Why Music Moves Us

Reviews

'Combining philosophy, psychology, and music history, Why Music Moves Us is a remarkable multidisciplinary achievement. Bicknell offers a fresh take on the emotional power of music by exploring a neglected but vital element of the Romantic aesthetic: the musical sublime.' - Theodore Gracyk, author of Rhythm and Noise and Listening to Popular Music

'For Bicknell, who fully understands music's ability to arouse and represent emotions, music is of moral benefit in educating them.' - Times Literary Supplement

'A serious and intriguing enquiry into a really difficult question.' - Mary Midgely

Author description

JEANETTE BICKNELL teaches philosophy in Toronto, Canada. She has written widely on aesthetics and philosophy of music.

Table of contents

Preface Acknowledgements The Tears if Odysseus History: Music Gives Voice to the Ineffable Tears, Chills and Broken Bones The Music Itself Explaining Strong Responses to Music (I) Explaining Strong Responses to Music (II) The Sublime Revisited Conclusion: Values Bibliographic Notes Index