Music Listening, Music Therapy, Phenomenology and Neuroscience

Appendix

 2.03

 Experimental

 listening
 Bartok

9

18th listening: Question: How are the surfaces of the accompaniment displaced foc
in relation to the melody? (Compare 7th listening, observation of displaced surfaces)

A1: soloist and accompaniment are equal, standing still close to each other in a flat vertical plane.
The chords are placed vertically under the melody, like big playing cards.
B1: larger distance. The soloist is above, the accompaniment is below, and there are unruly points
in between.
A2: The oboe is more on the forefront, but still close to the accompaniment. The accompanying
surfaces enter at displaced temporal positions. Solo and accompaniment build up a crescendo
together.
B2: Large distance between flutes above and basses below. They move on the same axis.
Variegated contrasting colors.
A3: melody and accompaniment both grow to large proportions. The accompanying surfaces
shove themselves into the solo.

EC’s afterthought 1: In A1, LCB first understood the question as asking for displaced spatial
relations. Later she chose the alternative possibility, listening for displaced temporal relations
between melody and accompaniment in A2.
EC’s Afterthought 2: It is possible to visualize the virtual space of the music either as
3-dimensional depth or as a 2-dimensional plane. This can be changed at will ****

19th listening: Question: In the composite sounds, do you hear fusion or segregation? foc

Many composite sounds have a common attack, then the sound begins its dynamic life. One
instrument may display a certain kind of energy, such as a vibrato.
A1: Sounds of strings in the background, suddenly it is possible to hear indiviual threads or
movements that distinguish themselves.

20th listening: Same question, primarily focusing on the final chords of each section foc

Final chord of A2: no vibrato. In the harmony, fifth and seventh are salient. The oboe soloist
remains a few milliseconds after the end of the composite sound. LCB’s remark: Fortunately, this is
not a sampled sound.

B2: A new dimension is added, the gentle sound of woodwinds, which seems to shed sunshine in
the soundscape.

Final chord of A3: The woodwinds seem to suck the power out of the strings. Their volume
disappears, like magic. It would be possible to keep on observing the the strings – but in that case
one would tend to forget about the woodwinds **. A diminuendo is common to all instruments.

Appendix 2.02 Experimental listening Bartok Appendix

 2.03

 Experimental

 listening
 Bartok

10

21th listening: Open listening of B2 open

Awareness of the voluminous sounds. The rhythmic accompaniment backs up the soloist, filling in

the musical picture in a complementary way.

The accompanying pizzicati change direction: up-down, down-up

EC: New question: How many instruments participate in the accompaniment?

22nd listening: Question: What is the special quality of the pizzicato sounds? foc

B1: Two sounds in one, a snap and a tone, taking place simultaneously. More voluminous snaps in

deeper tones

B2: More tone in the low pizzicati. In composite pizzicati, the lower tones adopt an edge from the

higher tones. Ascending pizzicati in the middle.

LCB’s comment: By focusing on something, one listens in a different way**

EC’s afterthought: Effects of the descending nerve connections from the cortex to the inner ear:

voluntary focusing of auditory attention

23rd listening: How do you perceive the sound: Does it come from a particular foc

direction, or does it surround you? (Directionality and surroundability, Ihde 1976:77)

LCB: I become receptive of a broader focus. I can feel the sound surrounding my shoulders, but

not the back side of my body.

The sound hits me in different ways. The very first tone is penetrating, like a precise spearhead

The general pause after B2 (CD 1’57): I am surrounded by non-sound! **

A3: the sound grows big, I am in the middle of the sound’s volume and polyphony

LCB’s question: I wonder if I lose my focus, or I abandon it? ****

EC’s afterthoughts: Distinction between narrow, fine and broad attentional focus

(Ihde 1976: 90). ”Sound penetrates my awareness” (Ihde 1976:81). Immersion

and penetration (Ihde 1976:78-79). Silence appears at the horizon of listening (Ihde 1976:106).

Surroundability and directionality: ”For the description to be accurate, both surroundability and

directionality must be copresent” (Ihde 1976:77)

** indicates a significant change in the way of listening

**** indicates a tentative reflection on the conditions for appearance in consciousness