{...and Music [continued (3)]}[15th June 1990]

[Redbook7:151][19900615:2340]{...and Music [continued (3)]}[15th June 1990]

15

16.0021

This unpredictability of effect *– which must necessarily imply impossibility of, ie collapse on,** analysis – is not a feature of other major art-forms – certainly not of Literature, nor I think of Visual Art.

If we know the recipient so far as one can practically know someone, we can normally predict the effect of a story or painting on him in line with his characteristics, and see how the one relates to the other. This is not true of Music, so far as I know: we may make a stab at predicting the effect of a particular piece of music on a particular Individual whom we know, but we are quite likely (or at any rate, I am quite likely) to get it wrong; and even if the prediction turns out to be correct, I cannot see how anyone can analyse the connection in any particular instance.*** There are too many variables: not only in the music – piece, and performance – and in the mind of the Individual, but also externally acting upon performer and listener to bring about their mood. Mechanically-minded musicians may question this; but I should think that they might have missed the point.

*[See last previous entry]

**[ie contrary to last previous entry]

***See [The] Ind[ependent] 19900714:31[:] Northcott, ‘The way we hear now’: ‘...Most analysts [of music] would now agree it is impossible to encompass all aspects of a work in a single methodological approach.’

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