Definitions

Innovators and Influencers
- David Tudor:
- Renowned for clever innovations with electronics.
- Created sounds that were avant-garde and not widely appreciated.
- ABBA:
- A successful pop group known for appealing electronic sounds.

Understanding 'Popular Music':
- The term originated in the late 19th century.
- In English-speaking countries, its usage can be traced back to the 1880s and 1890s coinciding with the rise of Tin Pan Alley as a cultural hub.
- Popular music parallels the emergence of bestselling literature during this time, with examples like:
- Sherlock Holmes stories
- H. G. Wells's The Time Machine
- Bram Stoker's Dracula
- In France, the term chansons populaires was used earlier, associated with the revolutions of 1830 and 1848 and had particular political connotations.

Emergence and Associations:
- Recognized as linked to the organization of a Music Industry:
- Establishment of dance halls, ballrooms, and non-elite theater.
- Growth of Tin Pan Alley hits.
- The existence of oppositional dynamics within popular music:
- Class distinctions (High vs. Low)
- Genre distinctions (Niche vs. General, Elite vs. Popular, Serious vs. Light).
- Exploration of historical relationships with capitalism:
- Early composers like Haydn did not exhibit hostility towards market influences, actively trying to gain popularity through appealing music.

Historical Shift:
- Inquiry into when high art became distinct from popular art and the influences of capitalism on this division.

Richard Wagner (1813-1883):
- Advocated for a dense style of music termed as “the music of the future.”
- Criticized traditional opera's accessibility and public enthusiasm, establishing his own opera house aimed at immersive experiences.
Johann Strauss Jr. (1825-1899):
- Known as the “waltz king.”
- Produced popular, engaging music that was well-received during his time.
- Comparison of his work to Wagner's dense compositions:
- Tristan und Isolde (Wagner) vs. The Blue Danube waltz (Strauss).

Arnold Schoenberg (1874-1951):
- Defined true art as elitist and not for general consumption.
- Advocated “emancipation of dissonance” reflecting a trend towards unresolved dissonances in music.
- Founded Society for Private Musical Performances (1918) avoiding critical responses and promoting challenging music.
- Introduced twelve-tone composition technique, impacting future composers like Pierre Boulez and Milton Babbitt.

Pierre Boulez (1925-2016):
- Known for technical, avant-garde compositions influenced by Schoenberg.
Milton Babbitt (1916-2011):
- Authored “Who Cares If You Listen?” discussing the separation of music composition from public appreciation.
- Developed electronic music, emphasizing detachment from audience reception.
- Started the first PhD program in Music Composition at Princeton, highlighting a divide between avant-garde music and general enjoyment.
Bob Dylan (1941- ):
- A significant figure in folk-rock, emphasizing public engagement with music.

Andreas Huyssen:
- Proposed the concept of The Great Divide referring to the split between high art and mass culture established in the 19th century.
Capitalism's Role:
- Popular versus elite art differentiation based on market ideology.

Karl Marx's Theories:
- Commodity characteristics:
- Fungibility: Measurable and substitutable characteristics.
- Surface Appeal: Commodities are designed to attract consumers.
- Fetishism: Disguising exchange value and use value; society's relation to commodities regarded as magical.
Theodor Adorno's Views:
- Critiqued the commodification of culture, emphasizing a shift toward mass-produced art over authentic expression.
- Argued that mass culture inhibits true critical engagement with art, leading to complacent consumption.

Regression of Listening:
- Contemporary listening behaviors depicted as infantilized, lacking depth and critical engagement due to market-driven music production.
- Characteristics of modern listening:
- Fragmented experiences focusing on particular moments rather than holistic appreciation.
- Challenges the listener's ability to maintain concentration or form connections with the entirety of the musical work.

The Culture Industry:
- Discusses how artistic production conforms to market logic, producing easily consumable art rather than resisting commodification.
Commodity Fetishism:
- Suggests that consumers misinterpret the intrinsic value of art and music, viewing it through the lens of economic exchange rather than artistic significance.
Kitsch:
- Reflects on cultural products that have been devalued by commercialism, lacking genuine artistic meaning.