Art is inseparable from the history of humankind’s cultural development. It was present and accessible even at the dawn of civilization, considering the evidence such as cave paintings and others. The ability to express thoughts and feelings not only through speech and gestures contributed significantly to the evolution of society and culture. In its nature, art is perceptual – the artistic effect is achieved through the interaction with general human perceptions, for example, sight or – in the case of music – hearing. At a certain point in time, people invented musical instruments and used them to diversify the expression further, making it even more personal. Such is the way how Baldwin and Kirby explain the role of music in human lives – pure personal expression (8). Nevertheless, this belief is not universal since there are other opinions on the part of music in particular and culture in general in human society. According to Adorno and Horkheimer, personalization is merely an illusion created by numerous cultural institutions (19). It is in the comparison of these contradicting opinions that the multifaceted nature of music can be found.
In Sonny’s Blues, the characters and surroundings they live in are defined by music, making their role central in the story. Sonny decides that he wants to grow up to be a musician at a young age, but his brother has a hard time accepting this decision (Baldwin and Kirby, 3). For Sonny, the world is entirely different than the one his older brother grew up in and, as a result, requires different ways of description for its new reality. The music that Sonny plays and loves is based not so much on strict formality as on the pure expression of the soul. For musicians like Sonny, it meant the untied hands for their creativity; it was an opportunity to live free, circumvent the existing boundaries and restrictions, and reflect on the world and inner selves through their art. Despite his previous addiction to drugs, he manages to redeem himself through music in front of his brother. The comparison to the religious revival the narrator saw earlier confirms the redemption (Baldwin and Kirby, 22). From this perspective, music is considered purely personal and does not coincide with anything else apart from the individual’s boundaries.
The opposite opinion about music is described in The Culture Industry. According to Adorno and Horkheimer, the so-called cultural industry monopolized art in its traditional form, subduing it and turning it into a propaganda tool (1). They believe that mediation, which previously provided the individual with a sphere of partial autonomy, is gradually being eliminated. As a result, a radical transformation of the conditions for the production and dissemination of culture occurred. This transformation led to the erosion of free circulation and monopoly control of artistic works. In addition, this deterioration in distribution and production conditions led to mass standardization. The content of popular culture tends to be interchangeable; formulas and clichés are designed for effect by special expert teams. The hits are distributed by the cultural sector, and the singers and movie stars are created artificially and rely on a series of fixed types of slogans and repetitive formulas. Adorno and Horkheimer note that standardization is complemented by endowing mass-produced goods with illusory individualization (19). To summarize, standardization is technical rationality that sacrifices everything novel and spontaneous in culture for the sake of maximizing profitability.
In comparison, the views on the music of Baldwin and Kirby utterly vary from the Adorno and Horkheimer ones. Although, there is an essential notion in this comparison – the scope of the perspective. Sonny’s Blues is centered around an individual and his direct surroundings; his music is a result of improvisation, which is followed by the improvisation of other musicians. In turn, The Culture Industry describes music and culture globally; in this context, production and consumption are not strictly defined. In the case of the former, the question of popularity and music consumption by other people is not the main focus of the story. In the case of the latter, no regard is given to the emotions the musicians put into their work. The implication of total control over the cultural industry does not exclude that artificial stars can experience emotions in their expression, even if the song is manufactured. Therefore, the principal contradiction in the mentioned points of view is the final purpose of expression. Apart from that, they can coexist without being mutually exclusive.
Music, at its core, is a multifaceted phenomenon with various layers, stages, and implications. From a strictly individual perspective, the music resembles self-expression that allows one to share feelings and emotions uniquely. From a broader cultural perspective, music can become a mighty control tool that helps to manipulate consumers’ perceptions. Despite these opinions seeming contradictory, there is a possibility of both perspectives are correct. In the end, the truth behind it might lie somewhere in the middle, depending on the emphasis and the scope of the assessment.
Works Cited
Adorno, Theodor W., and Max Horkheimer. The culture industry. 2002.
Baldwin, James, and George Kirby. Sonny’s blues. Klett, 1970.