I turned on the TV to occupy my daughter as I went for my morning jog attempt. And at about 4:30am an episode of Aurthur taught me something about music that was so awesome, I must have realized it before.
I was thinking about absolute music vs. Songs with lyrics. The episode was called, "Do you speak George". In the episode, the kids were doing a thing I always did, too, it seems natural for kids to explore the properties of communication. They were creating secret languages that were shared only with a selective few. The pinacle was a moment an outsider said that it sort of frustrated the point of communicating, and we ought to just use our vernacular (universal language) which was natural and proven through it's survival to be the best.
I had always thought "classical" music superior in that it was universally understood and it was classical because it endured. But, then it was a natural evolution of music to use poetry like Morrissey and other lyrics we studied in English class.
As I saw Authur I thought there is a need to be understood and not everyone will take the time to learn the Things music has to say, so at least language arts continues to be part of a standard ciriculum, so the best music does use words so that all can understand. On the show a kid said idealistically, everyone will speak sign language so as to not exclude those who cannot hear. To me, this is like music. Sure I prefer absolute music because it makes sense to me, but it is as idealistic as that boy who said, everyone should learn sign language. Not everyone drools over a powerful symphony or a complex poem, but put them together and they not only understand but crave it.
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