In an article published not too long ago, Roger Scruton suggests that because of our society and the propensity to be 'plugged' in for virtually every waking hour, music is no longer something special but it is rather just another element of our social fabric, something that we choose to engage in so that we are comfortable in our surroundings as we move from place to place. There is also something to be said for the sounds that are broadcast for all to hear but are not necessarily something that we would choose to be 'entertained by'. As the author states, virtually every public arena we find ourselves in, coffee shop, book store, shopping mall, will have a 'sound track', chosen by the establishment to set a tone or a mood for those frequenting the space or who just happen to be passing by. Many jurisdictions have laws against second hand smoke but nothing against 'audio' by chance. Many times I find myself being 'attacked' by some pulsing sound track that encourages me to quickly get my business done and move along.
The fact that we are so frequently exposed to 'sound' is diminishing the beauty and 'special-ness' of music that has been composed and performed by real, live musicians as opposed to the synthetic creations, by a likewise creative individual in front of a computer and a microphone. That is not to say that those creations are any less important but I think it is making music less of a special element in our society because it is not being created, and recreated by a group of like-minded human beings to be shared with others in the moment. What do you think?
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I invite you to come by......This section is composed of observations or impressions I have, or others I value, share about music and its power. Archives
August 2019
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