ABSTRACT
In all the previous philosophical views we have surveyed so far, the center of attention has been on listening to and contemplation of a specific musical composition, such as a Beethoven symphony or a song by U2, with a determination to remain focused on the music or on that to which the music refers. Phenomenologists shift the focus away from contemplation of musical works to the lived, bodily, in-the-moment experience of engaging with music. Before we review specific philosophical viewpoints, let us remind ourselves of what it feels like to be engaged with music.
