This paper is composed of two related parts. The first raises questions regarding the characterization of the phenomenology of music listening required by Davies's theory of musical expressiveness, appearance emotionalism. I will identify two possible readings of the theory, a thick and a thin one, and claim that the former represents the basic characterization of what it is to hear expressive music according to appearance emotionalism. The thick characterization is to be preferred, I will claim, both on the grounds of textual evidence and of overall consistency and explanatory power. The second part of the paper discusses a criticism of appearance emotionalism I advanced in a recently published paper, along with its consequences for aesthetic education. In the remainder of the paper, I address Davies's twofold reply to my objection. I contend that both replies fail to address at least some of the problems I raised. The first reply fails because of Davies's own view of emotions, while the seconds fails if one accepts the thick characterization of appearance emotionalism I offer in the first half of the paper.
Read the full text:Appearance Emotionalism in Music: Analysis and Criticism