Philosophy of Western Music: A Contemporary Introduction
Files
Download Full Text
Description
This is the first comprehensive book-length introduction to the philosophy of Western music that fully integrates consideration of popular music and hybrid musical forms, especially song. Its author, Andrew Kania, begins by asking whether Bob Dylan should even have been eligible for the Nobel Prize in Literature, given that he is a musician. This motivates a discussion of music as an artistic medium, and what philosophy has to contribute to our thinking about music. Chapters 2-5 investigate the most commonly defended sources of musical value: its emotional power, its form, and specifically musical features (such as pitch, rhythm, and harmony). In chapters 6-9, Kania explores issues arising from different musical practices, particularly work-performance (with a focus on classical music), improvisation (with a focus on jazz), and recording (with a focus on rock and pop). Chapter 10 examines the intersection of music and morality. The book ends with a consideration of what, ultimately, music is.
Publication Date
4-2020
Publisher
Routledge
Keywords
music, song, emotion, listener, musical understanding, value of music, performance, authenticity, improvisation, recording, morality
Disciplines
Arts and Humanities
DOI
10.4324/9781315210629
Original Publication Information
Routledge
Recommended Citation
Kania, A. (2020). Philosophy of western music: A contemporary introduction. Routledge.