a response to "how we listen to music"

8/13/2019 A response to "How We Listen to Music"

1/7

Cory McMahan

English 101-24

February 2 nd, 2012

An Analysis of How ou!re "is#ening #o Music is $rong%

As #he #i#le &ay sugges#, Aaron Co'land!s essay How $e "is#en #o Music% is no# a (ery

fi##ing #i#le #o #he 'iece) $hile his essay does address how we lis#en #o &usic, Co'land focuses a

far grea#er a&oun# of his energy on #elling #he reader e*ac#ly how #hey are lis#ening #o &usic

incorrec#ly in addi#ion #o how #hey should be lis#ening) +erha's a &ore fi##ing #i#le for his essay

would be How ou hould "is#en #o Music)% efore Aaron Co'land goes in#o #his 'ar# of his

essay ,howe(er, he does &a.e so&e (alid 'oin#s)

Co'land begins his essay by di(iding #he lis#ening #o &usic in#o #hree dis#inc# ye# always

in#er#wining 'lanes% as he calls #he&) Firs# is #he sensuous 'lane which go(erns #he 'ure sound

of &usic or how beau#iful i# is) He disli.es #he a&oun# of in#eres# gi(en #o #his 'lane of &usic)

econdly, Co'land na&es #he e*'ressi(e 'lane which has do&inion o(er #he feelings crea#ed

#hrough &usic and #he &eanings behind #he no#es gi(en by #he co&'oser) Co'land also has

so&e issues wi#h #his 'lane saying #ha# i# is no# a good idea #o a##e&'# #o a''ly &eaning #o &usic)

He clai&s #ha# a# bes# we can feel #he general e&o#ion of #he 'iece, ye# we canno# #ell e*ac#ly

wha# .ind of #ha# e&o#ion) For e*a&'le #he lis#ener can hear sadness, ye# #hey can!# de#er&ine

whe#her i# is 'essi&is#ically sad, or resignedly sad% /Co'land 1 ) "as#ly he &en#ions #he

'urely &usical 'lane which rela#es #o #he way #he no#es are deli(ered and 'erfor&ed as well as

#he coloring and #one 3uali#y) Co'land (iews #his 'lane as #he leas# no#ed and &os# under-

a''recia#ed 'lane) Al#hough Aaron Co'land raises a good 'oin# saying #ha# #he 'urely &usical

'lane is #oo of#en neglec#ed, find faul# wi#h his discredi#ing of #he sensuous 'lane, and his (iews


2/7

on #he fu#ili#y and i&'ossibili#y of finding &eaning in &usic)

5f#en #i&es #hroughou# &y e*'erience as a 'ianis#, ha(e 'erfor&ed for 'eo'le who were

no# fa&iliar wi#h &usic) 6hese 'eo'le ha(e no# been &usically #rained #o lis#en for #he sub#le

nuances such as #one 3uali#y and colora#ion #ha# &y 'rofessors har' on incessan#ly) ns#ead #hese

'eo'le are far &ore in#eres#ed in wa#ching &y hands fly o(er #he .eyboard, regardless of how

accura#ely or beau#ifully 'lay #he no#es) Co'land!s hear# is so&ewha# in #he righ# 'lace here

gi(en #he fac# #ha# he 'laces a lo# of (alue in #his 'lane, bu# i# is s#ill no# his 'lace #o say #ha#

'eo'le should lis#en &ore #o i#) f all so&ebody wan#s fro& &usic is #o wa#ch so&ebody 'erfor&

an a&a7ing #echnical show or hear a cascade of sound, #hen #ha# is en#irely u' #o #he&) # is fairfor Co'land #o sugges# #ha# 'eo'le 'ay &ore a##en#ion #o #he 'urely &usical 'lane, #hough, as

#hose who are willing #o really engage wi#h #he &usic will &ore #han li.ely ge# a fuller

e*'erience #han #hose who are si&'ly #here #o be a&a7ed by #he &ore #hea#rical as'ec#s of #he

'erfor&ance) 6a.e, for e*a&'le, Horowi#7!s encore af#er his re#urn #o 8ussia)

9ladi&ir Horowi#7 was a fa&ous 8ussian-A&erican 'ianis# who was 'rodigious fro& an

early age) He &o(ed #o A&erica (ery early in his childhood and re&ained #here for nearly his

en#ire life) :ear #he end of #he cold war, 9ladi&ir Horowi#7 'layed an a&a7ing concer# a# #he

Moscow Conser(a#ory) A&a7ingly, Horowi#7 decided #o 'lay an incredibly si&'le 'iece by

8ober# chu&ann en#i#led 6rau&erei% for his encore) 6his 'iece is no# a# all a #echnical

challenge, bu# #he audience, &any of who& were in #ears, ga(e Horowi#7 a s#anding o(a#ion due

#o how beau#ifully he 'layed #he 'iece) 6his e*a&'le shows #he idea #ha# &ore i&'or#an# #han

