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- Title
Th. W. Adorno Defended against His Critics, and Admirers: A Defense of the Critique of Jazz.
- Authors
Thompson, Michael J.
- Abstract
Critics of Adorno's critique of jazz have often alluded to his inherent elitism leading to his dismissal of jazz. I argue here that critics of Adorno's essays on jazz are mistaken since they fail to read his critique properly through the lens of his entire social and aesthetic theory. I will argue here that Adorno's emphasis on the formal dimensions of art works is the only way to begin to under stand his critique. Even more, it is in how Adorno utilizes the formal analysis of art works and connects this the shaping of consciousness of individuals which is most important in his analysis. In this sense, art works mediate the consciousness of the listening subject which in turn mediates his relation back on to the social world. It is therefore crucial to see how Adorno's sociology of music and his aesthetics of music intersect. Only by seeing how the formal dimensions of jazz are able to regress listeners and erode the capacity of musical experience to illuminate a critical consciousness can we begin to appreciate Adorno's jazz-critique and formu late a more socially and politically relevant form of aesthetics.
- Subjects
ADORNO, Theodor W., 1903-1969; JAZZ -- History &; criticism; MUSIC critics; SOCIOMUSICOLOGY; AESTHETICS
- Publication
International Review of the Aesthetics & Sociology of Music, 2010, Vol 41, Issue 1, p37
- ISSN
0351-5796
- Publication type
Article