Music, Meaning and Emotion

Hannah Jefferies

Name: Hannah Jefferies Main Subject: Classical Flute Research Supervisors: Ines de Avena Braga, Research Question: How can elements and features from psychology and philosophy illustrate what is fundamental to our emotions, in what way can these concepts be represented within and expressed by the flute repertoire, and how can we incorporate and convey these understandings as performers to create music meaningfully and be of beneficence to others? Summary of Results: This research sets out to contrast and evaluate diverse standpoints from psychology and philosophy to discuss firstly how emotions can be defined, whether music creates real emotions in us, and what capacities we possess to be both receptive and conveying of emotion within music. During my discussion, I incorporate examples of excerpts from the flute repertoire, consider the harmonic language used and function of musical structures, and balance this against the resulting emotional response from us. This initial discussion is in support of a questionnaire which I conducted in order to gather results from respondents of their perceived emotional response and valence when presented with differing musical excerpts, both upon an initial and second listening. I aimed to gauge and qualify their reaction to musical traits which have been connected more strongly than others to specific emotional states, and additionally I was interested to find if there was a connection between memory of a piece of music, and emotional valence due to this familiarity. Finally, having demonstrated the emotive strength it is possible for music to hold, I investigate how as artists we can harness and emphasise certain functions of music to create performances which are highly engaging and positively affecting for listeners. Additionally, this research then leads us to an understanding of the impact of integrating the effects of emotion and music, and suggests how this combination can be beneficial and utilised in and for the wider society, namely in the field of music therapy. Biography: I am currently a second year masters student from the UK studying classical flute at the Koninklijk Conservatorium with Jeroen Bron and Dorine Schade, having recently completed my Bachelors degree at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester. During my studies I have been very lucky to have had the opportunity to perform as part of ensembles including Asko|Schönberg, New European Ensemble, European Youth Wind Orchestra, and Amadeus Orchestra Academy. Outside of performance, I greatly enjoy being part of outreach and community music; a highlight was working with the Manchester Camerata Orchestra, delivering music therapy to people with Dementia.

Chapter Eleven

Conclusions

As we have come to see, we experience emotions often, and they help us respond to everyday situations. We also experience real emotion in response to music, and musical emotions are unique in that we experience many in quick succession. These emotions we experience are not necessarily the same ones the music itself expresses, but instead we use music to feel the emotion we already have within us; music can be a catalyst for their release, and our enjoyment of this.

We have come to recognise the emotional elements and mechanisms within music, and the meaning behind music is so strongly tied to communication, which has become ingrained into our DNA through evolution. Hearing music triggers our brain to respond in ways it would have done throughout our evolutionary history, and we innately understand the communicative elements, which trigger physiological and psychological responses in us to result in our unique emotion. Musical emotion therefore has an important part to play for us, as it not only heightens our enjoyment of the momentary experience, but it is an agent for change; it can carry us from states of tension to relaxation, or nostalgia to joy, perhaps due to our associations and memory. Our memories have a strong influence on how we feel and behave, and music can elicit emotions of our past to affect us in the present. Our memories further impact our view of ourselves, the world and our role in this, and over time our sense of personal identity forms. Our personal identity and personality influences the ways in which we understand emotion and communication, and this also applies to the meanings we understand from music, and the emotions we subsequently feel. However, we do have influence over our emotions, and we can choose how we want to write our own personal stories, and the emotions we have surrounding this. Having a sense of autonomy over our emotions and identity leads us to be able to connect with others, and as stronger individuals, we can have stronger emotional bonds. Listening to music is a type of emotional communion, and helps us feel more connected to others.

Therefore, music has many positive effects on us psychologically and also mentally. Through our implicit understandings of emotion and what this communicates to us, the mind and body are connected and health can be promoted through awareness of ourselves, and connection to others.

Through performance, we can apply our knowledge of how a piece of music can be more meaningful, to enhance the harmonic and structural moments which are capable of eliciting strong emotions, thereby increasing the meaning we find in the experience, and through this, connect more strongly with ourselves, other performers and the audience.

Connection is the significance of, and meaning we can find through music, and emotion is the key which allows for this connection; this is its greatest function.

Tip

Tip