READING:
LISTENERS' EMOTIONAL ENGAGEMENT WITH PERFORMANCES OF A SCRIABIN ETUDE: AN
EXPLORATIVE CASE STUDY
RENEE TIMMERS, MATIJA MAROLT, ANTONIO CAMURRI, GUALTIERO VOLPE
PSYCHOLOGY OF MUSIC, 2006
ABSTRACT: In an explorative study, the variation in listeners’
judgments of the emotionality of three performances of a Scriabin étude
was investigated. Three performances of the Scriabin étude were recorded.
Video and/or audio recordings were presented to 24 listeners who segmented
the music in short phrases and indicated their emotional engagement with the
music using a slider. The relation between the performance data and the listeners’
responses was analysed as well as the effects of musical training, medium
and musical structure. The analyses were done using multiple regression analyses
and decision trees. The results confirmed the hypothesized influence of the
performer’s interpretation, the listener’s background and the
global phrase structure, though not always in the expected way. In particular
the dynamics of the performance correlated with listeners’ judgments
of emotionality, while tempo correlated more strongly with the indications
of phrase structure. This was more clearly the case for non- musicians than
for musicians. The movements of the pianist were related to the dynamics of
the performance and seemed to aid the communication of
emotional intensity.