SINGING EMOTIONS: VOICES FROM HISTORY Editors JanE davidson and rEbEkah PrincE About this book ABOUT Emotions and history THIS BOOK Amarcord ArticlEs This book is the outcome of an industry partnership launched by the The pre-concert series transpired as follows: Australian Research Council’s Centre of Excellence for the History • 17 July, Perth Concert Hall The Power of Emotions (CHE) with Musica Viva through July and August 2012. A Jane Davidson and Philippa Maddern of Singing series of pre-concert talks accompanied the German vocal ensemble Singing of Executions: Ballads Amarcord’s touring programs based on the history of song, and the • 19 July, Adelaide Town Hall themes of love and murder. as News Media in Early Modern Europe Katie Barclay Chief Investigators, Postdoctoral Fellows and Associate Investigators of • 21 July, Sydney City Recital Hall Musical Patronage CHE contributed talks, each presentation interpreting a different aspect Alan Maddox and the Dresden Opera of the musical offerings. Lindsay Lovering of Musica Viva referred to the • 24 July, Canberra Llewellyn Hall fascinating array of talks as: ‘informative, entertaining and clearly well Music and Emotions in Merridee Bailey 18th Century Thought researched — all noted and appreciated by the many present.’ • 26 July, Melbourne Recital Centre and Rhetoric and the 1 August, Queensland Conservatorium Performance of Recitative Samantha Owens From Glee Club • 28 July, Newcastle Conservatorium to Concert Hall Rosalind Halton (CHE guest) Singing Fear: Sinophobia and • 30 July, Sydney City Recital Hall Barry Spurr Opera in 19th Century Australia • 31 July, Melbourne Recital Centre Love and Marriage in History: Stephanie Trigg Devotion, Lust, Despair and Betrayal This current volume offers up some of these The Aspirant Body: talks along with additional material from Love, Death and Song associates of CHE, exploring the relationship between singing, emotion and history. Contributor biograPhiEs ISBN 978-1-74052-258-8 About this book EMOTIONS Emotions and history AND HISTORY Amarcord ArticlEs Affective experiences throughout history have been shaped by the culture and The Power context of human engagement. While of Singing the names and meanings ascribed to Singing of Executions: Ballads emotions have changed over time, there are nonetheless common psychological, as News Media in Early Modern Europe physiological and behavioural features Musical Patronage of humanity that remain constant. In the and the Dresden Opera Australian Research Council’s Centre of Excellence for the History of Emotions Music and Emotions in (Europe 1100-1800) we investigate the 18th Century Thought passions in four research programs that ask: how do understandings, Rhetoric and the expression and performance of Performance of Recitative individual and mass emotions change From Glee Club over time; how do we best understand the roles of nature and culture in the to Concert Hall formation of emotions, both individual Singing Fear: Sinophobia and and communal; and how do emotional Opera in 19th Century Australia understandings, expression and performance affect political, social Love and Marriage in History: and cultural developments even up Devotion, Lust, Despair and Betrayal to present-day Australia? The Aspirant Body: Love, Death and Song Contributor biograPhiEs About this book Emotions and history AMARCORD Amarcord ArticlEs Indeed the group has a rich musical and ‘Music is also about cultural heritage in the city of Leipzig, The Power where they have founded their own emotions, and sometimes of Singing music festival. They remember their it’s hard to keep your Singing of Executions: Ballads shared history, growing up in the St Thomas Boys Choir singing the songs emotions back. So you as News Media in Early Modern Europe of Bach near the tomb where he was have to transport emotions Musical Patronage buried, under the looming threat of by singing, but sometimes and the Dresden Opera East Germany. During this oppressive time in their city’s history the Boys it’s so overwhelming what Music and Emotions in Choir provided them with a unique you do in a nice church 18th Century Thought opportunity for freedom of expression through music, and occasional travels for example - it’s almost Rhetoric and the around the world as representatives sacred music - and then you Performance of Recitative of the German Democratic Republic’s feel this special tension in endorsement of the arts. From Glee Club the air. There’s more than to Concert Hall The people of Leipzig also have a great respect for music and the arts. Unlike you yourself standing. It’s Singing Fear: Sinophobia and the neighbouring city of Dresden, whose something between the Opera in 19th Century Australia musical establishments were funded listeners and we as singers, Amarcord is an a cappela ensemble from by the royal courts, the music of Leipzig Love and Marriage in History: Leipzig made up of former members what we sing. It’s more than Devotion, Lust, Despair and Betrayal was supported by average citizens. of the St Thomas Boys Choir: Daniel The Boys Choir itself, which provided the summary of five.’ The Aspirant Body: Knauft, Wolfram Lattke, Martin Lattke, rigorous musical training, predates Frank Ozimek, and Holger Krause. The holgEr krausE, of amarcord Love, Death and Song even Bach, having been founded in first professional adult ensemble to 1212. Thus, the members of Amarcord come out of the choir after the Fall of Contributor biograPhiEs had a specialised upbringing in a city the Wall, the group takes its name from abounding in musical tradition. Federico Fellini’s Oscar winning film, whose name means, ‘I remember’. Amarcord now tours internationally, performing unaccompanied vocal music Holger Krause said, ‘It’s more than a ranging from early medieval through to double meaning. We remember our contemporary pieces. They have won childhood, we remember the tradition at numerous awards, and their 2012 tour the time of the music, the periods and in partnership with Musica Viva and the epochs we have on our repertoire.’ ARC Centre of Excellence for the History of Emotions was the group’s second time in Australia. About this book THE POWER Emotions and history OF SINGING Amarcord ArticlEs JanE davidson, PhiliPPa maddErn thE univErsity of WEstErn australia The Power of Singing Singing of Executions: Ballads as News Media in Early Modern Europe Musical Patronage and the Dresden Opera Music and Emotions in 18th Century Thought Rhetoric and the Performance of Recitative From Glee Club to Concert Hall Singing Fear: Sinophobia and Opera in 19th Century Australia Love and Marriage in History: Devotion, Lust, Despair and Betrayal The Aspirant Body: Love, Death and Song Contributor biograPhiEs About this book THE POWER Emotions and history OF SINGING Amarcord ArticlEs JanE davidson These multi-modal interactions are PhiliPPa maddErn crucial to normal human development, The Power thE univErsity of WEstErn australia and all actions occur simultaneously, of Singing organized by a common pulse. In this Singing of Executions: Ballads regard, therefore, the infant, through One of the most compelling theories proto-musical activity, is an active as News Media in Early Modern Europe attempting to account for the participant in the co-construction of Musical Patronage universality of human music-making a positive emotional relationship. The is based on the idea of mutuality and the Dresden Opera mother’s vocalisations and movements — the behavioural and emotional involve repetitions, exaggerations and Music and Emotions in coordination between two individuals elaborations that are quickly assimilated 18th Century Thought who need each other for their own by the infant and responded to with individual reasons (Dissanayake, 2009, like ‘musical’ expressions. It has an Rhetoric and the p. 23). Ellen Dissanayake believes that adaptive value for participants in the Performance of Recitative as hominid babies were extremely relationship, nurturing feelings of love helpless at birth, mechanisms From Glee Club and attachment in both mother and evolved to ensure nurturance. These infant. This idea has been extended by to Concert Hall mechanisms were firstly, and common the archaeologist, Steven Mithen (2005), Singing Fear: Sinophobia and to all mammals, lactation, that not who also suggests that mother–infant only provides nourishment for the Opera in 19th Century Australia interactions offered abilities that were infant, but also produces the release then used for communal singing and Love and Marriage in History: of hormones such as opioids and dancing as core behaviours in human Devotion, Lust, Despair and Betrayal oxytocin that guarantee the mother’s society. These arguments are supported devotion to the infant — producing by findings that even infants in the very The Aspirant Body: feelings of love and trust. The second early days of life show a highly focused Love, Death and Song mechanism is found in the coordination interest in music. Also, a sensitivity to of behaviour that is referred to by the several musical features that are found Contributor biograPhiEs neurobiologist Colywn Trevarthen as in music across cultures, such as pitch ‘communicative musicality’ (see Malloch and rhythm (Trehub, 2003). & Trevarthen, 2009). The interaction is founded upon a lilting bodily rocking and sung utterances commonly called ‘motherese’, and includes other accompanying special bodily movements and facial expressions. thE PoWEr of singing | Jane Davidson, Philippa Maddern