Philosophy of Music - Foundations
Objectives
- to understand the specificity of the philosophy of music (in contrast to the history of ideas about music) in a interdisciplinary perspective;
- to recognise and explore concepts, currents and problems in the domain of music philosophy from the ancient times to the contemporary age;
- to connect the issues discussed in class to musicological culture and musical experience broadly conceived;
- to develop capacities of reflexive elaboration, theoretical justification and critical argumentation while addressing the topics of the course;
- to hone writing and communication skills;
- to cultivate the appreciation of philosophical reflection about music;
- to enrich the aesthetic experience of music, to foster artistic sensibility and to stimulate intellectual curiosity.
General characterization
Code
711021069
Credits
6.0
Responsible teacher
João Pedro de Bastos Gonçalves Cachopo
Hours
Weekly - 4
Total - 168
Teaching language
Portuguese
Prerequisites
Reading skills in English are recommended.
Bibliography
AAVV, The Oxford Handbook of Western Music and Philosophy. Ed. T. McAuley, N. Nielsen & J. Levinson. Oxford: OUP, 2021.
ABBATE, C., "Music – Drastic or Gnostic?" Critical Inquiry 30 (2004), 505-36.
ADORNO, T. W., Essays on Music. Berkeley: UCP, 2002.
ARISTÓTELES, Poética. Trad. E. De Sousa. Lisboa: INCM, 2016.
BENJAMIN, W., "A obra de arte na época da sua possibilidade de reprodução técnica". Trad. J. Barrento. In A Modernidade, 207-241. Lisboa: Assírio & Alvim, 2017.
BOWMAN, W., Philosophical Perspectives on Music. Oxford: OUP, 1998.
COOK, N., Beyond the Score: Music as Performance. New York: OUP, 2013. GOEHR, L., The Imaginary Museum of Musical Works. New York: OUP, 2007.
GOULD, G. & T. PAGE. The Glenn Gould Reader. New York: Vintage Books, 1987.
HANSLICK, E., Do Belo Musical. Um contributo para a revisão da estética da arte dos sons. Trad. A. Morão. Lisboa: Edições 70, 1994.
JANKÉLÉVITCH, V., La Musique et l'ineffable. Paris: Seuil, 1983 [1961].
KANT, I., Crítica da Faculdade do Juízo. Trad. de A. Marques e V. Rohden, Lisboa: INCM, 1992.
NIETZSCHE, F., O Nascimento da Tragédia. Trad. H. H. Quadrado e T. R. Cadete. Lisboa: Relógio d'Água, 1997.
PLATÃO, A República. Trad. e notas M. H. Rocha Pereira. Lisboa: Gulbenkian, 2001.
SCHOPENHAUER, A., O Mundo como Vontade e Representação. Trad. M. F. Sá Correia. Porto: Rés, s.d.
Teaching method
The classes are theoretical-practical. They will feature moments of presentation and moments of debate around the discussion of crucial texts, as well as the examination of concepts and the analysis of musical, visual or audio-visual examples. The development of critical thinking and argumentation skills, stressing the complementarity of individual research and collective discussion, will be of the utmost importance. The emphasis will be put on the relationship between the topics addressed and the contemporary musical and intellectual life with a view to the development of a broad and critical musicological culture.
Evaluation method
Assessment is based on
1) a written test (50%);
2) written assignments and their discussion (50%);
3) the participation in class is taken into account in the evaluation of the previous points
Subject matter
0. Introduction:
Scope and problems; the distinction between the philosophy of music and the history of ideas about music; the philosophy of music as an interrogation about the nature, the value and the power of music in light of the present.
1 From Antiquity to Modernity:
The place of music in classical mythology (the myths of Orpheus and the Sirens); the Pythagorean moment; affinities and divergences between Plato and Aristotle; music and tragedy; the unfolding of classical heritage in Augustine of Hippo and Boethius.
2 Idealism, Romanticism and Formalism:
Music in the systems of Kant, Hegel and Schopenhauer; the concepts of beautiful, sublime and genius; the case of Wagner and Nietzsche; the “musically beautiful” according to Hanslick.
3. Contemporary debates:
Music as a historical and social phenomenon (Adorno); from the “ineffable” (Jankélévitch) to the “drastic” (Abbate); music in the era of it mechanical (Benjamin) and digital (Bolter & Grusin) reproduction; questions of interpretation and fidelity (Gould, Goehr and Cook).