「對音樂這個概念的解釋從『音樂是有組織的聲音(organized sound)』開始。然後,人們覺得這個定義太過寬泛,因為有很多有組織的聲音並不是音樂,例如人類的言說、非人類的動物或機器發出的一些聲音等等。」[1]事實上,有很多種不同的方式定義音樂的元素(英語:Aspect of music),而不僅僅是所謂「聲音」:例如,很多人認為像旋律(連續不斷出現的音高)、和音(分了組的音調,不一定在同一時間發出聲音,形成和弦)、節奏、節拍和音色(也被美稱音樂的「顏色」)就是音樂的元素。
其他浪漫主義哲學家支持絕對音樂的,比如約翰·沃爾夫岡·馮·歌德,看到音樂不僅僅是人類主觀的「語言」,而是一個進入屬於秩序和美的更高領域的,絕對的、超越的(transcendent)方式。在阿圖爾·叔本華的主要作品第四部分,《作為意志和表象的世界》(1819),他說:「音樂是生活這個秘密的答案。所有藝術中最有洞見的,即音樂,表達了生活最深奧的思想。」克爾凱郭爾在他的《The Immediate Stages of the Erotic, or Musical Erotic》,《非此即彼》(1843)的其中一章,他審視了莫扎特音樂的洞見性和《唐·喬望尼》的感覺本質。
在前-近現代傳統中,音樂底美學(esthetics of music),或稱音樂的美學(musical aesthetics)在數學和宇宙論的維度探索音樂的節奏和和音組成形式。18世紀,關注點則轉移到了聽音樂時(hearing music)的經驗,因此提出這樣的問題:音樂的美和人類對音樂的享受有什麼關係?從前者轉移到後者,有時歸功於亞歷山大·戈特利布·鮑姆加登與康德。[來源請求]透過他們的著作,原先的術語「美學」,指涉感官的感知( meaning sensory perception),變成了今天現在的這個意思。不過近幾十年來,哲學家們又開始強調美的享受背後的問題,例如,音樂表達情感的能力問題。
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