The Musical Score of Emotions

Music arouses emotions. But exactly what people feel when listening to a piece of music and how they express these feelings is influenced mainly by the times they live in and their culture. A research group led by Sven Oliver Müller at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development in Berlin has carried out research on the changing emotions in Europe’s musical life, focusing in particular on the impact of music’s communal spirit.

TEXT PETRA MIES Photo: Corbis

32 MaxPlanckResearch 4 | 15 FOCUS_Music

ncle Martin, who is in his Will Martin and Niklas experience sim- Reverent silence or loud enthusiasm: late 40s, wants to give his ilar feelings in the crowd when they at- The behavior of an audience is influenced nephew Niklas, who recent- tend the concert in Berlin’s Tempodrom by the culture, time and environment. ly turned 16, a treat. “It will arena in November? Will the nephew telling stories from her long life. Anna, be fantastic,” announces respond in a similar way to his uncle who is thinking about the fact that she U the older man. “I managed to get hold who, like so many others in the audi- once again hasn’t practiced the piano, of tickets for the Simple Minds con- ence, will remember the 1980s and the is looking forward to spending the eve- cert, they are amazing. We can go to- rebellious mood of his youth? ning with her beloved great-grandma. gether.” His nephew looks puzzled. But she’s not sure if Beethoven, played “Simple Minds? Do they actually still EMOTIONS AND THE in the stiff atmosphere of the Berliner perform?” The boy knows little or CHANGING TIMES Philarmonie, will move her in a simi- nothing about the Scottish band that lar way to the wild concert by German has been one of his uncle’s musical Anna, 14 years old, and her great grand- rapper Cro she recently attended with icons since his teenage years. His un- mother, who will soon be 90, have very her friends. cle rummages around, shows him re- different concert plans. “The Berlin A rock party mood in one instance cords, CDs and photo albums, plays Philharmonic!” cries the old lady again and sublime-tasteful classical music in him songs, revels in the music and and again. “Beethoven’s Fourth and the other – when it comes to the expe- tells him stories about things that hap- Seventh! I heard them when Wilhelm rience of music, contrasting emotions pened back then. “Here, look, here I Furtwängler was still principal conduc- compete. am with my friends Michi and Klaus, tor, and Karajan too! Those were such What do people feel when they hear it was crazy.” great times,” says Henriette, and starts the same thing in public with others? > Photo: Aleksandar Kamasi/Shutterstock.com

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» The function assumed by brass band music, workers’ anthems and pop tunes at such major events shouldn’t be underestimated. They don’t serve the purpose of individual listening pleasure, but the “we feeling.”