#he #echnical as'ec# of a 'iece is #he e&o#ional charac#er #ha# #he 'erfor&er 'u#s in#o i#) 6his

ele&en# is wha# #ruly &a.es a re&ar.able 'erfor&ance #ha# #he audience will re&e&ber) $ere

#hose who were in a##endance a# #he concer# #here only #o see #he s'ec#acle #ha# co&es fro& lo#s


3/7

of no#es and fas# #e&'os, #hey would ha(e cer#ainly no# been in#eres#ed in Horowi#7!s encore)

6han.fully, #he audience was able #o a''recia#e #he 'urely &usical 'lane and e*'erience an

a&a7ing 'erfor&ance) E3ually i&'or#an# #o #he audience!s e*'erience is #he sensuous 'lane of

#he &usic, #he 'lane #ha# deals wi#h #he beau#y of #he &usic)

6his sensuous 'lane is one #ha# find of #he u#&os# i&'or#ance, &ar.ing a funda&en#al

disagree&en# #ha# ha(e wi#h Mr) Co'land) Co'land a##ac.s #hose who go #o concer# in order #o

drif# off fro& #he s#ress of e(eryday life) He a##ac.s #he& by saying #ha# allowing oneself #o be

absorbed by #he beau#iful sound of a 'iece brainless)% He also goes on #o say #ha# #he sur'rising

#hing is #ha# &any 'eo'le who consider #he&sel(es 3ualified &usic lo(ers abuse #ha# ;#hesensuous 'lane< 'lane in lis#ening% /Co'land 1 4 ) As if Co'land can say #ha# 'eo'le should no#

care abou# how beau#iful #he &usic i#self is) f being absorbed by #he beau#iful sound of a 'iece

is all a lis#ener is in#eres#ed in, #han #ha# is #heir 'reroga#i(e) 5f course i# is #rue #ha# so&e do no#

e(en re3uire a #radi#ionally beau#iful sound #o en=oy a 'iece of &usic)

Cer#ain co&'osers, es'ecially #hose in #he 20 #h and 21 s# cen#uries, wri#e 'ieces #ha# defy

're(ious laws of har&ony) 6hese 'ieces can so&e#i&es sound a bi# dissonan# #o #he ears) 6his

3uali#y co&es fro& #he &usic being a#onal as o''osed #o #he &ore #onal s#yle of co&'osers li.e

Mo7ar#) 6hose who say #ha# #radi#ional har&ony is no# necessary for a 'iece #o be beau#iful, ci#e

'ieces li.e #ra(ins.y!s &onu&en#al 'iece called #he 8i#e of 'ring% or #he &usic of ergei

+ro.ofie(, bo#h of which are generally a#onal) $hile so&e 'eo'le hear beau#y in #his &usic, i# is

no# 'leasing #o #he ears for #he &a=ori#y of lis#eners) For #his reason, #his &usic is s#ill no# as

fre3uen#ly 'layed as #he &ore #onal 1> #h and 1 #h cen#ury &usic) n addi#ion, #hese co&'osers,

and o#hers li.e #he&, ha(e ne(er been able #o garner #he fa&e and res'ec# of &usic lis#eners and

'erfor&ers li.e ee#ho(en, Mo7ar#, Cho'in, or ?ebussy /all who wro#e in a #onal s#yle )


4/7

8ach&aninoff bridges #he ga' be#ween #onal and a#onal bu# #he &ore a#onal wor.s #ha# he

'roduced #owards #he end of his life are less well .nown #han his earlier ones) 6he 'oin# is,

while &usic li.e #his can s#ill be beau#iful #o so&e, i# will ne(er be able #o s#and alongside 'ieces

by #he grea# ro&an#ic and classical era co&'osers))

Co'land!s o#her argu&en# rela#ing #o #his 'lane is #he idea #ha# allowing one!s &ind #o

wander during a 'iece and using i# as an esca'e is a flaw) would say #his is =us# #he o''osi#e)

E(en Cho'in used &usic as a &eans of esca'e fro& #he world) ?uring one of his (aca#ions in

which he was s#aying in a clois#er wi#h #he au#hor, @eorge and, he was found huddled a# his

'iano in #he early hours of #he &orning) Cho'in was #errified of #he church and used #he 'iano asa &eans of esca'ing fro& his fears) E(en if credibili#y were #he only way #o &easure #he (alidi#y

of Co'land!s o'inion #ha# &usic should no# be an esca'e, would he really be willing #o 'u# his

credibili#y as a co&'oser agains# #he grea# Frederic Cho'in # would be foolish for anybody #o

#ry and 'u# #he&sel(es on such a le(el) Cho'in would also disagree wi#h Co'land on ano#her of

his 'oin#s in #his essayB #he idea #ha# &usic should no# be in#er're#ed in #er&s of concre#e e(en#s)

