Philosopher-Composers

[Guido]

Which famous philosophers also composed? The only two I know about are Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Nietzsche. I haven't heard any of the former's music, but have the Nietzsche edition CD of virtually all of his works, some of which I find very moving and original. He was an amateur through and through, and he would have been the first to admit that, but I hear a very personal little voice that is struggling against his limiatations as a composer - he himself claimed that his compositions were key to understanding his philosophy.

It would be interesting to see who else there is. Can anyone recommend any works/recording of Rousseau's music, or would like to offer a general assessment about his music?

[rockerreds]

I believe Sartre wrote some song lyrics.

[jochanaan]

What about Moses Mendelssohn, grandfather of Felix and Fanny?  He was a leading philosopher of his day, and also apparently a tireless advocate of greater integration for Jews into Germanic society.  The Wikipedia article about Moses Mendelssohn mentioned nothing about him composing; still, Felix's and Fanny's talents probably came from somewhere...

[Monsieur Croche]

Does Wagner count?

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Th.W. Adorno, pupil of Alban Berg, is the first philosopher (after Nietzsche) who springs to mind.

[jurajjak]

I do have an old recording of Rousseau's "Le Devin du Village," which I listened to once (mostly out of curiosity), and then put away somewhere.  I remember it being mostly pastoral in nature, often pleasant, but mostly timid, particularly in the feeble orchestration.  The work was somewhat popular in its day but seems amateurish, though marginally competent, to my ears.


andrew