U music and e music

1. The boundary between the two types of music entertainment music and serious music is fluid and can not be determined exactly. Only in the GEMA billing is a distinction between two types of music. The characteristics of this separation are however controversial.

2. There is more or less well-crafted music in both types of music. As a rule, the quality of craftsmanship can only be assessed by musicians who have been trained in composition and is not a sound distinguishing feature of underground and electronic music.

3. There is simple and sophisticated music with all intermediate levels in both types of music. The so-called e-music ranges from the simple chorale melody to, for example, the highly artistic Wozzek score by Alban Berg. The so-called underground music ranges from the raw punk song to the masterfully arranged score of sophisticated light music. Again, no convincing difference can be made.

4. One may ask how inherently a music is, i. E. whether the composer only follows his inner law and inspiration and does not turn to the pleasure of the listener and earning money. E-music is said to be “autonomous” in this sense, but on closer inspection this also seems to be questionable: when in Germany after the Second World War under the influence of Adorno Schönberg’s twelve-tone music was the measure of all things, it was conspicuous many e-composers who wanted to apply something were obedient in this technique, and as serialism came along, composers seeking recognition worked out to work in that direction, so where was the creative autonomy?

One can not say that the U-music composers only want to make money, while the E-music composers in noble poverty follow their inner voice. Because here, too, it’s about tangible economic benefits. If the U-music composer takes advantage of the fact that his music arrives at many listeners, then the E-music composer is concerned with prizes and scholarships. With this he can make a name for himself and, if all goes his way, win a well-paid professorship at a music training center, which allows him to work in peace and economic independence, regardless of whether the listener likes his music or not. After all, composition awards are not about the approval of the listener or the performer, but about the jury. So you’re tempted to compose the way the jury likes it. Again, the autonomy seems threatened.

5. One may ask how far a music is honest and reflects our reality in all its manifestations. It is said that electronic music does so much more than underground music. But what is our reality? This is experienced and seen differently by each person. The one more positive, the other more negative, the one highly intelligent and multi-layered, the other more simple and out of the gut, the believing man determined by his religious convictions, etc. So especially the church music has an otherworldly reality in view. Presumably, everyone chooses the music that corresponds to his life and his world view with the restriction that in each social group certain types of music in the foreground, whereby the decision of the individual is affected. There is also a suspicion that electronic music makers do not embrace reality if they commit themselves to composing materials and procedures that are unlikely to express the undeniably good and enjoyable aspects of existence. The same applies vice versa for the underground music authors. Furthermore, it seems justified that e.g. the stress-stricken computer scientist in his spare time listens to music that compensates for his annoying mental work, even though it is below his mental level.

6. After all that has been said, one can only indicate the general direction in which E-music, on the one hand, U-music, on the other hand, aims.

E-music could be described as “serious” music that seeks honesty, truthfulness, clarity, depth of thought and depth, real feelings, humanity, etc., as well as craftsmanship perfection created by “serious” composers (and copywriters) with appropriate spiritual, artistic and human format. The element of entertainment (as in Mozart’s “Little Night Music”) can certainly play a role here

U-music, on the other hand, strives first and foremost to be easy to understand for their listeners and to demand no mental effort from them. It wants to be fun and enjoyable, to awaken good moods and feelings, to reflect life as many see it. She wants to convince by an elaborate presentation and by interpreters with a winning charisma. It turns to the youth to a large extent and is then often a protest. Through their ear-damaging volume rock, disco, techno and similar underground music types create an adrenaline rush, which is being sought by young people. The composers (and songwriters) of underground music show a much wider human range than the e-creators: from immature youth to opportunists to serious and responsible personalities. Accordingly, the quality of craftsmanship is very different. Serious elements (as in Udo Jürgens) can certainly play a role in U-music.

Special forms of underground music are the “music to overpower” in supermarkets, restaurants and the music in films, television documentaries, etc., which I will not go into detail.

7. Because the boundaries between electronic and underground music are so fluid and questionable, there is nothing left but to ask each music which direction to go. This can lead to giving up the question altogether.