The Purpose of Composing

I think that many people assume that composers usually compose "from a full heart". In other words, they think that composers have some kind of experience or feeling which they wish to express in music.

This came to mind the other day during my quartet rehearsal (well, actually, it's a trio since our cellist, Valerie, broke her wrist!). We were playing some trios by Haydn and Beethoven. We said, "Oh, this music is so trivial. It's without meaning. What's the point of this music?" And then we said, "Well, yes, of course. The composer wrote this for a party, for background music. It's just a bunch of pleasant notes for the background. It's nothing to really listen to."

So, that's just one example of how a particular piece of music was written. There are many other examples: Bach had to write music for his choir at church every week and for his organ preludes, etc. Handel was commissioned by the king to write music for the fireworks party. Many composers have been commissioned to write specific kinds of music for events of various kinds.

Thinking about pop music, wondering . . .how and why did this songwriter come up with this song? Were these true feelings of the songwriter? Or is this a "formula song" for the masses to buy so he or she can get rich?