ABSTRACT
A canon is the collection of works and artists that are widely accepted as the greatest in their field. This chapter describes the canon by focusing on the canons of two disciplines, Western literature and Western classical music. The canon of Western classical music has been influenced by that of literature and yet remains wholly separate, and is therefore an invaluable model for the study of more recent canon formation, especially in the field of music. A primary function of canons is their ability to bring order to chaos, to essentially tell a story of our cultural history and present it in its most awe-inspiring light. The guiding narrative of the canon is therefore usually one of evolution and progress made visible in the progression of its key works. Canonical works are revered for their ability to survive the so-called ‘test of time’, a familiar expression that cloaks the very human decisions that go into the survival of any work.
