Western Art Music

Here are five characteristics of Western Art Music:

1)COMPOSER-CONTROLLED: in most societies, the performer is the 'final filter' through which the music passes. In Western art music, although this is true 'de facto' - and there certainly are different schools of interpretation - nonetheless, 'de jure' the composer exerts an awful lot of control over the final product via extensive written "regulations." This brings us to the next characteristic:

2)ELABORATE NOTATIONAL SYSTEM: the most elaborate music notation system known to mankind. According to the Grove's musical dictionary, Western notation "is a complex multiple hybrid system with very low redundancy, partly technical and tablature-like, partly representational." While not perfect, it allows a single individual (the composer) to communicate in incredible detail exactly how he wants his piece to sound. I wish to stress the extent to which this is something new in human history.

3)AUGENMUSIK: the German for "music of the eye," this is a difficult concept for some people to understand. I will say that it wouldn't be possible if characteristics #1 and #2 weren't there. It is the organization present in a substantial minority of Western compositions which is primarily-to-exclusively evident to the eye (i.e. in the notation). This organization is barely audible-to-inaudible - which is what trips most people up. "Aren't you supposed to HEAR music?" Well, yes, but this says something about Western music - this hidden means of organization which is seen as a challenge to composers (#1) who build this into the elaborate notational system (#2). Some examples would be: Ockeghem's Missa Prolationem and Machaut's
Ma fin e mon commencment.

4)HARMONIC PROGRESSION: The notion that a melody will have an accompanying chord progression is something new in human history, too. It emerges from Western counterpoint, which rather uniquely decides to organize the vertical alignments of notes (punctus contra punctum - point counter point) into particular harmonies. The notion of a chord progression is less than 1000 years old.

5)RAPID STYLISTIC CHANGE: Western "classical" music has actually gone through many different periods. The so-called Classical period (Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven) didn't last a full 100 years.