Philosophy of the Performing Arts - (Foundations of the Philosophy of the Arts) by David Davies (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

"David Davies's Philosophy of the Performing Arts is long-awaited. Not since Paul Thom's For an Audience has a book in the Anglo-American philosophical tradition focused so clearly, exclusively, informatively, and fairly on all the performing arts. I will use this book in my classes."

James Hamilton, Kansas State University, author of The Art of Theater

"In this outstanding philosophical study, David Davies subjects the different, conflicting literatures characterizing works, performances, and their relationships to critical review en route to developing his own integrated theory. Covering classical music to jazz, Shakespeare to Brecht, dance to performance art, this is essential reading for anyone interested in the performing arts."

Stephen Davies, University of Auckland, author of The Philosophy of Art

Philosophical inquiry concerning the performing arts has tended to focus on music - specifically classical music - which is assumed to provide a model for understanding the performing arts as a whole. This book engages with this belief and critically explores how the "classical paradigm" might be extended to other musical genres, to theater, and to dance.

Taking in key components of artistic performance - improvisation, rehearsal, the role of the audience, the embodied nature of the artistic performer - the book examines similarities and differences between the performing art forms and presents the key philosophical issues that they bring into play. These reflections are then applied to the disputed issue of those contemporary artworks usually classified as "performance art." Assuming no prior knowledge of the subject matter, this book provides an accessible, yet sophisticated, introduction to the field and a comprehensive framework for thinking about the performing arts.

From the Back Cover

"David Davies's Philosophy of the Performing Arts is long-awaited. Not since Paul Thom's For an Audience has a book in the Anglo-American philosophical tradition focused so clearly, exclusively, informatively, and fairly on all the performing arts. I will use this book in my classes."

James Hamilton, Kansas State University, author of The Art of Theater

"In this outstanding philosophical study, David Davies subjects the different, conflicting literatures characterizing works, performances, and their relationships to critical review en route to developing his own integrated theory. Covering classical music to jazz, Shakespeare to Brecht, dance to performance art, this is essential reading for anyone interested in the performing arts."

Stephen Davies, University of Auckland, author of The Philosophy of Art

Philosophical inquiry concerning the performing arts has tended to focus on music - specifically classical music - which is assumed to provide a model for understanding the performing arts as a whole. This book engages with this belief and critically explores how the "classical paradigm" might be extended to other musical genres, to theater, and to dance.

Taking in key components of artistic performance - improvisation, rehearsal, the role of the audience, the embodied nature of the artistic performer - the book examines similarities and differences between the performing art forms and presents the key philosophical issues that they bring into play. These reflections are then applied to the disputed issue of those contemporary artworks usually classified as "performance art." Assuming no prior knowledge of the subject matter, this book provides an accessible, yet sophisticated, introduction to the field and a comprehensive framework for thinking about the performing arts.

Review Quotes

"This is a remarkable and remarkably useful book, and for much the same reason ... The other result is that professionals in the philosophy of art will have to rise to the challenge. Davies has set the bar very high." (Oxford Journals Clippings, 4 May 2012)

About the Author

David Davies is Associate Professor of Philosophy at McGill University. He is the author of Art as Performance (Blackwell, 2004), Aesthetics and Literature (2007), and the editor of The Thin Red Line (2008). He has published widely in the philosophy of art on topics relating to the nature of art, artistic value, literature, film, music, theater, and the visual arts.