The Mode Makes the Difference

              The Mode Makes the Difference

From ancient to modern times, music philosophers have believed in general that “the mode made the difference” when it came to musicing and listening.  However, modern, post-modern, and now post-postmodern man has not been unified in his belief about the nature, value and communicating power of music.  Because music philosophers disagreed about how and what music communicates, they are divided into referentialist and non-referentialist camps.

       The communication matter was further complicated by the advent of the symbolist philosophers who basically believe that music’s symbols communicate in their own little “bubble” which does not relate to life outside of music’s little world.  Although it is evident that I do not buy this philosophical theory, I do admit that they are possibly right in their belief that music does have the potential, at least in some situations, to communicate symbols to the performer and the auditor.  However, I do not concur with the mainstream symbolists in their belief that music’s symbols do not relate to life outside of music’s little bubble which they refer to as a closed system.  Jimi Hendrix once said, “Atmospheres are going to come through music, because the music is a spiritual thing of its own… you can hypnotize people… and when you get them at them at their weakest point  you can preach into the subconscious what you want to say.”3   Life, Oct. 3, 1969, p. 74)