Peter Kivy

Peter Kivy (October 22, 1934 – May 6, 2017) was professor emeritus of musicology and philosophy at Rutgers University. He received his B.A. summa cum laude from the University of Michigan in 1956, an M.A. in philosophy from the University of Michigan in 1958, an A.M. in musicology from Yale University in 1960, and a PhD in philosophy from Columbia University in 1966. He taught at Brooklyn College from 1966 to 1967 before joining the faculty at Rutgers University, where he became a full professor in 1976. His early work focused on 18th-century British aesthetics, particularly Francis Hutcheson. From the late 1970s, Kivy's primary interest shifted to the philosophy of music. His book "The Corded Shell" introduced the contour theory, a precursor to literalism in music philosophy. A central theme in his work was the problem of how instrumental music expresses emotion, suggesting that music imitates the physical expressions of common emotions. He also authored "Sound and Semblance," "Osmin's Rage," "Sound Sentiment," "Music Alone," and "Authenticities," among other influential works in aesthetics and the philosophy of music.