MUSICAL CONTEXT Art and "Nature" People's view of the nature of this world, and of their relationship to it, was undergoing fundamental change. Political theories saw people as free agents in the world, with a nature that, if not fundamentally good, was at least not fundamentally bad. The concept of "natural" became an important component in artistic thought. The Social Role of Music Improved economic conditions -- fostered by better production methods -- yielded more goods and greater wealth. "The pursuit of happiness" was available to a broader class of society. Music began to be seen as "an innocent luxury". European composers reacted to increased demand for music. The Concept of Nature in the Arts The "unnatural" and "artificial" gestures of Baroque painting and sculpture were replaced with "natural" ideals of simplicity and balance. Allegorical subjects in art and literature were cast aside in favor of "real" people and situations, and the genre of the novel was born. In music, simplicity, balance and an interest in real emotions were critical for the composer.
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