Modernism in the arts has a bit of a path-dependency problem that tends to intentionally obscure the "artistic value" of the bleeding edge from the uninitiated,

Modernism in the arts has a bit of a path-dependency problem that tends to intentionally obscure the "artistic value" of the bleeding edge from the uninitiated, but which can make the art more meaningful to those who are familiar with the context. I'll use jazz as an example, since I'm most familiar with that history. You can start with something as approachable, if disorganized as "Jelly Roll Blues"[0], and polish the genre into "Take the A Train" [1] as it became more generally popular. After that, though, the bleeding edge of the genre self-protects itself away from the common ear by growing increasingly obscure, with bop [2], modal jazz [3], free jazz [4??] becoming progressively less approachable to the uninitiated ear, to the point that the the unfamiliar ear can hear the latter and find itself unable to recognize even as "music", while someone familiar with the genre can see the path and appreciate the work in context. [0] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zt203us6TME https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zt203us6TME [1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cb2w2m1JmCY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cb2w2m1JmCY [2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2tvlp7RnlM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2tvlp7RnlM [3] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwmRQ0PBtXU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwmRQ0PBtXU [4] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ll3CMgiUPuU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ll3CMgiUPuU