Is noise just music we haven't learned to appreciate yet?
In short: From the silence of John Cage to the 'noise' of modern streaming, this lecture explores how our definitions of beauty and music have shifted alongside 20th-century politics.
Dr. Toby Young examines the philosophical boundary between music and noise, investigating whether artistic beauty still holds a primary place in our modern experience. The lecture contextualizes these definitions against a shifting socio-political landscape, questioning how we perceive the sounds in our daily environment.
Key examples include John Cage’s '4’33”', which challenges the requirement of melody by suggesting that ambient sounds are inherently aesthetic. The discussion also touches on the 'pollutant' definition of noise—used in policing or torture—and the acoustic definition of irregular fluctuations. A modern case study highlights the funk band Vulfpeck, whose silent album 'Sleepify' was pulled by Spotify for violating content policies, illustrating how context dictates what we label as music.
Opens the Intellect+ feed with this card first. Swipe up for the next one.
Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: What is Noise? Beauty and Taste in Twentieth Century Music - Dr Toby Young
- Also: What is Noise? Beauty and Taste in 20th Century Music
- Also: gsmd.academia.edu — Toby Young - Profile on Academia.edu
To cite this card, link to https://intellectplus.co.uk/app/ideas-what-is-noise-beauty-and-taste-in-twentieth-century-music-dr.
How we source, check and correct cards: Editorial standards.
General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.
Intellect Plus is a visual educational discovery platform for exploring fascinating facts and ideas. Brain Food, Not Brain Rot. What is Intellect Plus?
Related
More in Philosophy · More in Ideas & Philosophy · Latest · A–Z · All topics
