Music Listening, Music Therapy, Phenomenology and Neuroscience

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

Appendix 2.02 Experimental listening Bartok