possibility of silence is the background for music. It is Ihde’s point that focusing is only possible with-
in a field, and the field is only possible within a horizon. ”Roughly, the horizon situates the field which
in turn situates the thing” (p. 106, Ihde’s italics).
Variable focus
The method of phenomenological listening is based on investigating the relationship between focus
and field and the relationship between field and horizon. In ordinary affairs, we focus the auditory at-
tention on a core of interest such as the clink of a coin on the pavement, a car approaching, a baby’s
cry, or the voice of a dialogue partner. Often, we ignore the totality of the auditory field because of
the directional focus. However, the focus is variable. It is possible deliberately to vary the direction of
attention, and to direct the attention toward the experience of a wider auditory field (p. 90, 204-206).
In music, we can focus narrowly on a particular instrument, more broadly on the relationship
between foreground and background, or panoramically on the total flow of musical sound. Vary-
ing the auditory focus and its width is a readily available mode of phenomenological variation. It is,
however, difficult to detect and investigate the spatial horizon of the auditory field, because the field
surrounds us and seems to extend indefinitely outward (p. 102, 108). Nevertheless, the temporal
horizon of sound is accessible for inquiry, because sounds appear and disappear ceaselessly in ev-
eryday experience and in music.
Ihde’s characterization of ”horizon” and ”silence” is not entirely consistent. In one context he states
that the horizon of sound is silence (2007:222), in another that silence is a dimension of the horizon
(2007:109). A possible clarification could be that the horizon of sound is the border between sound
and absence of sound. Dimensions constituting the horizon are the retention of the just-past sound,
the silence of the perceived ”now”, and the anticipation or expectation of a continuation of sound.
Time-consciousness
Ihde refers to Husserl’s phenomenology of time-consciousness, which describes the temporal field
of presence as a continuum which is constantly modified (this chapter p. 5). The attention on a tem-
poral field of presence permits variations of the temporal focus. The focus may be narrow, fine or
broad, concentrating on an exact event, a confined temporal evolution, or a larger span of temporal
awareness (p. 89-96).^9 Listening for the onset of a sound or a tone requires a narrow focus. Listen-
ing for the dynamic and timbral evolution of a single tone calls for a fine focus, as does listening for
the ”running off” or ”trailing off” of a tone. Together, these modes of focusing can uncover unnoticed
aspects of musical sound. The appearance and disappearance of tones which seem to come from
nowhere and vanish into nowhere reveal the horizon of sound. In Ihde’s words, ”a sense of an au-
ditory horizon as a temporal boundary does begin to show itself. (...) Sound reveals time”. (p. 102,
italics in the original text).
Surroundability and directionality
Attention on spatiality of the auditory field reveals that the auditory experience is multidimensional.
Sound immerses and penetrates the listening body. Sound appears to come from a specific direc-
tion, and sound appears to surround the listener. These relationships are variable, and to a certain
extent deliberately variable. Ihde emphasizes that ”for the description to be accurate, both surround-
ability and directionality must be noted as copresent” (p. 77).
In everyday life, we locate many sounds coming from distinct directions. However in music listening,
the sense of directionality may recede in favor of the sense of the music’s immersing, penetrating
and surrounding presence. The usual distinction between outer and inner seems obliterated, ”audi-
9 In the context of music psychology, Mari Riess Jones and Marilyn Boltz present a related discussion of ”focal attending”
(Jones & Boltz 1989:470-472).