Just posting this psychology research paper that Leila sent me on why certain types of music make our brains sing and others don't: "What we know for now is that our musical culture (that is, the music we have listened to throughout life) warps our perception and causes our preference for certain pieces over others, whether by similarity or by contrast to pieces that we have already heard." https://neurosciencenews.com/music-preference-prediction-21946/
What a great post! Firstly, I could listen to John Akomfrah talk all day ❤️. Secondly, I learnt long ago that music can alter and intensify my reaction to art and literature. This began when I read The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon while listening to Ludovico Einaudi's Edon Roc. I can't even remember why I did it but I read every page listening to that album and it remains one of the most profoundly moving works of fiction I have ever read. Would it have affected me so powerfully had I not been listening to that sublime music? I'll never know. I also remember looking through the illustrated diaries of Charles Altamont Doyle to music. He was the father of Arthur Conan Doyle and suffered mental illness exacerbated by alcaholism ending his days in an asylum. While there, deeply depressed and suffering epileptic seizures, he filled numerous diaries with illustrations of peculiar and fantastical creatures. The images are enchanting and unnerving, miniature demons giggle and slither about on twisted limbs bothering tiny ladies who take refuge in branches and hide behind giant birds. The music I chose this time was James Horner's soundtrack to A Beautiful Mind (specifically "A kaleidoscope of mathematics") and I was incredibly moved by the experience. Its like the music ignites your reaction and lifts it up another level. Something I've always wanted to is to stand in front of Theodore Gericault's life size painting of The Raft of the Medusa with head phones in listening to MARS from Holst's Planets suite. Maybe one day! Right I'm now off to read Leila's article.
It’s so intriguing isn’t it? I’m definitely moved more by music. There’s no clear link between music and emotion, but plenty of theories! Theories that try to explain why minor chords sound sad, theories that say that harmonies just evoke memories that give music the meaning (a bit like art perhaps?) I think the most interesting theories are those that link music to specific brain reactions and vibrations 🧠 and neurotransmitters - that goes a little way to explain why music might be doing something different than art when we experience it.
Music is a backdrop for me, it might bring up a memory or a feeling, whereas art feels more centre stage? But that’s not a hard and fast rule.
I confess that music has never moved me to tears - or laughter either really. Visual images can come closer - they may inspire a strong empathy with something. Cerebral? Probably, but I am moved the most by what I find interesting and provocative. - LOL - like your posts Vic!
As John Miles sang, music was my first love...and it will be my last. I totally understand what Shepard Fairey is saying. There's something about music that draws you in emotionally and then sets you up for the message. That does happen for me with art too, but definitely not as often.
Music for the Heart, Art for the Head?
Just posting this psychology research paper that Leila sent me on why certain types of music make our brains sing and others don't: "What we know for now is that our musical culture (that is, the music we have listened to throughout life) warps our perception and causes our preference for certain pieces over others, whether by similarity or by contrast to pieces that we have already heard." https://neurosciencenews.com/music-preference-prediction-21946/
What a great post! Firstly, I could listen to John Akomfrah talk all day ❤️. Secondly, I learnt long ago that music can alter and intensify my reaction to art and literature. This began when I read The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon while listening to Ludovico Einaudi's Edon Roc. I can't even remember why I did it but I read every page listening to that album and it remains one of the most profoundly moving works of fiction I have ever read. Would it have affected me so powerfully had I not been listening to that sublime music? I'll never know. I also remember looking through the illustrated diaries of Charles Altamont Doyle to music. He was the father of Arthur Conan Doyle and suffered mental illness exacerbated by alcaholism ending his days in an asylum. While there, deeply depressed and suffering epileptic seizures, he filled numerous diaries with illustrations of peculiar and fantastical creatures. The images are enchanting and unnerving, miniature demons giggle and slither about on twisted limbs bothering tiny ladies who take refuge in branches and hide behind giant birds. The music I chose this time was James Horner's soundtrack to A Beautiful Mind (specifically "A kaleidoscope of mathematics") and I was incredibly moved by the experience. Its like the music ignites your reaction and lifts it up another level. Something I've always wanted to is to stand in front of Theodore Gericault's life size painting of The Raft of the Medusa with head phones in listening to MARS from Holst's Planets suite. Maybe one day! Right I'm now off to read Leila's article.
Another artist for whom music was important was Jean-Michel Basquiat. There's a show on at the Montreal Museum of Fine Art at the moment which looks at his relationship with music. Great overview here from The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2022/nov/16/jean-michel-basquiat-kaboom-beethoven-bebop-zulu?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other
It’s so intriguing isn’t it? I’m definitely moved more by music. There’s no clear link between music and emotion, but plenty of theories! Theories that try to explain why minor chords sound sad, theories that say that harmonies just evoke memories that give music the meaning (a bit like art perhaps?) I think the most interesting theories are those that link music to specific brain reactions and vibrations 🧠 and neurotransmitters - that goes a little way to explain why music might be doing something different than art when we experience it.
Music is a backdrop for me, it might bring up a memory or a feeling, whereas art feels more centre stage? But that’s not a hard and fast rule.
I confess that music has never moved me to tears - or laughter either really. Visual images can come closer - they may inspire a strong empathy with something. Cerebral? Probably, but I am moved the most by what I find interesting and provocative. - LOL - like your posts Vic!
As John Miles sang, music was my first love...and it will be my last. I totally understand what Shepard Fairey is saying. There's something about music that draws you in emotionally and then sets you up for the message. That does happen for me with art too, but definitely not as often.