"Contemporary" music...

What does contemporary music even mean?

For different people, it could mean several different things.

The term contemporary literally refers to something from our time.

And let´s get this clear: music composed nowadays doesn´t necessarily need to be innovative or sound more like noise than like music to be valuable or to be called contemporary, since as I said, it is composed during our times.

I was speaking a couple of days ago with a composer friend, one of the few composers worldwide who can actually make a good living out of composing, and is highly respected. We were reflecting a lot about contemporary music and its role in society.

Personally, I´m even more interested in its relevance rather than its role, although both are closely linked.

WHat makes a piece of music relevant? That question actually applies to all music, not just music from the 21st century.

I certainly can´t go through our whole discussion or my viewpoints on this in a single e-mail. All I can say is that music and art are such a personal experience, that it’s ultimately the listener, viewer, reader (etc) who perceives and appreciates (or not) the value of the work of art, contemporary or not.

I personally can´t enjoy music that sounds like my dinner plates crashing or a dog being stabbed. But then again, music (and art) is not necessarily about what is beautiful or pleasing to the senses. Art can be a statement about anything, even about something awful. I can´t judge for anyone else.

I only know that the music I like to compose is melodic and tonal. I try to compose music that I would enjoy listening to. Sometimes I succeed, and a whole bunch of other times I don´t.

This piece, Alone, which i initally discarded, I now enjoy plenty. Especially performing it.

You can get the sheet music here: SHEET MUSIC

And you can listen to it here if you have’t yet: LISTEN TO IT HERE

Have a great day.

Claudio.