Abstract
Seyyed Hossein Nasr, within the framework of Traditionalism and the Perennial Philosophy, considers traditional art as a manifestation of the Sacred and interprets music as a reflection of cosmic order. In this view, the Renaissance marks a decisive rupture in which the sacred worldview gradually gives way to anthropocentrism, leading to the dominance of modern art (post-Renaissance art). Nasr’s theory offers one of the most coherent metaphysical accounts of art in contemporary philosophy and has significantly influenced discussions on Islamic art and sacred music. This study critically examines Nasr’s conception of music across three interconnected levels: (1) the ontological foundation of sacredness, (2) the historical formulation of the Renaissance rupture, and (3) the musicological criteria for distinguishing sacred music from other musical forms. Drawing on Nasr’s primary works, his response to Eliot Deutsch, and relevant scholarship in art history and musicology, the article argues that while Nasr’s metaphysical premises exhibit internal coherence, tensions emerge when these premises are applied historically and analytically. The analysis demonstrates that the transhistorical (ontological) nature of sacredness in Nasr’s framework stands in a complex relation to its historically conditioned manifestation. Furthermore, the criteria for identifying sacred music—whether structural, intentional, or liturgical—require clearer theoretical articulation. Rather than rejecting Nasr’s project, this study proposes that a more nuanced understanding of the relationship between metaphysics, historical change, and artistic form could strengthen the explanatory power of Traditionalist aesthetics.