Theodor W. Adorno TAVIUUUUUUAAUUUTUT UU TT PHILOSOPHY OF NEW MUSIC ‘Translated, Edited, and with an Introduction by Robert Hullot-Kentor A UNIVERSITY O MINNESOTA PRESS Minneapolis + London“This book brings together wo sds wren soe years apr anda inurodvction. The contruction and charcer ofthe whole may jsiy 2 fw words of aestion In 1938, inthe Zeer fir Soielfchung, the ho published sa cy "On the eis Charen Music and the Reresion of Listen: ing es inencon wa 9 present se change inthe Function of asic today to demonstrate the inner transformations thst musical pheno ‘our sch ad utained a el of the mbrampsion of me o com ‘merlin mass production, and ashe same ime to show how certain ‘mtbopologeal hfs in standard society each into the sructse of ‘rusia listening. At the ime, dhe author had aleeady planned wo draw fier all determines the station of music For che author the power of he social tory was self-evident even ia sch seemingly remote fe- pis a that of music. He could not deceive hime tha the atin ‘hich he himself wa achooed, even in ie pute and mot uncompro- msn fer, was exempe from the ubiquitous ule of eficaion, eather he saw that, on che contrary, precisely inthe effort vo defend ics nee i produce out of vel characteris ofthe same nature chat tre, Beare his sk to comprehend the objective aninomies in, fs the dialectal testmeat the station of composing itself, whichrhc an at ha geist nsown exigecis wihou any Tarn to the cOnBEquEREE nessa enna inthe mids of 2 [etetonomous aly; antinomies that cannot otherwise be surmounted than if chey ar followed trough wichout ay sion, co chee Timi ‘The work on Schoenberg originated on the basis ofthese efletons and ‘was writen in 1940-41 Icemained 2 that ine unpublshed and, out Side the most ceric cic ofthe laste for Social Research in New York, wat arable only to few. Tada i appeas ints original form, vvth vere additions rouching toughou on Schoenberg’ ate works ‘Ale the war, however whch the author decided wo publish the ‘workin Germany. ie seemed to him neceary to add to he section on Schoenberganothe on Sravinsy Ifthe book wee relly have some thing to sy about new musica 3 whole, it would be ncesnry forthe ‘works own method, oppored to generalizations and casifications, to beyond the teament of a particule school, ven ihe later alone Ales justice tothe contemporary objective poses of che musical material and faces upto ie difclies itrnigeny. Savina’ di Inet oppose procdute demanded interpreation noc only because ofc public rege and its compositional misea—For the concept of tnivacannot be dogmatically presupposed and alway remains open to investigations “earte™—but rather, and above ll to bar the easy way one tha would conlude that, he loyal progress of musicleads tinomis, there would be somerhg to hope for fom the reson JT Fe, fom the self-conscious abeogain of music own aia tic of progres ilegimate save oe hat names the reactionary clement inthe ruling unfteedons and thas unapoloesally precludes ies misuse in the service of the sea quo. The rcun ia postive guise hat has collaped is revealed as more fandamenelycompliitous with the descuctive tendencies ofthe age than witha public Ben branded decrucve A sl proclimed oxdris nothing but a mask or chaos. If dheefre dhe rudy ofthe radial Schoesberg himself inspired by expression, i conducted athe level of musical objecvin, while the ‘reament ofthe antpeycholoical Stinky poses the question of the ‘damaged subject on which is ocute is pacrned hen hee a well a alec mosis a work “The author has no wish to disguise the provocative features of his say, mur pear cynical afer what has happened in Europe, and ‘what contnuce to threaten lavish time and mental energy on che deciphering of exec questions on che technique of modern composi sion. Moreover, che obstinate attic disputes af the text often enough appest asi they ively aes «recy ha is uninterested in them. Bat perhaps an eccentic undertaking wll shed ight on a sitaton sill smashed solely by its familiar manifesarons, and where proces isheard only when the public accord suspect some divergence frm i This i cay mics fe ms aw ema hich a aon: of ‘counterpoint Bear wines t ieconcable conics? How fundamen tally disurbed if is today iis wembling and it igiy ae elected cen where no empiial ned caches, in a phere tha people suppose provides sanctuary fom the presuts ofthe harrowing not, and that Jnded ony ede its promise by refusing what they expec ofc ‘The introduction presents coins that pean © Bot prs Although ic emphases the unity ofthe whole, the ferences Berea ‘he old pare and the new, particularly side diferencs, have not been concealed In the period intervening berween the two pars, my work with Max Hodheimey, stretching back ow over more han twenty yas, has «developed ineoa common philonphy. Tue, the author sly respon sible For what deal with music, bu i would not be posible od {th to whom one teottical insight or another belongs. This book thould be undertoad ata dele excurns eo Dials of Enlil mene Wha eae wines in FSB, 0 confidence inthe help 1g srength of determinan aegaion, i thanks the imellecual ed human sldariyof Max Hoskeimer. Los Angee, California, Jay 1, 1948 Rad, veh amen '