An Analysis Of Aristotle's Influence On Music And Music

In Aristotle’s Politics he discusses several different parameters in which music can be experienced in. He observes music in an educational aspect, a moral aspect, and in a political aspect. In each subject Aristotle breaks his observations of music down into two categories: is it being taught and used solely for pleasure and/or leisure or is it being taught and used for solely educational and/or business purposes? Out of all of these topics that have been observed and analyzed by Aristotle I am going to use the observations that Aristotle has compiled, my personal music experiences/case as a music major, and how music pertains in today’s current society to refute the ideas that Aristotle presented in The Politics concerning music and education

“Now it is not difficult to see that one must not make amusement the object of the education of the young; for amusement does not go with learning-learning is a painful process. (Aristotle Politics)” This statement that Aristotle makes suggests that learning is a serious inquiry only and that if you are learning music in an educational/business setting it cannot be interpreted or enjoyed in amusement, and vice a versa. This idea that Aristotle proposes can be refuted through my personal experience as a musician/music major. When participating in high school band it takes several years to somewhat master your instrument and become proficient at your craft, but the learning is not simply a serious inquiry. The technical aspects of learning your instrument is a serious and painful learning process, but during the learning process of how to attack musicality components when performing a piece that too can be enjoyed and amusing. In my personal experience as a musician I have experienced moments where learning about the technicalities and interpretive aspects of music is both a serious learning undertone yet simultaneously an extremely enjoyable and amusing activity. “For