Which term is used for music not tied to a specific story or image and intended to stand on its own artistic merit?

• A. Blues
• B. Absolute Music
• C. Impressionist Music
• D. Bossa Nova

Answer: (B)

Absolute music is music not tied to a specific story or image and meant to stand on its own artistic merit. This means the value comes from the music itself—the crafts of melody, harmony, rhythm, and formal design—without trying to paint a scene or tell a narrative outside of sound. It’s the kind of music where listeners engage with the structure and expressive possibilities of the composition, rather than following a program or storyline. This contrasts with program music, which aims to evoke external ideas like events, landscapes, or characters. Classic examples are the symphonies and chamber works that are celebrated for their internal development and balance. The other terms describe styles or genres with particular external associations, but they aren’t the general label for music created to stand independently of stories or images.