23rd Annual Student Research Conference
The Feeling of Infinity: Late Beethoven and the Aesthetics of the Sublime and Beautiful
Christopher K. Bader
Dr. David McKamie, Faculty Mentor
Many Western philosophers, such as Burke, Kant, and Hegel, have examined the concepts of the sublime and the beautiful. Though they often disagree on the particular characteristics that produce one or the other feeling (or both), it is clear that the realm of the sublime is beyond human understanding. It excites the most violent, noble, terrifying, and ecstatic passions. The works of Beethoven's final stylistic period, as represented by his Piano Sonata in E Major, Op. 109, explore the farthest reaches of sublimity. The aesthetics of the sublime and beautiful have traditionally been applied to nature and the visual arts. However, they are readily applicable to music as well. Analyzing their development will help place Beethoven in the proper historical context. It can then be shown how Beethoven's late style helped revolutionize these concepts, expressing them in ways that a philosopher's words simply could not.
Keywords: Beethoven, music, philosophy, sublime, beautiful
Topic(s):Music
Philosophy & Religion
Interdisciplinary
Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Session: 5-1
Location: MG 1090
Time: 8:00