Does everything sound equally joyful to relationship between music and emo- cal party conferences, whose media per- everyone because the composer com- tions is constituted not only by man ception is dominated more by strong posed a certain passage of the piece in a and sound, but also by the body and television images than musical associa- particular way, or simply sad in other knowledge, taste and communities.” tions. Nevertheless, the function as- places? And what influences people’s re- Music is the language of feelings. A sumed by brass band music, workers’ an- sponse in the process? Do their environ- platitude, perhaps. But according to thems and pop tunes at such large-scale ment, era and education play a role? Müller, the fact that these emotions are events shouldn’t be underestimated. How, when and why do groups form in also shaped by learned musical and non- They don’t serve the purpose of individ- society through musical practices? How musical experiences and taste patterns ual listening pleasure, but the generation important are shared interests, friend- and, above all, by shared listening, cre- of a “we feeling.” Music can hold a group ships and enmities? And to what extent ates “complex textures.” These include together and direct it in a subtle way. did emotions in Europe change over the dancing concert goers as well as the per- course of the 19th and 20th centuries, formances led by virtuoso conductors. EXPOSURE TO HARD ROCK AS and where do the continuities lie? In order to investigate these phe- A TORTURE METHOD These are the questions explored by nomena, the research group studied a the scientists working on the Felt Com- huge number of sources. It scrutinized But it can also exert strong control. As munities? Emotions in European Music Per- audio and visual documents, music cri- far back as the world wars, occupying formances research project. The project tiques, fan publications, diaries, letters, powers used music as part of their occu- started five years ago and at its high- memorabilia, and merchandising prod- pation strategy, and music also served as point involved almost 20 doctoral stu- ucts. Music is ultimately only all of a propaganda tool and source of resis- dents, postdoc fellows, academic staff these things combined. tance. Depending on the circumstances, members and assistants. The project is Whether concert audiences scream music was intended to humiliate, en- due to conclude with a workshop on the or are so silent that every little cough courage and even torture those who history of emotions and music, as well represents an unpleasant interruption, heard it. Wars that involve the use of as further future research perspectives. or whether music triggers a profound music and the associated emotions con- happiness in them or makes them ag- tinue to the present day. For example, in DANCING AUDIENCES, gressive is not, in any way, grounded in 2004 the US military made use of not VIRTUOSO CONDUCTORS their individuality. As the 46-year-old only bombers but also aggressive music historian explains, it is only through in the Iraqi city of Falluja, which became Historian and Research Group Leader the interplay of zeitgeist, education and established as a rebel stronghold under Sven Oliver Müller sees the question as emotions that the codes of musical the American occupation. Giant speak- to whether and how music, education practices arise and enable us to under- ers bombarded the rebels with the mu- and emotions are linked as “a fascinating stand how people perceive them. Com- sic of hard rock bands Metallica and AC/ topic in which all the answers inspire munication in musical life fulfils four DC. And, according to Müller, this is not more curiosity about other questions.” ideal-type functions: “It serves the pur- the only example of “music being used According to Müller, this topic can- poses of information, opinion forma- on a martial basis to exercise force and not be considered in isolation from the tion, socialization and entertainment.” power over the human mind and body.” relevant social and cultural back- The extent to which it can create and In her seminars, Marie Louise Herz- ground, historical situation, societal threaten communities is often underes- feld-Schild repeatedly draws attention to discourses, and social practices. “The timated. One need only think of politi- the fact that the emotional impact of

34 MaxPlanckResearch 4 | 15 Fostering community: Musical interludes have a permanent place at political party conferences. Newly elected party chairman Matthias Platzeck (middle) joined in the performance of the miners’ choir at the SPD party conference in 2005.

music is particularly strong when it is er reports how, during the project, his- Sibelius make people sadder than eight experienced in a group. “I show the stu- torians, sociologists, musicologists and bars of Mozart’.” However, despite the dents that even soft historical factors in even anthropologists jointly investigat- broad nature of the topic, they succeed- this cultural context enable well-found- ed the auditory experience in Europe ed in providing a clearer picture of the ed statements to be made about society,” over the last two centuries. sociological power of musical sounds. explains the philosopher, who holds a “In our team, with its accumulated doctorate in musicology. If you only ex- THE SOCIOLOGICAL POWER OF specialist knowledge, ‘change’ was al- amine how the body reacts to certain MUSICAL SOUNDS ways the connecting and key concept musical phrases, if you only measure for our work,” adds Müller. “The forms brain flows without considering the def- Neurologists and psychologists also of musical emotions that were experi- inition of music and its reception and came to a summer school held in Ber- enced at a Roman opera or religious ser- social-aesthetic context, it is practically lin two years ago to participate in an vice in 1810 are not identical to those impossible to understand the emotion- unusual forum involving disciplines experienced at a punk concert in Liver- al state of an era or group. “The concept that usually tend to work on a separate pool in 1997.” of music involved here is very broad,” basis. Müller fondly remembers how To put it succinctly, collective emo- stresses the 33-year-old researcher. productive it was to discuss different tions during the experience of music This macro-understanding constant- methodological approaches and com- also have their fashions, and the way ly prompted the Max Planck research bine them whenever possible. “Need- they should be assessed within their team to work on an interdisciplinary ba- less to say, we didn’t succeed in reduc- specific context also changes. By way of sis and to draw on different disciplines. ing everything to a generally applicable example of these emotional concepts

Photo: dpa Picture-Alliance Research technology assistant Iris Törm- formula along the lines of ‘four bars of and the changes they undergo, Marie

4 | 15 MaxPlanckResearch 35 Breathtaking: In the 1840s Franz Liszt captivated audiences with his virtuoso piano playing. Women often fainted at his performances.

