Nested types and musical versions: replying to Davies’ Challenges

Abstract

David Davies (2021) raises different questions about the theory of nested types I have recently proposed to account for the phenomenon of musical versions (Puy 2019). I must start by expressing my acknowledgments for his rigorous reading of my paper, on the basis of which he raised four main challenges to my proposal. They can be divided into two groups. The first two challenges concern the motivations for the nested types theory. Davies questions such motivations and tries to show that the indicated types theory may offer a satisfactory account of musical versions. Davies’ last two worries are about different aspects of the nested types theory that he considers problematic or unattractive, and that should lead us to reject my view. Although I admit that some issues require more clarification and analysis than I supplied in my paper, I will show nonetheless that Davies’ reasons do not support a rejection of the nested types theory.