THOUGHTS ON RECORDED MUSIC: PROLOGUE
Music Is the Only Magic That Is Real
Some might argue that there is other real magic in the world.
Love comes to mind. We may talk about the magic of love, but for me, the truth is more tangible than that. Amongst our loved ones, it’s easy to identify an act of love that may be truly wonderful but not an act of magic because we don’t understand how it materializes.
There is no way the true love between a couple can be transferred to others, let alone be divined whether it is love at all. The veneer of magic slips further when we set to the task of defining what love is.
What about other art forms?
The visual arts? Too often, those who search for the magic within the visual quickly become entangled in the philosophy of art. The magic is impenetrable to anyone but the most devoted acolyte. For some, Rothko doesn’t come close to the mythological reverence his work is afforded by others.
If so much reference is needed to see the magic, maybe it isn’t that magical after all?
Music, but contrast, is very easy to define. It sounds arranged in time.
The simple act of tapping my finger on the desk with rhythm is to make music. Not great music or great magic, but even so, something beyond…
