Musical Performance As Interpretation

After reviewing the conception of musical interpretation in western music history and analyzing the discourse objects about musical interpretation, the dissertation investigates from 'the multiplex of musical interpretation's objects' to 'the multiplex interpretation of musical performance's objects' and puts forward that the conception of musical interpretation is a consequence of the concept of musical works in the West after 1800. The factual objects in musical interpretation can be classicized into 2 categories: the surface objects of signs and the deep objects of implications, which makes up of the relationships of the surface layer and the deep layer, and of the foreground and the background in musical performance. They form a structure of multiplex objects of interpretation. Therefore, the dissertation presents a performance strategy of 'multiplex interpretation', which is aidant for the performers to interpret musical works systematically, thoroughly and in depth.The thesis includes 3 parts:The 1^st part is 'history and cause of formation' (Chapter 1) which discusses the history of musical interpretation and its formative stages on Aesthetics. The 2^nd part is 'analysis and description' (Chapter 2, 3, and 4), which answers the question of what the objects of musical interpretation are. By means of the discourse analysis as well as the analyses of 9 particular discourse cases, one can differentiate the properties between the surface objects of signs and the deep objects of implications. Those objects make up of integrity of a musical interpretation, putting up their multiplex and hierarchy characteristics. The 3^rd part is 'theory and illustration' (Chapter 5, 6, and7), discussing the inner characteristics of the musical interpretation's objects and their relations of each other, as well as answering the question of their theory source and practical significance. Meanwhile, from the point of view of Methodology of History, Hermeneutics and Analytical Philosophy, the 3^rd part provides 3 theory sources which supports for the strategy of 'multiplex interpretation'. Finally, by a deep analysis of a case study, the research proof the feasibility and practicality of the strategy of 'multiplex interpretation'.