This book is an important contribution to the philosophy of music. Whereas most books in this field focus on the creation and reproduction of music, Bruce Benson's concern is the phenomenology of music making as an activity. He offers the radical thesis that it is improvisation that is primary in the moment of music making. Succinct and lucid, the book brings together a wide range of musical examples from classical music, jazz, early music and other genres. It offers a rich tapestry incorporating both analytic and continental philosophy, musicology and performance-practice issues. It will be a provocative read for philosophers of art and musicologists and, because it eschews technicality, should appeal to general readers, especially those who perform.

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Contrary to many popular and even official definitions, improvisation is possible only by way of musicians being situated within an improvisational tradition and working with pre-existing musical elements. It is never purely spontaneous. This chapter argues that improvisation is grounded in everyday, practical human activity which is itself—more broadly—improvisational in nature. We improvise on the basis of what Aristotle terms phronesis, practical wisdom or the ability to act appropriately in a given situation. As something we do together, improvisation is fundamentally an ethical phenomenon. In this chapter, improvisation is seen as a musical dialogue that requires “taste” both for its aesthetic beauty and its ethical engagement. At its core is respect for the tradition in which it arises, for other people with whom one improvises, and for those who improvise by listening.

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