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Articolo contenuto in Vol. 99 Anno 2022 --> Fasc. 4

Virtue Theory and Musical Appreciation

Abstract

This article offers some philosophical speculation on the particular quality of aesthetic appreciation proper to an accomplished artist with specific reference to a performer of J.C. Bach’s organ works. This speculation, however, requires in the first instance an examination of the notion of scientia in Thomas Aquinas. Here the ideas of cause and effect as well as that of apprenticeship under the guidance of a master are central. This speculation also demands a prior consideration of Aquinas’s notion of two manners of judging — by way of rational enquiry (per modum cognitionis) and by way of inclination (per modum inclinationis). Building on Thomas’s thought, the article then offers a rationale as to why an accomplished performer of Bach’s organ music can be considered to be a rule and measure of aesthetic experience pertaining to the performance by others of Bach’s organ music.


Introduction

In an article dealing with art production and art appreciation, Anil Gomes quotes the advice often given to aspiring writers on creative writing courses: «[I]f you want to write a book, read a library».[1] This advice is predicated on some link between the appreciation of art and

its production and can be stated in more general terms: «Art appreciation can enable one to develop skills exercised in art production».[2] Arguably, however, the reverse dynamic also obtains, namely that the development of skills in art production contributes to one’s ability to appreciate art. It is with this reverse dynamic that this article is concerned.

Gomes and others have been concerned to outline a virtue theory of art analogous to a virtue theory of ethics.[3] Indeed, Peter Goldie argues that the connection between ethics and art «is more than just an analogy ». He claims that artistic activity, as an expression of both producing and appreciating artifacts, is «a constituent part of what goes to make up human well-being».[4] Roger Poivet for his part, in his Le réalisme esthétique, devotes a full chapter to aethetic virtues.[5] After the coming to age of virtue ethics and the advent of virtue epistemology we are still nevertheless awaiting the flourishing of what might be termed virtue aesthetics.

In this article I propose to draw upon some resources to be found in the thought of Thomas Aquinas and in the Aristotelian tradition of virtue ethics in general in order to reflect upon the causal influence of powers of artistic production on powers of aesthetic perception. In particular, I will offer some philosophical speculation on what I deem to be a particular quality of aesthetic appreciation, namely that of the accomplished artist with particular reference to the trained classical musician. As a necessary prerequisite for such speculation, however, I must first of all examine the notion of scientia in Aquinas, in which the ideas of cause and effect as well as that of apprenticeship under the guidance of a master loom large. This speculation will also require prior consideration of another aspect of Aquinas’s thought, namely, the notion of two manners of judging — by way of rational enquiry (per modum cognitionis) and by way of inclination (per modum inclinationis).

The distinction between these two manners of judging is relevant to all judgements of value, of which the kind of judgement proper to aesthetic appreciation is a particular instance. Having looked at Aquinas’s understanding of scientia and his notion of two ways of judging, I will then be in a position to pass on to a discussion of the kind of aesthetic appreciation enjoyed by a gifted organist schooled in the tradition of interpretation of J.S. Bach’s organ music.

[1] A. GOMES, Goldie on the Virtues of Art, «British Journal of Aesthetics» 49 (2009), p. 75.

[2] Ibidem.

[3] See, for example, P. GOLDIE, Towards a Virtue Theory of Art, «British Journal of Aesthetics» 47 (2007), pp. 372–387.

[4] Ivi, p. 373.

[5] See R. POUIVET, Le réalisme esthétique, Presses Universitaires de France, Paris 2006, pp. 179–222. The medium with which he engages is that of literature.

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Pubblicazione Inverno 2022

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