The
Future of Music
JOURNALIST: How do you see the future of music?
PETER HÜBNER: First of all I am, of course, for the freedom of the
artist and the freedom of art. But I’m afraid, drastic changes are heading
towards us in this respect.
Initially, I am expecting quite a number of legal lawsuits which would concern
the various claim for damages relating to health. In my opinion, many musicians
and/or their fans can bring such lawsuits successfully. This legal action
would mainly go against the government. Within this system of orchestra performances,
a musician has not got any rights and possibilities of his own to safeguard
his health or to prevent his health from being damaged. Responsibility can
be entirely passed on to the employer.
I see the same among the students and/or pupils of music academies and schools
– where both don’t have any influence on the curriculum, either,
and therefore bear the part of the powerless victim.
And here I see the same successful claims for compensation made by the parents
against the responsible organs of state.
The same action might be anticipated for the media and concert organisers,
but I do not believe the prosecuting and damaged parties will be as successful,
because nobody is obliged to consume radio or TV or go to a concert.
But also in the cases where whole school classes are sent to concerts under
the school’s curriculum or all together have to listen to or watch some
sort of programmes, the general responsibility lies with the schools and/or
their superior authorities.
There are, of course, valid reasons why drugs are not allowed to be sold in
schools or no alcohol may be served. The same reasons apply to music –
only this fact has not been made sufficiently known to the people responsible.
But to the same extent with which the health problems of pupils and juveniles
will further increase, music will be localised as a very important component
of being beneficial or harmful to health.
And, via their elected representatives and/or political parties, and therefore
via the legislators and those responsible, citizens will put a stop to this
or open doors, as this has been the case so far with drugs and vaccinations.
Vaccinations in favour of health take place under the patronage of the school
authorities, as they are helpful to health. But the consumption of cocaine
by pupils and students is prevented by the same responsible people. Milk drinks
etc. are served to the pupils and students, but serving alcohol in schools
is forbidden.
In future we will have to expect the same in the field of music – whether
the musicians and/or music industries concerned like it or not.
The reason for this is only that in modern society the health aspect dominates
over the aspect of art – at least when art jeopardises health or even
damages it.
By the way, I believe that – and scientific investigations confirm this
– in a positive as well as negative sense, music exerts a much stronger
influence on health than the other means previously mentioned which we are
able to eat or drink, and that music, on the one hand, can educate and inspire
a person, to keep himself naturally healthy and fit – that, on the other
hand, it can put him at the mercy of drugs and alcohol. In this respect, one
may regard music as the best public relations department for alcohol and drugs.
After the previous investigations, I would like to go as far to say: as long
as with regard to music, the legal regulations for the protection of people’s
health have not been established, it is downright foolish, to want to fight
against drug and alcohol misuse among children and juveniles – or allergies,
poor powers of concentration, hyper-activity and aggression.
I am really glad that I do not have any personal responsibility in this respect,
because
I am not a civil servant nor am I a member of parliament.
And neither have I been elected onto the committees or the supervisory boards
of the media, and I wouldn’t like to be in the shoes of those who have
these jobs, and do not come up to their responsibility.
© A A R E D I T I O N I N T E R N A T I O N A L 2001