17 November 2005

Domain changes

Two quick thoughts: first, art feels more relevant to the observer not only when it's externally familiar but also when it's internally familiar. Pop songs are externally familiar. Internal familiarity is when the artwork contains internal repetition and variation of themes or structures. Poetry illustrates this with its use of alliteration, assonance, consonance, and other rhyming techniques. Phrases are made more compelling with rhyme no matter their content. This should be classified under the same rule as that of external familiarity.

Second, there can be a related disconnect of content and structure in music performance. Music that feels good in your hands can start a feedback to your ears. This is partially why beginning students enjoy playing "Heart and Soul," but also points to a relationship with the first idea of familiarity. To put it in an extreme: you can hate listening to music you love playing (although it could never be that extreme).

These seem very related, although my opinion may change tomorrow. Both ideas involve art that is structurally beautiful but expressively deficit.

[ posted by sstrader on 17 November 2005 at 7:50:30 PM in Music ]