Authenticities: Philosophical Reflections on Musical Performance

by Peter Kivy

How are we to assess the current popularity of period instruments and early-music performance? For musicians and audiences alike, the "historical authenticity" movement has increasingly influenced the performance of classical music. It has given us, claims Peter Kivy, "new and rewarding ways of listening to our musical reportory (as well as silly, vulgar, and unrewarding ones)." He believes that theory now overrules the ear in arguing for and justifying particular aesthetic decisions. In his customary engaging style, Kivy here mounts a philosophical inquiry into the desirability of using or re-creating historical performance. "Authenticity has become so widely accepted," he writes, "that why it should be accepted has become an unasked, indeed a forgotten question among the converted." In "How to Be Authentic," the first section of his book, he examines four different kinds of authenticity; in the second part, "Why to Be Authentic," he suggests how to evaluate them. Discussing issues that he cares about passionately, Kivy provides ammunition for both camps―those who follow authentic performance practice and those who do not. It is his hope that this book provides the groundwork for dialogue between mucisians and philosophers. "I look forward to that," he says, "and to being, when it comes, in the thick of things."

Genres: Music, Philosophy

320 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 1995

Reviews

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this book on musical philosophy and aesthetics, Kivy responds to the historically informed performance movement by examining the concept of authenticity, its goals, and its desirability. This book was rather intellectual and thinky, but in a very good way. Kivy lays out his arguments very clearly and logically, using just enough examples and the right amount of detail. I like how he always refers back to the realities of both listening to and making music to ground his theses. His writing is surprisingly enjoyable for such an intellectually dense book. Despite the nature of the material, Kivy maintains a lively and almost conversational tone, like a professor giving an excellent lecture. Regardless of how much I ultimately agree or disagree with his conclusions, I quite like thinking along with Kivy.