Both subjects are equally important. If the performer does not play the piece at a suitable level, it can ruin the musical piece to the point of no recognition. However, the composer is the mastermind behind the music and should be warranted with artistic merit.

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One Response to 9/15

  1. oweinroth says:

    The problem we have with the inclusion of music into the human language families is that though it possesses morphemes, syntax and semiotics it can only be categorized within the non-verbal communication format. Therefore it effects our emotions, for which we are not always able to find parallels in verbal communication.

    I have commented on the artist question in another comment to another post in class. Check it out.

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