UNIT3ARTFORART’SSAKEHowWeListen1Wealllistentomusicaccordingtoourseparatecapacities.But,forthesakeofanalysis,thewholelisteningprocessmaybecomeclearerifwebreakitupintoitscomponentparts,sotospeak.Inacertainsensewealllistentomusiconthreeseparateplanes.Forlackofabetterterminology,onemightnamethese:(1)thesensuousplane,(2)theexpressiveplane,(3)thesheerlymusicalplane.Theonlyadvantagetobegainedfrommechanicallysplittingupthelisteningprocessintothesehypotheticalplanesistheclearerviewtobehadofthewayinwhichwelisten.2Thesimplestwayoflisteningtomusicistolistenforthesheerpleasureofthemusicalsounditself.Thatisthesensuousplane.Itistheplaneonwhichwehearmusicwithoutthinking,withoutconsideringitinanyway.Oneturnsontheradiowhiledoingsomethingelseandabsent-mindedlybathesinthesound.Akindofbrainlessbutattractivestateofmindisengenderedbythemeresoundappealofthemusic.3Thesurprisingthingisthatmanypeoplewhoconsiderthemselvesqualifiedmusicloversabusethatplaneinlistening.Theygotoconcertsinordertolosethemselves.Theyusemusicasaconsolationoranescape.Theyenteranidealworldwhereonedoesn'thavetothinkoftherealitiesofeverydaylife.Ofcoursetheyaren'tthinkingaboutthemusiceither.Musicallowsthemtoleaveit,andtheygoofftoaplacetodream,dreamingbecauseofandaproposofthemusicyetneverquitelisteningtoit.4Yes,thesoundappealofmusicisapotentandprimitiveforce,butyoumustnotallowittousurpadisproportionateshareofyourinterest.Thesensuousplaneisanimportantoneinmusic,averyimportantone,butitdoesnotconstitutethewholestory.5ThesecondplaneonwhichmusicexistsiswhatIhavecalledtheexpressiveone.Here,immediately,wetreadoncontroversialground.Composershaveawayofshyingawayfromanydiscussionofmusic'sexpressiveside.DidnotStravinskyhimselfproclaimthathismusicwasan"object",a"thing",withalifeofitsown,andwithnoothermeaningthanitsownpurelymusicalexistence?ThisintransigentattitudeofStravinsky'smaybeduetothefactthatsomanypeoplehavetriedtoreaddifferentmeaningsintosomanypieces.Heavenknowsitisdifficultenoughtos