Music's Monisms

Exploring the concept of monism, Daniel Albright examines the interconnectedness of music and literature in his essays. He argues that despite apparent binaries in music—such as diatonic vs. chromatic or staccato vs. legato—there exists a unifying system that reconciles these tensions. Albright highlights "radical monism" in the works of modernist poets and composers, offering insightful analyses of figures like T. S. Eliot, Wagner, and Schoenberg. His close readings illuminate broader philosophical arguments about aesthetic experience and the nature of artistic expression.