Philosophy of the Performing Arts

Preface and Acknowledgments viii

Part One Performance and the Classical Paradigm 1

1 The Nature of Artistic Performance 3

1 Introduction 3

2 What is a Performance? 4

3 Institutional Theories of Artistic Performance 7

4 Aesthetic Theories of Artistic Performance 10

5 Artistic Performance and Artistic Regard 14

6 Overview 17

2 The Classical Paradigm I: The Nature of the Performable Work 23

1 Introduction: Berthold and Magda Go to the Symphony 23

2 The Multiple Nature of Performable Works 24

3 Performable Works as Types 29

4 Varieties of Type Theories: Sonicism, Instrumentalism, and Contextualism 32

5 Other Theories of the Performable Work 38

3 The Classical Paradigm II: Appreciating Performable Works in Performance 51

1 Introduction: Talking Appreciatively about Performable Works 51

2 Can Performable Works Share Artistic Properties with Their Performances? 53

3 The Goodman Argument 57

4 Answering the Goodman Argument 62

4 Authenticity in Musical Performance 71

1 Introduction 71

2 Authenticity in the Arts 72

3 Three Notions of Historically Authentic Performance 74

5 Challenges to the Classical Paradigm in Music 87

1 Introduction: The Classical Paradigm in the Performing Arts 87

2 The Scope of the Paradigm in Classical Music 90

3 Jazz, Rock, and the Classical Paradigm 94

4 Non-Western Music and the Classical Paradigm 101

6 The Scope of the Classical Paradigm: Theater, Dance, and Literature 103

1 Introduction: Berthold and Magda Go to the Theater 103

2 Theatrical Performances and Performable Works 105

3 Challenges to the Classical Paradigm in Theater 112

4 Dance and the Classical Paradigm 120

5 The Novel as Performable Work? 128

Part Two Performance as Art 133

7 Performances as Artworks 135

1 Introduction: Spontaneous Performance in the Arts 135

2 The Artistic Status of Performances Outside the Classical Paradigm 138

3 The Artistic Status of Performances Within the Classical Paradigm 143

8 Elements of Performance I: Improvisation and Rehearsal 149

1 Introduction 149

2 The Nature of Improvisation 150

3 Improvisation and Performable Works: Three Models 154

4 Improvisation and Recording 160

5 The Place of Rehearsal in the Performing Arts 164

9 Elements of Performance II: Audience and Embodiment 172

1 Can There Be Artistic Performance Without an Audience? 172

2 Audience Response 181

3 The Embodied Performer and the Mirroring Receiver 189

10 Performance Art and the Performing Arts 200

1 Introduction 200

2 Some Puzzling Cases 201

3 What is Performance Art? 206

4 When Do Works of Performance Art Involve Artistic Performances? 209

5 Performance as Art: A Final Case 216

References 219

Index 226