Motivic-thematic working is seen by many not merely as one facet of instrumental composition but practically as its epitome and therefore as the decisive criterion in the evaluation of a symphony, sonata or string quartet. This conviction, particularly widespread in the German-speaking countries, has given rise to many complex and in-depth analyses of individual works. However, it has also contributed to the neglect of other parameters and the devaluing of works in which thematic structures do not play a central role. Thus it has also helped to encourage a Germanocentric image of music history. In this volume the discourse about motivic-thematic working is fully highlighted for the first time - from its origins in the 19th century to the present day. Theoretical and aesthetic perspectives are supplemented by that of cultural history: this is devoted to the function of defining identity, which even a purely technical category such as thematic working can take over in a specific historical context. ukryj opis