Formal Properties as the Basis for Value in Music
Thomas B. Yee · Pepperdine Digital Commons (Pepperdine University) · 2014
Bruce Baugh makes a helpful distinction between “form ” and “matter ” in music. He defines form as the intrinsic elements of a musical piece’s composition and matter as “the way music feels to the listener.”1 The remainder of this paper will refer to what Baugh calls the “form ” of music as “formal properties ” and “matter ” as “non-formal properties. ” After making this distinction, Baugh proceeds to argue that what makes a piece of rock music good is its non-formal properties rather than its formal properties. It is tempting to make a similar claim for music generally, namely that it is the non-formal properties of a piece of music that give it the value it has qua music. However, in this paper I will argue that a musical piece’s formal properties, rather than its non-formal properties, are what give it its value qua music. I will offer two arguments to support this thesis. These arguments will attempt to show that non-formal properties are inadequate as a basis for value in music, and that it must be the music’s formal properties that give a piece of music value qua music. I will then raise and attempt to refute objections that might be raised against my conclusion.