Abstract
Schubert’s lied An die musik celebrates music’s capacity to transport the listener
or performer into a better world. That capacity renders music utopian for it is this
better world and the experience of its prefi guration that is the defi ning character of
utopianism. This article explores the ways in which music may be distinctive in its
utopian force, and thus sugg ests several approaches to researching the underdeveloped
area of music and utopia. It draws particularly on Ernst Bloch’s analysis and on work
by Daniel Barenboim and Edward Said to argue that there are two distinct aspects to
the ‘special case’ for music: abstraction or unutterability, and performance. Neither
of these elements is straightforward, since neither is peculiar to music, although they
are arguably present in music in distinct ways, rendering it qualitatively diff erent
from other forms of utopian expression.
Translated title of the contribution | In Eine Bess're Welt Entruckt: reflections on Music and Utopia |
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Original language | English |
Pages (from-to) | 215 - 231 |
Number of pages | 17 |
Journal | Utopian Studies |
Volume | 21 (2) |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Oct 2010 |