Louise Herzfeld-Schild refers to nation- The history of opera doesn’t have any ment. The external influence flows in- al pride: “This was acted out intensive- standard code of behavior to offer, ei- wards and is then expressed publicly.” ly in Germany in the 19th century but ther. In Mozart’s day, 250 years ago, eat- But it isn’t always easy to find proof is considered problematic today,” she ing, drinking and loudly conversing of this. Even if, according to Müller, “al- says. “In contrast, this emotion is during performances caused no of- most every source is ultimately rele- viewed completely differently in France fence. Today, such behavior would be vant, the search for sources in letters, and America, even today.” considered a serious faux pas. It is sim- newspaper articles, images, song books The researchers emphasize that ply not done. and treatises is more of a challenge in many pointers to emotions that are periods before the availability of re- typical of a given era can be found in DIFFICULTY IN SEARCHING cording media and the proliferation of the history of music. When celebrated FOR SOURCES such media right up to the Internet. musician Franz Liszt performed in the Moreover, the sources must be evaluat- 1840s, women fainted by the dozen “We assume that emotions are learned ed correctly. and euphoric audience members tus- practices,” explains Marie Louise Herz- Marie Louise Herzfeld-Schild draws sled for the handkerchiefs he had used feld-Schild. She researched hymns of the attention to the fact that letters were to dab his brow. Such extrovert behav- 18th and 19th centuries. “What was not always as personal as they are to- ior would be unthinkable in today’s sung and not sung before and after the day. “The authors of travel letters in the concert halls, where the dictum of pro- Enlightenment tells us a lot about spiri- 18th century assumed that these would found contemplation prevails. Quiet tual states of mind.” Feelings are in no be read aloud in a wider context at a lat- please: devout attention and silence are way exclusively internal states that un- er point in time. For this reason, such

the order of the day. fold independently of people’s environ- letters were more likely to reflect soci- Photo: Wikipedia/public domain

36 MaxPlanckResearch 4 | 15 FOCUS_Music

» Feelings are in no way exclusively internal states that unfold independently of people’s environment. The external influence flows inwards and is then expressed publicly.

