It’s Not Just Music: The Ethics of Musical Interpretation
Issue: • Author/s: Chiara Palazzolo
Topics: Aesthetics, Epistemology, Ethics, Moral Philosophy, Ontology, Theoretical philosophy
The article examines the ethics of musical interpretation, focusing on the performer’s responsibility in faithfully recreating a work from the score. Drawing inspiration from conductor Daniel Barenboim’s reflections (2016), it analyzes the delicate balance between personal expression and fidelity to the work, highlighting how interpretation involves not only technical skill but also moral responsibility. This notion develops through the importance attributed to history, authenticity, and the present in interpretation. These concepts are explored in the relationship between the score and the performer, addressing the ethical challenges involved in balancing fidelity…