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My final big work (I don't know how to call it in English) while in University had a big moment discussing this. I agree with Hanslick's point of view: music cannot transmit or communicate anything that isn't music. I can't express "honey" with music (but it doesn't mean that it can't be felt by someone). The content of music s itself, not something else. Hanslick says that in a Opera about Cinderella, everything is very "cinderellish": the characters, the lines, the costumes, scenary, decoration... but the music itself can't be "cinderellish", because its nature doesn't allow it. If one says that "art imitates nature", it can even be true for visual arts (in some limited examples), but it doesn't work for music. Music can't express feelings like happiness or sadness; it expresses itself, and this "self" CAN evoke those feelings in someone. So, when people say: this Program Music TALKS about this and that, it TELLS the story of yadda yadda... well, sorry, but it doesn't. Try not to explain it before, don't show the program notes and wait for the audience's explanations... there will be myriads of it!