Philosophy of Western Music: A Contemporary Introduction

Philosophy of Western Music: A Contemporary Introduction

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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

Philosophy of Western Music: A Contemporary Introduction

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