The Philosophy of Music

Aaron Ridley is a Professor of Philosophy at the University of Southampton. He is the author of Nietzsche's Conscience: Six Character Studies from the 'Genealogy' (Cornell University Press, 1998), R.G. Collingwood: A Philosophy of Art (Orion Books, 1998) and Music, Value and the Passions (Cornell University Press, 1995) and the co-editor, with Alex Neill, of Arguing About Art (McGraw-Hill, 1995; 2nd edition: Routledge, 2002) and The Philosophy of Art (McGraw-Hill, 1995).

The Philosophy of Music: Theme and Variations; Introduction - Music from Mars; Chapter 1 Understanding; Part 1.Background; Part 2.Central Park in the Dark; I. Music and Words; II. Paraphrase; III. Paraphrase and Art; IV. Paraphrase and Music; V. Understanding Ives; Chapter 2 Representation; Part 1. Background; Part 2. La Cathedrale Engloutie; I. Detachable Sounds; II. Cryptographical Conventions; III. Musical Thoughts; IV. Resemblances; V. Putting the Title Last; Chapter 3 Expression; Part 1.Background; Part 2 Cynara; I. The Prejudice Against Song; II. Text and Music; III. Appropriateness; IV. Song as Expressive Music; Chapter 4 Performance; Part 1. Background; Part 2. Chaconne; I. Against Ontology; II. Some Objections; III. 'Authenticity'; Chapter 5 Profundity; Part 1. Background; Part 2. Tapiola; I. The Concept of Profundity; II. Expressive Profundity; III. Outlooks and Attitudes; IV. Two Clarifications; V. Sibelius's Profundity; Conclusion The Other Theme.