A History of Western Philosophy of Music

This book provides a comprehensive survey of Western philosophy of music, tracing themes and schools through history, including medieval Islamic thinkers, Continental and analytic thinkers, and neglected female thinkers. It covers all aspects of the philosophy of music, such as music and the cosmos, music's value, its relation to the other arts, opera, the origins of musical genius, its emotional impact, moral effects, ontology of musical works, and the relevance of music's historical context. It is valuable for students and scholars in philosophy and musicology, and anyone interested in how philosophers have thought about music throughout history.

Format: Hardback
Length: 500 pages
Publication date: 26 January 2023
Publisher: Cambridge University Press

This comprehensive and accessible book offers a thorough exploration of Western philosophy of music, spanning from the ancient era of Pythagoras to the present day. The narrative follows a chronological journey, tracing the development of themes and schools across different historical periods, including the ancient, medieval, early modern, modern, and contemporary eras. The book's extensive coverage encompasses a wide range of thinkers, from medieval Islamic scholars to Continental and analytic thinkers, as well as neglected female thinkers such as Vernon Lee (Violet Paget). It delves into various aspects of the philosophy of music, such as the relationship between music and the cosmos, the value of music, its connections to other arts, the challenges of opera, the origins of musical genius, the emotional impact of music, the moral implications of music, the ontology of musical works, and the significance of music's historical context. This volume is invaluable for students and scholars of philosophy and musicology, as well as anyone interested in exploring how philosophers throughout history have approached and thought about music.

The book's narrative follows a chronological journey, tracing the development of themes and schools across different historical periods, including the ancient, medieval, early modern, modern, and contemporary eras.

The book's extensive coverage encompasses a wide range of thinkers, from medieval Islamic scholars to Continental and analytic thinkers, as well as neglected female thinkers such as Vernon Lee (Violet Paget). It delves into various aspects of the philosophy of music, such as the relationship between music and the cosmos, the value of music, its connections to other arts, the challenges of opera, the origins of musical genius, the emotional impact of music, the moral implications of music, the ontology of musical works, and the significance of music's historical context.

This volume is invaluable for students and scholars of philosophy and musicology, as well as anyone interested in exploring how philosophers throughout history have approached and thought about music.

Weight: 714g
Dimension: 159 x 236 x 30 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781108497848