Co'land belie(es #ha# a defini#e &eaning or e&o#ion should no# and canno# be a##ached #o

any 'iece of &usic) 6his is e(iden# based on his s#a#e&en# #ha# #his 'rocess should be

discouraged where(er and whene(er i# is &e#% /Co'land 1 ) n fac#, i# is Co'land!s idea #ha#

should be discouraged) f a##aching an e&o#ion or o#her &eaning #o a 'iece of &usic &a.es #he

e*'erience be##er for #he lis#ener, #han #ha# should be good enough) .now fro& 'ersonal

e*'erience #ha# a##aching a s#ory #o a 'iece of &usic can hel' a 'erfor&er e&o#ionally connec# #o

#he 'iece)

$hen 'layed a# a reci#al a# D:C@ before beca&e a s#uden# here, &ade u' an en#ire

s#ory #o acco&'any each of #he 'ieces would 'lay) efore began #o 'lay sa# a# #he 'iano and


5/7

#ried #o connec# &yself wi#h #he &ain charac#er of #he s#ory #ha# had crea#ed in order #o be##er

feel #he highs and lows in e&o#ion wi#hin #he 'iece) ?uring &y audi#ion i&agined ee#ho(en!s

#urbulen# rela#ionshi' wi#h his fa#her as a &eans of connec#ing #o #ha# 'iece) For #he Cho'in

'iece #ha# 'layed a# #he reci#al i&agined each sec#ion was a differen# &o&en# in #he life of &y

'ro#agonis#) Af#er 'laying for #he reci#al here, #wo &e&bers of #he 'iano facul#y co&'li&en#ed

&e on &y 'laying saying #ha# had 'layed (ery e&o#ionally) a##ribu#e #his #o #he fac# #ha#

was i&agining #hese &eanings while was 'laying) 6his is no# #o say #ha# e(erybody needs #o do

#hings #his way, bu# #his e*a&'le is a clear indica#or #ha# #his a''roach #o &usic can be a hel'ful

one #o use, regardless of #he desires of #he co&'oser)5ne such co&'oser #ha# Co'land &en#ions is #ra(ins.y who wan#ed his &usic #o s#and

alone, saying #ha# i# was a 'urely &usical idea, bu# #here ha(e been &any co&'osers who ha(e

no# (iewed #heir &usic as such) Ano#her argu&en# agains# &y anecdo#e could be #ha# a& no# a

credible au#hori#y on &usic gi(en #he lac. of #i&e #ha# ha(e s#udied i#, bu# ye# again a& no#

#he only 'erson who feels as #hough &usic is o'en #o in#er're#a#ion) Frederic Cho'in considered

hi&self #o be an indica#or, 'ro&'#ing wha#e(er e&o#ional res'onse #he lis#ener &igh# ha(e #o his

&usic) Also, wha# abou# #he #e*# 'ain#ing of #he grea# ?u.e Elling#on, who didn!# =us# encourage

'eo'le #o #a.e an e(en# fro& his 'ieces bu# ac#i(ely &odeled 'ieces af#er e(en#s bo#h real and

fic#ion) 6he song Mood ndigo #ells #he s#ory of a hear#bro.en li##le girl while ano#her 'iece

called lac. and 6an Fan#asy was &ean# #o &odel Elling#on!s longing for in#egra#ion) n ligh# of

#his e(idence, does Aaron Co'land!s argu&en# #ha# we should discourage #he 'rac#ice of 'u##ing

'ic#ures and concre#e ideas #o &usic really ha(e any &eri# # is wor#h as.ing whe#her Co'land

hi&self would be willing #o con#inue his argu&en# #ha# #his is #he way &usic should be #hough#

of since such grea#s as Frederic Cho'in and ?u.e Elling#on would no# only disagree wi#h his


6/7

clai&s, bu# &ore #han li.ely ada&an#ly a##ac. #he&)

Al#hough ha(e disagreed wi#h nearly all of Co'land!s (iews on #he way &usic should be

lis#ened #o, he is cer#ainly a well res'ec#ed co&'oser and he defini#ely con#ribu#ed 'osi#i(ely #o

#he &usical co&&uni#y during his life#i&e) 5(erall, #hough, Aaron Co'land does &a.e a few

'oin#s #ha# are wor#h no#ing) He brea.s down &usic in#o #hree so&ewha# dis#inc# o(erla''ing

'lanes, a (ery good idea for discussing #he (arious in#ricacies of #he ar#, bu# his argu&en#s

rela#ing #o how socie#y should (iew and lis#en #o &usic are woefully concei#ed and ill infor&ed)

He is cer#ainly righ# in saying #ha# #he 'urely &usical 'lane is neglec#ed so&e#i&es bu# his

discredi#ing of #he sensuous beau#y of &usic is a ridiculous clai&) 6he absurdi#y of #his is alsoco&'le&en#ed by #he fac# #ha# he feels #ha# &usic should no# be #hough# of in concre#e ideas)


7/7

$or.s Ci#ed

Aaron, Co'land) How $e " s#en #o Music) Mercury Reader ) Ed) anice :euleib, Ga#hleen )

Cain, and #e'hen 8uffus) os#onB +earson Cus#o&, 200>) 1 - >) +rin#)

a response to "how we listen to music"

Documents