The early representatives of heteronomy music aesthetics are

Heteronomy music aesthetics holds that the essence of music is its emotional content, so it is also called emotionalism aesthetics or content aesthetics. Schopenhauer believes that music is the embodiment of absolute will and human emotion, while Fechner and Stapf demonstrate this view with empirical methods. All three are early representatives of music aesthetics.

Music heteronomy holds that music is the expression of human emotion, which is restricted by some external law-human emotion. And emotion is an important content of music expression. Romantic musicians and music theorists hold heteronomy views.