Program music - is it really that context-dependent?

[eyeresist]

Sure, I pretty much buy that; but it doesn't alter the fact that a C Major triad of itself possesses no inherent expressive value.

Absolutely, I wouldn't try to argue that. For one thing, there is the matter of tuning pitches changing over time! Any meaning must derive from context.

Garh. I meant musical context, not program context.

[starrynight]

I don't know if anyone mentioned this but 'music' in a loose sense probably started before language, sounds were most likely made to try and signify things.