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Fri, 20 Oct 2006 11:56:08 -0400 |
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clamav-milter version 0.88.4 on localhost
Status: O
The discussion has been interesting- good to see a serious discussion of such an intriguing subject on this liszt. I would like to bring to the discussion a low brow philistine perspective. What is a language really? A good operational definition: if you can use it to order breakfast, its a language. If you cannot,then it is not a language. Using this very sensible (to me) operational definition, music is clearly not a language. But can music communicate? Of course it can- very powerfully. But you cannot use it to ask the waitress to bring you two scrambled eggs, toast, coffee, and orange juice. Human curiosity is a wonderful thing.Far be it for me to question the importance of the "music as language " discussion, which has featured many fascinating perspectives, furnished much food for thought. But in the final analysis why not accept that music is a thing in itself?
Bernard Chasan
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