<P> Some definitions refer to music as a score, or a composition (Dictionary.com 2015; Merriam-webster.com 2015; Oxforddictionaries.com): music can be read as well as heard, and a piece of music written but never played is a piece of music notwithstanding . The process of reading music, at least for trained musicians, involves a process, called "inner hearing" or "audiation" by Gordon, where the music is heard in the mind as if it were being played (Gordon 1999). This suggests that while sound is often considered a required aspect of music, it may not be . </P> <P> Jean Molino (1975, 43) points out that "any element belonging to the total musical fact can be isolated, or taken as a strategic variable of musical production ." Nattiez gives as examples Mauricio Kagel's Con Voce (with voice), where a masked trio silently mimes playing instruments . In this example sound, a common element, is excluded, while gesture, a less common element, is given primacy . However Nattiez goes on to say that despite special cases where sound is not immediately obvious (because it is heard in the mind): "sound is a minimal condition of the musical fact" (Nattiez 1990, 43). </P> <P> There is disagreement about whether some aspects of music are universal, as well as whether the concept of music is universal . This debate often hinges on definitions . For instance, the fairly common assertion that "tonality" is a universal of all music may necessarily require an expansive definition of tonality . A pulse is sometimes taken as a universal, yet there exist solo vocal and instrumental genres with free and improvisational rhythms no regular pulse (Johnson 2002, 62), one example being the alap section of an Indian classical music performance . Harwood questions whether a "cross-cultural musical universal" may be found in the music or in the making of music, including performance, hearing, conception, and education (Harwood 1976, 522). </P> <P> One aspect that is important to bear in mind when examining multi-cultural associations, is that an English - language word, not a universal concept, is the object of scrutiny . For this reason it is important to approach apparently equivalent words in other languages with caution . Based on the many disparate definitions that can be found just in English language dictionaries (Google.com.au 2015; Dictionary.com 2015; Merriam-webster.com 2015; Music & 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003), it seems there is no agreement on what the word "Music" means in English, let alone determining a potentially equivalent word from another culture . </P>

Give the elements of music and its description