Musical Discourse: A Reflection over Meaning in Art

Abstract

The philosophers Paul Ricoeur and Theodor W. Adorno share a trait d’union, which manifests itself in the relationship between musical language and verbal language. Parting from predominant poststructuralist interpretations, this article seeks to answer the following questions: How do both languages generate meaning in the thought of these two philosophers? Moreover, how does Adorno’s account of the linguistic character of music relate to Ricoeur’s analysis of verbal language? Addressing these questions, this study engages in a dialogue between Adorno’s and Ricoeur’s thought, examining the similarities in their conclusions. This analysis reveals that for Adorno as well as for Ricoeur, the dialectic between the particular and the universal constitutes the foundation for musical and verbal meaning. Building on this assertion, the present study proposes a potential path for clarifying the claim to objectivity in tonal music and music that, while transcending it, seeks to maintain a connection with it.