ABSTRACT
The pages that follow reflect the point of view of a musician, a representative of the arts. It is not normally the business of an artist to make general observations in philosophical terms, and I am well aware that to try and compress my thoughts into so limited a space will only make for dissatisfaction in many quarters. Indeed, I would have given a great deal to be spared this effort. The reason I cannot avoid doing so lies with the contemporary situation, which unhappily demands from all artists a degree of awareness and certainty about the nature of art which was not necessary in earlier and happier times. Given the incredible ideological confusion that prevails today, an awareness of the situation can offer the artist a measure of reassurance and help him preserve his integrity in the face of an over-intellectualized environment.
