Approaches to Meaning in Music

Byron Almén is Assistant Professor of Music Theory at The University of Texas at Austin and an accomplished pianist and organist.Edward Pearsall is Assistant Professor of Music at The University of Texas at Austin and is known internationally as a performer, composer, and scholar.

"These seven essays consider musical meaning, and problems attendant in any examination of musical meaning, from diverse perspectives. Almén and Pearsall (both Univ. of Texas, Austin) each contribute one piece, and together they supply an introduction. The five other essays are the work of distinguished theorists and musicologists who have already contributed markedly to the discourse concerning musical meaning. Given the participants' credentials, one would expect a provocative, challenging effort. The book does not disappoint, and several contributions seem destined to shift the scholarly discourse in new directions. . . . Highly recommended. Large collections supporting work at the upper—division undergraduate level and above."—Choice"For readers with an interest in how individuals create meaning out of music and musical experiences, this is an excellent work that will no doubt serve to amplify their understanding and whet their appetites for further reading and research.Vol. 94.3 Jan. 2008"—Mark Walker, Troy University

• Contents1. The Divining Rod: On Imagination, Interpretation, and AnalysisEdward Pearsall and Byron Almén2. Anatomy of a Gesture: From Davidovsky to Chopin and BackPatrick McCreless3. Anti-Teleological Art: Articulating Meaning through SilenceEdward Pearsall4. The Troping of Temporality in MusicRobert S. Hatten5. A Simple Model for Associative Musical MeaningJ. Peter Burkholder6. Uncanny Moments: Juxtaposition and the Collage Principle in MusicNicholas Cook7. The Sacrificed Hero: Creative Mythopoesis in Mahler's Wunderhorn SymphoniesByron Almén8. Contingencies of Meaning in Transcriptions and Excerpts: Popularizing Samson et DalilaJann PaslerBibliographyIndex