What is Music???

Music is an art form that uses sound as its medium to convey a message or story. It can be said to be emotional, powerful, and philosophical. The greatest thing about music is that it is universal. It is a language that everyone speaks. Music is also limitless in possibilities as art is free with no boundaries. An artists by the name of John Cage say’s “art is a sort of experimental station in which one tries out living” (Ross, 2010, Pg. 1). This is a great definition.     

John Cage wrote a musical piece called 4’33’’. It is indeed music. It is the music of silence. What Cage is trying to portray is that music is every single sound a person hears around them (Ross, 2010). It is the sounds that humans tend to ignore, the music of the earth. 4’33’’ acts as a reality check, teaching people how to listen. Silence is part of music; along with notes written on a page there are rests. So a piece consisting of nothing but rests could be considered music. After all, silence is actually very loud. It is also a myth. On earth, silence does not exist. True silence can only be found in the depths of outer space. 4’33’’ is telling a story of life using the sounds life is creating at that moment. Is that not the definition of music?

Naturally John Cage’s 4’33’’ was rejected, and mocked by most people (Ross, 2010). Even to this day people are angry at even the idea of this being music. In the words of Macklemore and Ryan Lewis (2012), “America the brave still fears what we don’t know”(Verse 1). So why wouldn’t people make fun and say how ridiculous Cage is. 4’33’’ is unlike anything that has ever been done. No one has every created a piece of music out of silence. I have to admit; when I first discovered 4’33’’ I had the same reaction. I insisted that this was not music until I stopped to listen. Then I thought silence IS sound. I also thought just because something is different doesn’t mean its wrong.

In addition to the words of Macklemore influencing my change in opinion, I was also influenced by the words of Alex Ross. In Ross (2010) he states, “Jackson Pollock, too, was once widely mocked. Now the art market bows before [him]” (pg. 2). Pollock created a whole new form of art, splatter painting. This style of painting is now very popular. Cage basically created a whole new form of music. Who’s to say that one day this idea might become popular?

In conclusion, this is yet another example of change and innovation being delayed. 4’33’’ although very strange is a form of music. It is undoubtedly art at its best. It causes controversy and intrigue, exactly what art is supposed to do. Some people will always reject this song but others will learn to listen. I said this at the beginning and I will say it again, music/art has limitless possibilities.    

References:

Macklemore, & Lewis, R. (2012). Same Love. On The Heist [CD]. Burbank, California: Warner Music Group.

Ross, A. (2010, October 4). The New Yorker Digital Edition: Oct 04, 2010. Retrieved April 14, 2015, from http://archives.newyorker.com/?i=2010-10-04#folio=052