Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects
Date of Degree
9-2025
Document Type
Doctoral Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Musical Arts
Program
Music
Advisor
Chadwick Jenkins
Committee Members
Scott Burnham
Norman Carey
Ursula Oppens
Subject Categories
Continental Philosophy | Music Pedagogy | Music Performance
Keywords
piano performance, phenomenology of music, Werktreue, music interpretation
Abstract
In his theory of duration, the philosopher Henri Bergson (1859-1941) asserts that the present moment is “both a perception of the immediate past and a determination of the immediate future…a joint system of sensations and movements.” In an ideal musical performance, this sensori-motor apparatus guides every one of the performer’s decisions on stage, resulting in an aural experience that is spontaneous, visceral, and deeply personal. In practice, much of today’s classical music performance culture, which relies heavily on visual notation and prioritizes fidelity to the composer’s intent, is antithetical to fundamental artistic values such as creativity, individual self-expression, and direct engagement of the senses. This dissertation brings the ideas of Henri Bergson into the context of music performance. Using a phenomenological lens, I critically examine classical music performance practice by exploring music notation and the nature of interpretation. I discuss the piano, specifically, as an instrument where tensions among artistic values are particularly fraught. I also suggest supplemental approaches to music pedagogy that can enhance the performer’s relationship to her creative process.
Recommended Citation
Zhang, Fifi, "The Spaces Between: A Phenomenological Exploration of Classical Music Performance Practice" (2025). CUNY Academic Works.
https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/6425
