Why instrumental music?

A question that I most often hear from others, but sometimes I'm asking myself. Why haven't I chosen some more common musical style, especially a more popular and potentially lucrative one? Philosophically speaking, instrumental music chose me rather than vice versa.

In my eyes, instrumental music is the pinnacle of art. Music beyond boundaries and barriers, telling the truth to anyone willing to listen regardless of their language, ethnicity, spiritual, political, and other preferences. Like a painting, photograph, or basic scientific principles, instrumental music does not need translation or further explanation. All this is already contained in the music itself.

With all things said, a logical question is why instrumental music is not as popular as vocal-instrumental and vocal music. The main reason: words. People need words in which to find themselves. This is why lyrics of popular music most often talk about everyday matters and even trivial things. Of course, this is not a general rule; vocal-instrumental music can also have lyrics of poetic quality. But the sad truth is that the majority don't want to abandon everyday life through art and music, at least temporarily. Instead, they are primarily drawn by vulgarity and kitsch.

Hectic times we're unfortunately living in, streaked with fast and meaningless entertainment, the quantity of available content and short attention span are certainly not in favor of instrumental music. I could compare this with an attitude toward food. Picture a person who sincerely knows how to appreciate a good meal. They will try enjoying each bite while taking their time. On the other hand, those looking to " just be done with it", will find a few spare moments to swallow some fast food.

It is the same with music. As a rule, instrumental music should not be listened to in a hurry or while doing something else. By doing so, you will never experience it to the fullest. But this doesn't mean that instrumental music is generally difficult to understand and listen to. In most cases, all that is needed are goodwill and a bit of patience.

Although I've devoted myself to instrumental music and finding fulfillment in its creation as well as listening, this doesn't mean that I'm completely ignorant of vocal-instrumental styles. My musical path has been closely related to those. I've made my first musical steps with the music by ABBA, saw myself in lyrics by Dire Straits and Simon & Garfunkel, and pop music from the 80s can almost always put me in a good mood. As a performer, I've been through quite a wide repertoire, including music that is otherwise very distant from my preferences.

So far, I haven't felt the need and drive to express myself through lyrics. Instead, I tell the story and paint the picture through sounds. However, the listener doesn't have to share my vision. Unlike music with words, instrumental music offers larger freedom of interpretation - it isn't already predefined.

Instrumental music, especially nowadays, is most often in service of some other art, usually film. As I wrote in an earlier text, quality music can make a film unforgettable, even if the film itself doesn't deserve it. But the most profound form of instrumental music remains the one that serves itself.