Kendall PhiloMusica 2015
Kendall PhiloMusica - a series of concerts and pre-concert talks
which explores music in its relationship to philosophy at the Kendall
School of Arts.
Music responds to some of the most profound human questions and
concerns. Many great musicians such as Beethoven, Wagner or Schumann
were avid readers of literature and philosophy. Do questions and
thoughts of philosophy find their way into music? Can music consider,
pose or answer pressing and fundamental questions of philosophy? Can
philosophical thought be musical?
Presented by violinist and
philosopher Goetz Richter, pianist Jeanell Carrigan and
musicians from the Sydney Conservatorium, Kendall PhiloMusica intends
to explore such questions in a clear, audible and inspired way.
One hour Pre-concert talk and Philosophical Reflections (11.30 am)
followed by
Performance (2 pm) @ the Kendall School of Arts
Sunday, May 17: The many possibilities
of music
Works by Z. Kodaly, W. A. Mozart, J. S. Bach, R. Schumann, A. Webern
What are the conditions and circumstances of musical creation? What do
composers do and how do they create? We look at very different modes of
creativity and try to ask what might be beyond such terms as
“inspiration” or “genius”. The pre-concert talk
and its philosophical reflections will start with a discussion of
Plato’s dialogue “Ion”.
Sunday, July 19: Music and madness
Sonatas for Piano & Violin by Beethoven (II)
The figure of the mad musician is prevalent within romanticism, already
present in classical mythology and certainly central to modernity. Is
music perhaps essentially an art of madness? Does it lead to (or
advance) madness? The pre-concert talk will look at examples in which
literature engages with this topic including Diderot’s 18th
century book “Rameau’s Nephew”, Tolstoy’s
“Kreutzer-Sonata” and Mann’s “Dr.
Faustus” before asking how these works might enlighten us in
listening to Beethoven.
Sunday October 25: Music as
art-religion
Works by F. Schubert & A. Bruckner
Music and religion have a close, yet ambivalent relationship. Mediaeval
thinkers pointed to the spiritual challenge presented by music’s
sensuality. However, the early Romantics highlight music as an art of
transcendence and as a way towards religion. The philosophical
reflections will depart from the description of music as
“meditatio mortis” (meditation of death) and progress to
explore the historical and philosophical reasons why some think that
music is so closely related to metaphysics.
Sunday, November 29: Beyond the end of
art
Sonatas for Piano & Violin by Beethoven (III) (Sonatas op 12, Nos 2
& 3, op. 96)
Completing the cycle of Beethoven Sonatas for Piano and Violin we ask
whether Beethoven's genius introduced the possibility of an "end of
music". The philosopher Hegel, who has been associated with Beethoven,
advanced the idea of “the end of art” at the beginning of
the 19th century. The music of the 20th century has been seen as a
fulfilment of this early possibility. Could there be an end to music?
Do composers and musicians advance music and progress it towards a
final completion? Philosophical reflections will consider in which
sense music might – or might not be progressive and whether there
could be a world without music.
Admission $ 30 (admission to pre-concert talk is free with ticket)
Programs & dates subject to change.
To book tickets or join e-mail list email info@pentimento-northhaven.com
Ticket phone bookings: Mavis Barnes, KNVC 02- 6559 4339
All profits from the PhiloMusica Series benefit the Kendall National
Violin Competition Inc.