etal norms.” Should feelings be men- of a single composer in the historical Moreover, as Marie Louise Herzfeld- tioned at all, they must be noted. and sociological context. “The spectrum Schild explains, we already make use Moreover, the meaning of words of emotional practices is vast.” There is of the history of emotional reception themselves also changed. For example, no causality between a certain piece of that every piece of music carries in around 1900, honor was perceived as an music and its emotional impact. many situations. This happens both elite and noble emotion; after the 1950s, Müller also draws attention to the consciously and unconsciously. “The it tended to be associated with more fact that emotions can be “strategically best examples of this are national an- negative connotations. “Semantics, vo- deployed and infectious. I do not be- thems.” Everyone knows them and cabulary and emotional knowledge are lieve in a clear divide between reason they unite complete strangers in soc- themselves subject to constant change,” and emotion. This classic opposition is cer stadiums. observes the scientist. “There are times irrelevant.” What is involved instead is in which crying is fashionable, and a spiral, whose mechanism can delight ADVERTISING JINGLES SUGGEST phases when it is just the opposite.” or soothe a group, or affect it in a dif- STRENGTH AND HAPPINESS Müller refers to how emotional life ferent way. is also socially conditioned and influ- The approaches used in emotion re- Sounds and the group emotional code enced by zeitgeist. “In the period around search are particularly helpful in the that accompanies them are also natu- 1930, people didn’t care to see crying current era of globalization. Müller re- rally of interest to advertising. “It aims men, and this had a huge impact on be- fers to the emotional significance of to profit from the learned emotional havior at the time.” If the group pressure music and instruments for ethnic and connections generated by certain piec- is as great as the fear of being ridiculous, religious minorities, for example. His es of music,” says Müller. And it is able feelings adapt to the collective. “Ratio- colleague Herzfeld-Schild adds: “The to do this only because the target groups nal decisions can be highly emotional.” more accurate identification of how have learned and experienced feeling as particular emotions are shaped in par- desired. Even if it all happens on an un- A HISTORY OF HATE AND ticular cultures could be useful for in- conscious level, potential customers are DEVOTION ternational cooperation.” intended to perceive the advertised According to Müller, insights that product as something that makes them The historian refers to the varied recep- serve future needs can be gained not only strong and free, and in the best case, tion of opera and concert performances from the analysis of contemporary sensi- even completely happy. in the 19th century. “The changes in tivities, but also those of past eras: The The researchers established how taste and listening behavior provide a analysis of how and why – apart from the radically emotional musical practices good indicator of how aristocratic and obvious reasons – the demonstrating can change and that, despite their idio- bourgeois codes of perception changed,” rock fans and youth groups of the 1960s syncrasies, people are always products he says. “The reception of Wagner in differ from Wagner fans in Bayreuth of their time, education and origins. Germany alone from that time to the could provide fundamental insights into What the Romantic audience saw as a present day contains so much material the political situation in the Federal Re- true expression of the soul may have that it enables us to understand the public of Germany and current cultural been perceived in a completely differ- change in musical communication as a movements. The historical analysis of ent way by subsequent generations. history of hate and devotion.” More- musical emotional worlds and music as Something that may seem deeply mov- over, it proves the possibilities for inter- a factor in political rule is, therefore, rel- ing and arousing today can appear al- pretation and action offered by the work evant to our future coexistence. together more cheerful tomorrow. >

4 | 15 MaxPlanckResearch 37 ge

ner’s Fourth Symphony by Karl Böhm, se Leonard Bernstein and Herbert von Karajan. The listeners were supposed ear to try to match the recordings with the individual conductor, or at least indi- cate the differences they were able to identify between them. “The self-iden- tified connoisseurs from the educated classes, in particular, followed the cult of the conductor in vogue at the time and explained the different interpretations in great detail with the help of Multimedia: Sven Oliver Müller and Marie Louise Herzfeld-Schild avail of a very their acquired taste in music,” explains wide variety of sources in their research – from sound recordings and posters to the Research Group Leader. The repre- merchandising products. sentatives of the white collar and working classes, who accounted for al- ig most 20 percent of the group and had uc Existing or fervently desired belonging funk (WDR) broadcasting company in no acquired expert knowledge, were to a particular community is also im- 1977, which remains interesting and unable to identify any differences be- heme Wasse portant here, although the image of the relevant today. In the experiment, 563 tween the three versions. Müller laughs. Pﬂanz latter can change as radically as the re- test subjects were asked to compare the “They were right: the WDR had played Auße Wiss ception patterns of certain pieces of last movement climax of three differ- the same recording to all of the test lis- Mit music. Marie Louise Herzfeld-Schild re- ent interpretations of Anton Bruck- teners three times.” fers to Theodor W. Adorno’s typology

of listeners of 1962, which is not entire- ly unproblematic from today’s perspec- tive. Adorno differentiated between, TO THE POINT among others, the expert listener, the good listener, the culture consumer, the ● How people experience music depends strongly on the historical context, resentment listener, the entertainment habits and fashions, as well as on their social origins and education. listener and “the rest.” Of course, he ● When people listen to music together, the group influences the individual listening experience. was defining ideal types here, and hy- brid forms are the norm in reality. ● Music can be used to intensify the “we feeling” and direct a group, but it can also be used to exclude and even torture. Müller reports on an experiment

carried out by the Westdeutsche Rund- Photo: Norbert Michalke

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