Themes in the Philosophy of MusicRepresenting Stephen Davies's best shorter writings, these essays outline developments within the philosophy of music over the last two decades, and summarize the state of play at the beginning of a new century. Including two new and previously unpublished pieces, they address both perennial questions and contemporary controversies, such as that over the 'authentic performance' movement, and the impact of modern technology on the presentation and reception of musical works. Rather than attempting to reduce musical works to a single type, Davies recognizes a great variety of kinds, and a complementary range of possibilities for their rendition.Among the questions that Davies considers are these: How can expressiveness be in a musical work when music experiences nothing? Is music a language of the emotions? How do recorded pop songs and purely electronic pieces differ from works created for live performance? Is John Cage's silent piece, 4'33", music? To what extent is the performer free to create her own interpretation and to what extent is she constrained by the composer's score? Is training in musical technicalities a prerequisite for a full appreciation of musical works and performances? Is an awareness of the socio-historical setting in which a work is created relevant to its appreciation? How does the value of individual musical works go beyond the worth of an interest in music in general?Stimulating and insightful both as individual discussions and as a coherent argument, these essays will be greatly enjoyed by philosophers, aestheticians, art theorists, and musicologists. |
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abstract particulars aesthetic interest ance appreciation appropriate argue artwork audience aural space authentic performance Brahms's Violin Concerto cadenza Cage Cage's characteristics in appearances claim cognitive composer composer's concern with music conventions Cosė fan tutte creative descriptive interpretation disk distinction emotion characteristic emotional object emotional responses emotions expressed example experience exposition expressed in music feel sad felt emotion figured bass Fugue gamelan given hear heard human behavior hypothetical emotionalism Idomeneo imagined individual instance interest in music involves karaoke kind Kivy Levinson listener listener's means merely Mozart's music-minus-one music's expressiveness musical instruments musical performance musicians nature notation notes occurrent emotions ontology opera orchestra overture person philosophers piano piece play possible present properties realization recording relationships relevant sad-looking score second subject significance solo sonata form specified studio performance suggest symphony theory tion transcriber transcription underdetermines understanding unity unity-conferring Vienna Philharmonic work's