Identity of musical works put to the test
What constitutes a work of art, especially in music? A project at Bern University of the Arts that combines philosophy, musicology and various musical practices aims to address metaphysics, in particular the identity conditions of musical works.
Like other contributions to the philosophical discussion in this field, the project takes as its starting point the paradigm shift in musical notation in the 19th century, which attempted to fix interpretation ever more precisely. The starting point is writings on the aesthetics of art and music as well as music reviews.
According to the organizers, the aim is to define the ontological status of a musical work on the basis of various case studies in its specific musical practice. This will shed light on "the existence of a more sophisticated standard musical notation, the authoritative role of the score and the perception of a work detached from interpretations and their temporal volatility".
The project, led by philosophy theorist Dale Jacquette and Thomas Gartmann, will result in two conferences with the Zentrum Paul Klee, where the philosophical understanding of the painter and musician Klee will also be discussed, as well as in a dissertation and a habilitation.
