Humor in the Mirror of Musical Comparisons The Circular Analysis of Albert Márkos’ Torso I

According to the premise of the author the circular analysis of Márkos Albert’s Torso I may denote at least a binary starting point in the musical understanding of the esthetic field. It equally opens up the opportunity of re-thinking the theory of musical humor and the theory of the basic structures of the musical image. It also develops the hermeneutics of the present work from the phenomenon to the essence. The conclusion is that the basis of humor is nothing but the deprival – striking, even if expected – of the already negative phenomenon of that which does not belong to it. It is interesting that in the case of musical humor the presence of the accompanying emotions is fundamental. These are the musical alternatives of laughter. The humor of the Torso I is a whimsical kind of humor; it is the grimace of a distorted laughter which does not bear the easement of the outburtsing laughter. The study yields a detailed introspection into the workshop of creating comparisons. It turns into sight that musical comparison also derives from analogies. But analogies always go beyond simple juxtaposition. It implies the inner correlativeness of its components: similarity between the elements. While the metaphor is based on transition and transfer of meaning, the comparison comes from the sometimes flexible, sometimes punctual juxtaposition of contrasting elements. The Torso I builds up its comparisons from five metaphors. One leading metaphor guides the appearance of the other four counter-metaphors. The circular analysis standing in the opposition of ideal versus torso leads through the labyrinth of the branch arts to a series of associations that are found on the paradigm axis in order to ultimately cuddle us back into the center of the meanings roused by these branch arts. Hence a final conclusion regarding the message of the Torso I ends with a rhetoric question, which bears in a concealed manner the affirmative answer: ’is it not the actual content itself, the basic quality of the Distorted which always defies (and wins over) the Ideal which resounds as an esthetic program in the Torso title?’.

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