Musical Understandings

and Other Essays on the Philosophy of Music

Stephen Davies

Draws together previously uncollected work by a leading philosopher in the field
Addresses key questions concerning the nature and value of music
Develops and defends original and novel ideas
Engages with current work in the psychology of music
Contains original material, newly revised articles, and work available in English for the first time

Musical Understandings

and Other Essays on the Philosophy of Music

Stephen Davies

Description

Musical Understandings presents an engaging collection of essays on the philosophy of music, written by Stephen Davies--one of the most distinguished philosophers in the field. He explores a range of topics in the philosophy of music, including how music expresses emotion and what is distinctive to the listener's response to this expressiveness; the modes of perception and understanding that can be expected of skilled listeners, performers, analysts, and composers and the various manners in which these understandings can be manifest; the manner in which musical works exist and their relation to their instances or performances; and musical profundity. As well as reviewing the work of philosophers of music, a number of the chapters both draw on and critically reflect on current work by psychologists concerning music. The collection includes new material, a number of adapted articles which allow for a more comprehensive, unified treatment of the issues at stake, and work published in English for the first time.

Musical Understandings

and Other Essays on the Philosophy of Music

Stephen Davies

1. Artistic Expression and the Hard Case of Pure Music
2. Music and Metaphor
3. Cross-cultural Musical Expressiveness: Theory and the Empirical Program
4. Emotional Contagion from Music to Listener
5. Once Again, This Time with Feeling
6. Musical Meaning in a Broader Perspective
7. Musical Understandings
8. The Experience of Music
9. Cosi's Canon Quartet
10. Perceiving Melodies
11. Musical Colors and Timbral Sonicism
12. Versions of Musical Works and Literary Translations
13. Profundity in Instrumental Music

Musical Understandings

and Other Essays on the Philosophy of Music

Stephen Davies

Author Information

Stephen Davies teaches philosophy at the University of Auckland. He writes mainly about aesthetics and the philosophy of art, and has written extensively on the definition of art, the ontological character of artworks, cross-cultural aesthetics, the expression of emotion in art, and the interpretation and evaluation of art. His books include Musical Works and Performances (Clarendon, 2001), Themes in the Philosophy of Music (OUP, 2003), The Philosophy of Art (Blackwell, 2006), and Philosophical Perspectives on Art (OUP, 2007).

Musical Understandings

and Other Essays on the Philosophy of Music

Stephen Davies

Reviews and Awards

"The collection does not fail to impress in its attention to detail and variety of music. It is this detail that also offers the greatest rewards of reading Daviess collection."--Hanne Appelqvist, Philosophy in Review

"[H]is writing is lucid and accessible, while never sacrificing precision; his handling of the subject is based on an intimate knowledge of the history and technicalities of music that exhibits an intimidating breadth and depth; and, while being steeped in the tradition of Western classical music, Davies also has an eye on popular music and some non-Western musical practices that lends a much needed cultural sensitivity to his treatment of the philosophical problems. Musical Understandings offers the same accessibility, knowledge, and sensitivity that many in the field have come to expect and admire." -- Mind