An Anatomy of Musical Criticism by Alan WalkerReview by: Irving LowensNotes, Second Series, Vol. 25, No. 2 (Dec., 1968), p. 250Published by: Music Library AssociationStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/894008 .

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The first part of the book is a general introduction to physical information the- ory. The discussion includes several apt illustrations, but the uninitiated might be advised to begin with a more carefully reasoned presentation. (Especially recom- mended are J. R. Pierce, Symbols, Sig- nals, and Noise, New York: Harper and Row [1961]; Claude Shannon and Warren Weaver, The Mathematical Theory of Communication, Urbana: University of Illinois Press [1964]; and Colin Cherry, On Human Communication, 2d ed., Cam- bridge, Mass.: The M.I.T. Press [1966].) The second section deals with the psy- chology of perception and uses informa- tion theory to synthesize two prevailing theories.

With this preparation as a basis the author turns to esthetics, particularly to the perception of music. He approaches the apparent paradox of rehearing well- known music and attempts to resolve it by distinguishing between the semantic in- formation and the esthetic information of a musical message. Semantic informa- tion designates the physical symbols of music, the area usually explored by the

analyst. Moles uses the term "esthetic information" in part to refer to the per- former's area of discretion in interpret- ing a score. The distinction is problemati- cal at best but remains intuitively appeal- ing.

The author's perspicuous discussion of the limits of music theory and the appre- hension of multiple messages, including opera, cinema, and religious music, justi- fy, at least for this reader, the sometimes arduous development which precedes it. For the most part, Moles employs infor- mation theory suggestively, as a spring- board for his ideas, rather than defini-

tively, as a mathematical system. Thus the demands on the reader are not so much technical as imaginative: the ap- plication of mathematical thought to mu- sic.

Information theory has not fulfilled the inflated expectations of its early propo- nents. It would be disappointing, how- ever, if the dashing of false hopes should lead to premature resignation. There is reason to suppose that information the-

ory may be successfully applied directly to the formulation of musical styles and

The first part of the book is a general introduction to physical information the- ory. The discussion includes several apt illustrations, but the uninitiated might be advised to begin with a more carefully reasoned presentation. (Especially recom- mended are J. R. Pierce, Symbols, Sig- nals, and Noise, New York: Harper and Row [1961]; Claude Shannon and Warren Weaver, The Mathematical Theory of Communication, Urbana: University of Illinois Press [1964]; and Colin Cherry, On Human Communication, 2d ed., Cam- bridge, Mass.: The M.I.T. Press [1966].) The second section deals with the psy- chology of perception and uses informa- tion theory to synthesize two prevailing theories.

With this preparation as a basis the author turns to esthetics, particularly to the perception of music. He approaches the apparent paradox of rehearing well- known music and attempts to resolve it by distinguishing between the semantic in- formation and the esthetic information of a musical message. Semantic informa- tion designates the physical symbols of music, the area usually explored by the

analyst. Moles uses the term "esthetic information" in part to refer to the per- former's area of discretion in interpret- ing a score. The distinction is problemati- cal at best but remains intuitively appeal- ing.

The author's perspicuous discussion of the limits of music theory and the appre- hension of multiple messages, including opera, cinema, and religious music, justi- fy, at least for this reader, the sometimes arduous development which precedes it. For the most part, Moles employs infor- mation theory suggestively, as a spring- board for his ideas, rather than defini-

tively, as a mathematical system. Thus the demands on the reader are not so much technical as imaginative: the ap- plication of mathematical thought to mu- sic.

Information theory has not fulfilled the inflated expectations of its early propo- nents. It would be disappointing, how- ever, if the dashing of false hopes should lead to premature resignation. There is reason to suppose that information the-

ory may be successfully applied directly to the formulation of musical styles and

speculatively toward a better understand- ing of musical esthetics. Cohen's transla- tion, prepared under the author's super- vision, is an informative contribution to the theory of musical perception.

ARTHUR B. WENK Cornell University

An Anatomy of Musical Criticism. By Alan Walker. Philadelphia: Chilton Book Co., 1968. [xii, 114 p.; $5.00]

The author of this slim volume is noth- ing if not brave. In a hundred-odd pages, liberally besprinkled with musical illus- trations, he attempts to set down what he calls the "timeless, creative principles" underlying the theory of musical criti- cism.

In a two-page preface, he dismisses ma- jor attempts to place musical criticism on a sound theoretical basis by W. H. Hadow (1892), M. D. Calvocoressi (1923), and Er- nest Newman (1925) as "mistaken." For them, he points out, "a value-judgment was something you possessed only after you had finished the critical process-it was, so to speak, a prize that you won by careful, objective, intelligent effort."

This attitude Walker considers disas- trous. "For me," he writes, "a value- judgment is something you must possess before you can even start the critical process; a value-judgment is pre-concep- tual; it comes across as part of the musi- cal communication. Criticism, as I under- stand it, only explains something you already know on an intuitive level." In- deed.

Like most Britishers, Walker writes clearly-would that his thinking were similarly blessed. The book has the vir- tue of stimulating thought among those who read it, since it advances startling ideas in a calculatedly provocative fash- ion, but I doubt that many will be con- vinced by his theories. In the end, Walker's Anatomy doubtless will join Hadow, Calvocoressi, Newman, and others as a valiant but unsuccessful attempt to wrestle with philosophical problems as yet unsolved.

IRVING LOWENS The Evening and The Sunday Star

Washington, D. C.

speculatively toward a better understand- ing of musical esthetics. Cohen's transla- tion, prepared under the author's super- vision, is an informative contribution to the theory of musical perception.

ARTHUR B. WENK Cornell University

An Anatomy of Musical Criticism. By Alan Walker. Philadelphia: Chilton Book Co., 1968. [xii, 114 p.; $5.00]

The author of this slim volume is noth- ing if not brave. In a hundred-odd pages, liberally besprinkled with musical illus- trations, he attempts to set down what he calls the "timeless, creative principles" underlying the theory of musical criti- cism.

In a two-page preface, he dismisses ma- jor attempts to place musical criticism on a sound theoretical basis by W. H. Hadow (1892), M. D. Calvocoressi (1923), and Er- nest Newman (1925) as "mistaken." For them, he points out, "a value-judgment was something you possessed only after you had finished the critical process-it was, so to speak, a prize that you won by careful, objective, intelligent effort."

This attitude Walker considers disas- trous. "For me," he writes, "a value- judgment is something you must possess before you can even start the critical process; a value-judgment is pre-concep- tual; it comes across as part of the musi- cal communication. Criticism, as I under- stand it, only explains something you already know on an intuitive level." In- deed.

Like most Britishers, Walker writes clearly-would that his thinking were similarly blessed. The book has the vir- tue of stimulating thought among those who read it, since it advances startling ideas in a calculatedly provocative fash- ion, but I doubt that many will be con- vinced by his theories. In the end, Walker's Anatomy doubtless will join Hadow, Calvocoressi, Newman, and others as a valiant but unsuccessful attempt to wrestle with philosophical problems as yet unsolved.

IRVING LOWENS The Evening and The Sunday Star

Washington, D. C.

250 250

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