Compared to other forms of art, music has been generally perceived as the one that is supposed to be intuitively understandable. While the specified idea is not quite correct, being an accurate example of undervaluing the significance of academic musical analysis, it also proves the universality of musical language as a shorthand for rendering recognizable and relatable emotions. However, some music specimens represent a challenge for general audiences, being unpalatable due to their attempt to break the set traditions. After listening to the compositions such as Cage, Sonatas and Interludes for Prepared Piano, Varèse, Poème électronique, Crumb, Black Angels, all movements, Glass, Knee Play 1 and Knee Play 5, from Einstein on the Beach, and Adams, Short Ride in a Fast Machine, I am inclined to believe that the specified compositions are meant to be misunderstood. Having created compositions that general audiences find unpalatable, creators of “weird” music push the envelope of musical perception and analysis, challenging people’s ideas of entertainment and encouraging them to listen analytically as opposed to viewing music as pleasant background noise.
Specifically, the compositions in question, as well as the so-called “weird” music, in general, should be seen as art due to their contribution to the development of music. Without the pieces that are generally considered to be strange and unappealing, innovative solutions to sound, harmony, melody, rhythm, and growth (SHMRG), would not have been found. For this reason, the specified musical pieces must be recognized for their undeniable artistic value. Questioning whether art should be purely enjoyable or whether its aesthetic could stem from its daring ideas, the specified compositions, as well as “weird” music, in general, invite their audiences to approach their musical experiences critically, thus, creating premises for fascinating discoveries.