Intents and Purposes

Philosophy and the Aesthetics of Improvisation

Nonfiction, Entertainment, Music, Music Styles, Jazz & Blues, Jazz
Cover of the book Intents and Purposes by Eric Lewis, University of Michigan Press
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Eric Lewis ISBN: 9780472125081
Publisher: University of Michigan Press Publication: March 29, 2019
Imprint: University of Michigan Press Language: English
Author: Eric Lewis
ISBN: 9780472125081
Publisher: University of Michigan Press
Publication: March 29, 2019
Imprint: University of Michigan Press
Language: English

How do we define improvised music? What is the relationship of highly improvised performances to the work they are performances of? How do we decide what are the important parts of an improvised musical work? In Intents and Purposes, Eric Lewis uses a series of case studies to challenge assumptions about what defines a musical work and musical performance, seeking to go beyond philosophical and aesthetic templates from Western classical music to foreground the distinctive practices and aesthetics of jazz. Pushing aside the assumption that composition and improvisation are different (or even opposed) musical practices, Lewis’s philosophically informed approach revisits key topics in musical ontology, such as how to define the triangle of composer-performer-listener, and the status of live performances in relation to scores and recordings. Drawing on critical race theory, feminist theory, new musicology, sociology, cognitive science, and genre theory, Lewis opens up new questions about agency in performance, as well as new ways of considering the historical relationships between improvisational practices with roots in different cultural frameworks. By showing how jazz can be both art, idea, and action all at the same time, Lewis offers a new way of seeing any improvised musical performance in a new culturally and aesthetically rich context.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

How do we define improvised music? What is the relationship of highly improvised performances to the work they are performances of? How do we decide what are the important parts of an improvised musical work? In Intents and Purposes, Eric Lewis uses a series of case studies to challenge assumptions about what defines a musical work and musical performance, seeking to go beyond philosophical and aesthetic templates from Western classical music to foreground the distinctive practices and aesthetics of jazz. Pushing aside the assumption that composition and improvisation are different (or even opposed) musical practices, Lewis’s philosophically informed approach revisits key topics in musical ontology, such as how to define the triangle of composer-performer-listener, and the status of live performances in relation to scores and recordings. Drawing on critical race theory, feminist theory, new musicology, sociology, cognitive science, and genre theory, Lewis opens up new questions about agency in performance, as well as new ways of considering the historical relationships between improvisational practices with roots in different cultural frameworks. By showing how jazz can be both art, idea, and action all at the same time, Lewis offers a new way of seeing any improvised musical performance in a new culturally and aesthetically rich context.

More books from University of Michigan Press

Cover of the book Forging the World by Eric Lewis
Cover of the book Coping With Poverty by Eric Lewis
Cover of the book Salome's Modernity by Eric Lewis
Cover of the book Ten Thousand Nights by Eric Lewis
Cover of the book Myst and Riven by Eric Lewis
Cover of the book Weimar through the Lens of Gender by Eric Lewis
Cover of the book Blood Libel by Eric Lewis
Cover of the book Narrative Prosthesis by Eric Lewis
Cover of the book Jerusalem Besieged by Eric Lewis
Cover of the book Mr. Democrat by Eric Lewis
Cover of the book Assessment Myths by Eric Lewis
Cover of the book Growing Apart by Eric Lewis
Cover of the book Playing Underground by Eric Lewis
Cover of the book Faith in the City by Eric Lewis
Cover of the book Classics, the Culture Wars, and Beyond by Eric Lewis
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy