# The Sound-art Strawman



## Xenakiboy (May 8, 2016)

I have noticed the occurrence of the term "Sound-art" quite often (not just recently), as a derogatory term used to devalue a piece of music or a composer someone doesn't like. E.g. "Pierre Boulez is just Sound-art."
I find it laughable that people can think that denying a composer or a work of the category of "music" is acceptable, just because they don't like it. 
I've seen this all over the internet, youtube, blogs and forums.

People in 2016 still find it hard to understand that Arnold Schoenberg is a composer of "music", come on! What if someone devalues a Mozart piano Sonata because they don't like it, by calling it "Sound-art"??

I superficially see no difference between Mozart, Schoenberg, The Penguins, John Coltrane, Beethoven, Xenakis, Haas, Captain Beefheart, J.S. Bach, Merzbow and Bob Dylan. They are of completely different aesthetics but are as valid as the next. I happily listen to Doo *** or even new age music, alongside Xenakis or Stockhausen for example.

This being said, I think the official definition of music should be "art with sound", however contradictory it may sound. Don't try and define it by elements of music such as melody or rhythm, because it not important or relevant to music that relies heavily on timbral or electronic manipulations of sounds. :tiphat:


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## Guest (Aug 4, 2016)

Controversially (the term is new to me) it may be meant as a pejorative but I don't dislike the term.


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## Xenakiboy (May 8, 2016)

dogen said:


> Controversially (the term is new to me) it may be meant as a pejorative but I don't dislike the term.


Yes, it's what I mean.
I do believe a great portion of people have a prejudice against contemporary music for a multitude of reasons.
The accedemic side of music certainly gives a lot of people a wrong perspective of how to listen to it.

To give examples:
12 Tone composers aren't trying to express anything artistic are they? They're just doing mathematical exercises that I can't enjoy on any level except for accedemicly. E.G. "Schoenberg doesn't express any emotions and there is nothing I can enjoy, it's just Sound-art for mathematicians"


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## Adam Weber (Apr 9, 2015)

Xenakiboy said:


> To give examples:
> 12 Tone composers aren't trying to express anything artistic are they? They're just doing mathematical exercises that I can't enjoy on any level except for accedemicly. E.G. "Schoenberg doesn't express any emotions and there is nothing I can enjoy, it's just Sound-art for mathematicians"


That happens too often. It seems people don't _expect_ music, so they don't put any effort into finding it.


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

Now that you mention it there _are_ some Mozart sonatas I wouldn't dignify with the term "art." But I know what dogen means. I like the term. Whoever uses it as a snub must only be familiar with hotel art.

BTW, your tastes, Xenakiboy, may be even more eclectic than mine. I didn't know that was possible. But I suppose I really only focus on four or five genres.


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## EdwardBast (Nov 25, 2013)

Can't say I've ever heard that expression used in that way. I must be out of the loop.


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## Mahlerian (Nov 27, 2012)

To my knowledge, the only person who thinks "sound-art" constitutes a separate category from music is John Borstlap.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Borstlap

And he probably wrote his own Wikipedia page...

...no, not joking. It was either that or someone who is obsessed with a Dutch composer whom no one's aware of outside of his contributions to comments on Lebrecht's tabloid.


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