Virtue or Virtuosity?: Explorations in the Ethics of Musical Performance (Contributions to the Study of Music and Dance)

Annotation. Drawing upon the past two decades of burgeoning literature in philosophy of music, this study offers a comprehensive, critical analysis of what is entailed in performance interpretation. It argues that integrity and other virtues offset the harm that virtuosity and rigid historical authenticity can impose on the perceptive judgment required of excellent musical interpretation. Proposed are challenging and provocative reassessments of the appropriate roles for virtuosity and historical authenticity in musical performance. Acknowledging the competitive ethos of the contemporary music scene, it details the kind of character a performer needs to develop in order to withstand those pressures and to achieve interpretive excellence. Performers are encouraged to examine and explore the ethical dimension of their art against their responsibilities to the diverse patrons they serve. Professional and student performers and instructors will appreciate this practical discussion of the ethical challenges performers confront when interpreting musical works. The ethical discourse applies to instrumental performance studies, the history and theory of music, general music pedagogy, and philosophy of music courses Contents......Page 8 Acknowledgments......Page 10 Introduction......Page 12 1. Musical Interpretation......Page 14 2. Turning the Soul toward Excellence: The Character of the Performing Artist......Page 38 3. Virtue or Virtuosity?......Page 52 4. Historical Authenticity: Vice or Virtue?......Page 80 5. Integrity in Musical Performance......Page 106 Conclusion......Page 124 Bibliography......Page 126 D......Page 132 M......Page 133 S......Page 134 Y......Page 135 Uses a virtue-based approach to the ethical dimension and to the roles of virtuosity and historical authenticity in musical performance. Jane O'dea. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.