A New Word to Describe a Form of Music

An interesting thing happened over the weekend that I want to relate to you fellow members of this community in order to learn your thoughts.

A few days ago I listened to Leonard Bernstein discuss a most important topic. “What is Classical Music?” is the title of an episode from his famous Young People’s Concerts. In that episode, he examines the ever-perplexing question of what to call this music. As a practitioner, I, too, have always been interested in finding a suitable answer to that question.

Mr. Bernstein suggests the answer may lie in the use of the term “Exact” as the defining label for this genre since the music is constructed with exacting precision through written language. This word, I believe, is inappropriate since it does not define or distinguish accurately. Isn’t the composer who uses a DAW or records directly from instrument to microphone just as exacting in what he/she is doing? He then acknowledges the continuing dilemma and invites anyone who has a better way to describe this branch of the art to let him know. Well, I feel I may have the solution. Sadly, Bernstein is dead so I am unable to offer it to him. However, I can offer it to you.

After watching the episode, I thought about some of the ways this music is described by enthusiasts: “Classical Music”, “Serious Music”, “Art Music”, “High Music”, as well as some of the less flattering definitions voiced by non-enthusiasts: “Old People’s Music”, “Boring Music”, “Sissy Music”, or the ever popular, polite denunciation: “Music that’s good to sleep to”. If anyone can manage to sleep through THE RIGHT OF SPRING, NIGHT ON BALD MOUNTAIN, or THE MIRACULAS MANDARINE, do let me know how you do it, for I would love to have your key to successful slumber!

The problem with these labels, I feel, is their focus on quality of art rather than on approach to its creation. What I do is NOT “Classical Music”. Classical music is what was written from about the middle of the 18th century through to the early 19th. Mozart and Haydn are the great names from that period. “Serious Music” is a preposterous, misnomer that does nothing but raise the ire of those the composer hopes to reach. Is not the creator of any other genre just as “serious”? Some are serious about their work, some are not. It’s a matter of individual motivation and application, not style. All music is “Art Music”. I cannot recall how many times after hearing a piece of “High Music”, I have immediately jumped to “Low Music” for relief; as one would switch to something delicious to relieve the palette of some offensive taste! Despite what many in academia want to believe, a “proper education” in the language of music is no guarantee to the production of fine art. I have heard whole symphonies that pale pathetically in comparison to a simple folk song like OH, SHENANDOAH!

After thinking for awhile, it came to me! Why not call it “Scored Music”? This definition seems perfect since it eliminates any notion of QUALITY and replaces it with the idea of APPROACH to creation; instantly eliminating any hint of condescension and reducing the possibility of resultant defensiveness so common on this point. The beauty of this idea lies in the fact that, as I'm sure most anyone would acknowledge, composers of this "scored music" are the only people who actually write notes on staff lines. Regardless of style, complexity, duration, or any other quality in the music, a person authors work in written form, just as does a writer of prose or poetry. That's all there is to it--no genre descriptions, no quality assessments; just a simple indication of approach to authorship. For example, if one composes "trance music" and chooses to write out the music on paper rather than record it some other way, then that artist is composing "scored music"; "trance" is incidental to the fact.

It is quite remarkable that the day after this idea occurred to me, Essence, while kindly commenting on one of my pieces, actually used the term “score music” to describe what she was hearing. Although I have heard and used the word, score, countless times in reference to the written document, this marked the first time I have heard it used by another person in reference to the genre itself. I appreciate her remarkably insightful description and since she uttered it publicly before I did, will let her take credit for the word's coinage.

So, when asked what kind of music I write, I can now answer with an uncharged, benign term that accurately defines what I do—“scored”. What a relief! I, long ago, grew tired of being asked, answering “classical”, and hearing something like: “Wow! Cool! Gee! Well, it’s nice to see you again, but I heard news of a house that has just been painted and I’ve got to get there in time to watch it dry.”

The only problem remaining for me and other composers of “Scored Music” is the fact that it is a new and totally unknown label replacement for “Classical Music”. Hopefully, continued usage over time will finally erase that dreadful misnomer from the language.

[KtA]

I've never had a problem with modern compositions being mistakenly labelled as ''classical''.
You know what to expect before you hit the play button.

''classical'' music...not ''Classical Music''

As any style of music can be written on staves (even Trap ) ''Scored Music'' seems a little vague as a description...or maybe that's your point?

[stonedog]

I can see where you are coming from, but the problem with "scored music" for me is that it doesn't define the music style, but the process. I scribble down guitar tab whilst I'm writing but that doesn't give anyone any idea about the genre.

How about Modern Orchestral if you want to avoid the oxymoron of "Modern Classical"?

But then again, I tend to label my stuff "alternative" which is delightfully meaningless and means that I don't have to pigeon-hole it...

Cheers,

Jon.

[LIQUID]

My only thoughts are that I suggest "Classical Music" generally leaves no room for interpretation. Every note and dynamic must be performed as scored. In modern times music has become more open in its architecture allowing the musician scope to interpret and infuse something of their own self. Personally I love many classical tracks and accept the notion that each performance is an endeavour to recreate the ideal of the piece. But equally I love the flexibility of pop and rock for the ease of which improve is accepted.
Ironically enough classical was scored as it was the only way to preserve it as it was before the days of recording technology and today digital composition is its own way guaranteeing each play is a perfect replica of the past play. Only through some intervention of live performance does any music escape the label as being scored.