Antithetical Arts by Peter Kivy

Antithetical Arts by Peter Kivy

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Summary

Peter Kivy presents a fascinating critical examination of the two rival ways of understanding instrumental music. He argues against 'literary' interpretation in terms of representational or narrative content, and defends musical formalism. Along the way he discusses interpretations of a range of works in the canon of absolute music.

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Antithetical Arts by Peter Kivy

Antithetical Arts constitutes a defence of musical formalism against those who would put literary interpretations on the absolute music canon. In Part I, the historical origins of both the literary interpretation of absolute music and musical formalism are laid out. In Part II, specific attempts to put literary interpretations on various works of the absolute music canon are examined and criticized. Finally, in Part III, the question is raised as to what the human significance of absolute music is, if it does not lie in its representational or narrative content. The answer is that, as yet, philosophy has no answer, and that the question should be considered an important one for philosophers of art to consider, and to try to answer without appeal to representational or narrative content.
Antithetical Arts, like Kivy's earlier books, is a model of clarity and shows great historical sensitivity and engagement with the issues under discussion* Jeanette Bicknell, Mind *
Kivy's writing style happily shares many of the characteristics of good literature - wit, elegance, clarity, clear narrative development and readability. In short, his book, apart from anything else, is a good read. To the aesthetician, it is also of great philosophical interest, amd places the current debates on musical expression within a historical context. * Elisa Galgut, Philosophical Quarterly *
Peter Kivy is Professor of Philosophy at Rutgers University, New Jersey. His field of specialization is aesthetics and the philosophy of art.
SKU Unavailable
ISBN 13 9780199596294
ISBN 10 0199596298
Title Antithetical Arts
Author Peter Kivy
Condition Unavailable
Binding Type Paperback
Publisher Oxford University Press
Year published 2011-03-03
Number of pages 288
Cover note Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.
Note Unavailable