ABSTRACT
It is natural to be attracted to a theory of art that credits the products of art with a significance commensurate with the value these works have for us. And this attraction is more clearly felt in the case of Schopenhauer’s theory of music because of the absence of rival theories of distinction which compete for our allegiance. But just as the appeal of an object seen from a distance can diminish when it is approached and seen for what it is, so a more perfect understanding of a theory can
disclose weaknesses in it which dispel the theory’s charm. And this is the situation with Schopenhauer’s theory of music: the better we understand it the less likely it is to cast a spell over us.
