Abstract

This thesis examines philosophical concepts that pertain to the performance of live music by way of Kierkegaard's philosophy. In particular, this work defines the Kierkegaardian aesthetic stage of existence and its implications for the practitioners and educators of musical performance. It clarifies Kierkegaard's formulation of the aesthetic stage and presents the argument that the Kierkegaardian aesthetic is lacking in that it denies a potential for an unlimited spirituality in this particular sphere. It also presents Kierkegaard's position regarding the individual and the public and attempts to show that Kierkegaard denied women their individuality by admitting to an equality of the sexes that could only be accommodated in the realm of eternity and art. ;Kierkegaard's philosophy of existence and live musical performance explores aspects of his thought that relate to performance as a particular category of music aesthetics. This interest in musical performance is reflected in key topics in his ideas that relate to the individual performer. Thus, the following particular areas of concern are explored respectively in order to come to grips with Kierkegaard's conceptualization of the aesthetic stage: implications of anxiety for performers, the artist and the public, the notion of subjectivity and objectivity as it relates to a musical score, perceptions of the role of the differentiation of the sexes in the performance of music and finally an understanding of the meaning and parameters of the aesthetic stage of existence