Assignment #3 - Philosophy and the Analysis of Music by Lawrence Ferrara CHAPTER TWO

Emily R. E. Baron 

N10038026

Educational Theatre

Spring 2009

E85.1505.001 - The Performing Arts in Western Civilization

SUMMARY

In Ferrara's second chapter titled, "Should the Method Define the Task?", he examines methods for both analyses of music and art, and discovers that each defines its own tasks. Once the analyst has finished the method, he has in turn finished the tasks as well. Thus creating a satisfaction when completing each task in a method's multi-level analysis. 

The preferred way, Ferrara explains, is to create an eclectic analysis that, "acts as an umbrella under which seemingly dissimilar systems can function independently according to their own codifications and yet contribute to the overall understanding of musical significance in a particular work." This in turn shows the strongest sides of each method and task within that method. 

Ferrara mentions the philosopher Hans-George Gadamer, whose opinions about prejudices in analyses are very strong. Because no one ever completes a pure analysis, analysts are always bringing "pre-understanding" to the analysis. Because man brings his current culture and time, or prejudices, into the writing and ideas, Ferrara agrees with Gadamer that there has to be a clear balance between an analyst's prejudices and a composer's prejudices, despite if the piece is from the past or present. 

Next Ferrara goes into explaining the differences between an aesthetic object and an art object; how the "listener's attitude can transform the music object into an aesthetic object." An art object can only be called an art object if there was an artist who created the work prior to being viewed. Once this is established, the art object can only become aesthetic if the viewer changes his or her consciousness and allow it to become that. It's form and reference must be appreciated in order for this to occur. 

Finally, the differences between Conventional, Phenomenological, and Hermeneutic analyses are discussed, and Ferrara provides several comparisons in order to explain the roles that each approach fills. The Conventional analysis is compared to completing an x-ray in that, "precision and control are achieved." The Phenomenological analysis is compared to a physical examination in which the physician responds to data he collects after examining a patient. Lastly, the Hermeneutic analysis is compared to the physician looking at the entirety of his patient, so he doesn't miss a thing.     

PERSONAL REACTION

As I reflect on the previous chapter, a certain part in the beginning of the chapter stands out to me. The idea of studying the past which helps the present reminds me of what we learned in a dramaturgy class I took in the spring of 2008. A dramaturg is someone who researches the history of a given play, or if its a new play, gives structure to it and assists the playwright and director in making it a reality. Going back to the idea of researching the history of a given play, I was assigned to create a portfolio of the history of the musical Hair. In doing so, I also had to create my own production of the famous musical. Learning about the past productions and how they each changed throughout the years definitely informed how I was going to create my own production. I used not only ideas of the past but contemporary ideas as well.