Ontology of the Musical Work

Name: Ontology of the Musical Work
Price: 254 AUD
Availability: PreOrder
ISBN: 9781496861030

Scored Music, Jazz, Pop, and Rock

Laurent Cugny, Bérengère Mauduit

$254

Hardback

Forthcoming
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English

University Press of Mississippi
16 February 2026

Theory of music & musicology; Jazz; Philosophy: aesthetics

What defines a ""musical work""? Traditionally, this question has been dominated by Western art music and its reliance on prescriptive scores. Yet, with the rise of recording technologies and the growing influence of genres like jazz, pop, and rock, the very foundations of music’s ontology have shifted. In English for the first time, Ontology of the Musical Work: Scored Music, Jazz, Pop, and Rock explores these transformative changes, offering a groundbreaking framework for understanding how music is created, experienced, and valued in contemporary contexts.

This book introduces a new theory of music production—one distinct from the conventional paradigms of writing and orality—that emphasizes the unique characteristics of recorded music. Using this perspective, it critiques the traditional focus on scored music and reimagines the concept of the ""musical work,"" bridging the divide between Anglophone analytic aesthetics and Continental philosophical traditions.

Ultimately, Ontology of the Musical Work redefines the cultural and aesthetic significance of jazz and popular music, offering fresh insights into their roles within a rapidly evolving musical landscape. A vital contribution to musicology and philosophy, this book equips readers with new tools to understand and appreciate the diverse ways music resonates in our world today.

By: Laurent Cugny
Translated by: Bérengère Mauduit
Imprint: University Press of Mississippi
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions: Height: 235mm, Width: 156mm,
ISBN: 9781496861030
ISBN 10: 1496861035
Pages: 336
Publication Date: 16 February 2026
Audience: Professional and scholarly , Undergraduate
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming

Laurent Cugny is a musician, musicologist, and jazz specialist. Professor emeritus at Sorbonne University, he has published numerous essays and articles. As a musician, he played and recorded with Gil Evans, directed the French Jazz National Orchestra, and has released fourteen albums under his own name. He is author of Analysis of Jazz: A Comprehensive Approach, published by University Press of Mississippi.

Reviews for Ontology of the Musical Work: Scored Music, Jazz, Pop, and Rock

Attempts to locate and define the 'musical work, ' whether through musical notation, recordings, or performances, have led to meaningful--yet multiple--inquiries. Cugny deftly untangles these philosophical threads across distinct musical genres, exploring them through points of contact and/or conflict.--Keith Waters, author of The Studio Recordings of the Miles Davis Quintet, 1965-68 and Postbop Jazz in the 1960s: The Compositions of Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, and Chick Corea In this rich and rigorous work, Laurent Cugny masterfully bridges aesthetic theory and musicological analysis. His approach to the ontology of jazz and popular music is both innovative and critically informed, offering valuable insights for scholars across traditions.--Vincenzo Caporaletti, professor of musicology at University of Macerata and author of Theory of Audiotactile Music: The Basic Concepts