The Daedalian factor: Tonality, atonality, or musicality?

Employing the metaphor of the Greek mythological figure Daedalus, the essay addresses some of the problems and solutions of contemporary art music as it approaches the end of the twentieth century. With references to early music theory, psychology, and future computer-generated possibilities mixing chance and certainty, a framework is established for examining the issue. In this context, the experience of the late twentieth-century composer, musicologist, performer, and particularly the audience, is shown to lead to a dilemma that demands certain change. The solution suggested is the inevitable merging of musical styles, where musicality, not the question of tonality vs. atonality, will be the answer.