The Possibility of Originality in Music Composition

Abstract

This paper critically examines the tension between freedom and norms in music composition by integrating the theoretical perspectives of Immanuel Kant and Theodor Adorno. Kant’s aesthetic philosophy highlights the concept of free play, wherein the imagination and understanding interact dynamically to produce originality, guided by intuitive genius rather than rigid adherence to pre-existing rules. Adorno’s critical theory, in contrast, situates artistic production within socio-economic structures, revealing how the culture industry enforces standardization and pseudo-individualization, thereby limiting artistic autonomy. By juxtaposing these frameworks, this study demonstrates that originality emerges from a dynamic interplay between structural constraints and creative freedom. Free imagination requires foundational rules to operate effectively, while rules themselves evolve through creative practice. Ultimately, genuine artistic creation combines aesthetic autonomy with social-critical awareness, reconciling the demands of internal artistic logic and external socio-cultural conditions.