Apparitions : Essays on Adorno and Twentieth-Century Music

Revolves around the two movements in Adorno's creative life: the immediate impact of the publications of The Philosophy of Music in 1949; and his struggle with contemporary music during the 1950s and 60s. This book is aimed at scholars and students of Adorno, who seek a historical context for understanding his writings in the field of musicology.

Apparitions takes a new look at the critical legacy of one of the 20Ýsuperscript th¨ century''s most important and influential thinkers about music, Theodor W. Adorno. Bringing together an international group of scholars, the book offers new historical and critical insights into Adorno''s theories of music and how these theories, in turn, have affected the study of contemporary art music, popular music, and jazz.
The essays review the impact of Philosophy of New Music after World War II, examine Adorno''s struggle to adapt his aging philosophy to the new music of the 1950s and 1960s, and trace his influence on recent composers. Several essays in this volume also re-evaluate Adorno''s controversial contribution to the study of popular music and jazz, as well as his theories of mass media and mass culture in the context of an increasing consolidation of corporate and political power in the entertainment industry.
This volume will be indispensable for both scholars and students of Adorno, who seek a historical context and a critical assessment of some of his most influential as well as most contested writings on music.