Philosophical Reflection On The Purely Musical Experience

I have developed my aesthetic sensibilities by seeking out artistic experiences and keeping a journal to reflect. One could read about artistic experiences through text but the best way was to show up for events I previously had little interest in, keeping an open mind and not judge a performance beforehand. The nature of my reading experience changed by taking this course – I realized that the simple act of reading for pleasure is pleasurable, relaxing, and functional as I incorporated art into my routine. Previously, I’ve read literature to learn from others experience, to study and for self-improvement but I never thought about reading solely for my pleasure. As a result of this class, I bought a literature book and read one poem or short

However, I was surprised to find out that I left these seminars with new ideas about music. Music Alone: Philosophical Reflections On The Purely Musical Experience, by Peter Kivy was surprising when we discussed it because I never thought about visualizing music, nor have I taken thought to what that would look like and how one should go about turning sounds into an image. On top of that when we watched a clip by John Corigliano, learning that the location of a concert or the placement of instruments could impact the experience was exciting. I always thought musicians played in a location based on preference or availability but that was untrue. On top of that, one would get a difference experience just by choosing a seat closer, farther, or to the side of where the performance was being played – that fact was astonishing and explains why some seats cost more than others because one is paying for a different experience than another person who chose a seat farther back. As a result of this seminar discussion, I can’t look at the classroom seating or auditorium seating the same way without contemplating how my experience would change if I chose a different