L’etica intergenerazionale della musica classica

Abstract

The article illustrates how classical music embodies the normative concept of tradition and its intergenerational ethical implications. It begins by clarifying ‘tradition’ in musical score interpretation and explores its philosophical dimensions. Scheffler1 views traditions as value-laden practices linking past, present, and future. Reilly et al.2 regard traditions as contextualized ways of living well across individuals and communities. These perspectives show that practices within traditions aim to achieve the goals of their members, shaping communal values and individual character. Applied to music, the discussion highlights the significance of musical practice from a virtue ethics and care ethics standpoint. Classical music transmits cultural, educational, and intergenerational values, with musicians as key investors in the future. Responsibilities toward future generations are embedded in the practice itself, and neglecting them would entail both temporal and moral parochialism.