Why is music sometimes described as an autonomous form of communication?

Music is described as an autonomous form of communication because it is considered to refer to nothing outside of itself. Unlike visual arts, which often rely on external images—such as a person, a tree, or an object—to convey meaning, music lacks these conceptual aids. Instead, it develops according to its own internal laws, creating a purely musical truth that is comprehended on a strictly musical level.1

This perspective, often associated with formalist or absolutist theories, posits that music "means itself". Because it does not depend on the outside world for its imagery, it is viewed as a universal tongue that speaks directly to the listener. Consequently, some critics argue that music does not require translation or verbal explanation, as its mastery is demonstrated through the experience of the music itself rather than through external theory. While this view has been challenged by referentialists—who argue that music can and does refer to extramusical meanings or emotions—the concept of autonomy remains a foundational, if debated, axiom in the study of musical criticism.21