New music theatre and theories of embodied cognition

Heile, B. (2019) New music theatre and theories of embodied cognition. In: Adlington, R. (ed.) New Music Theatre in Europe: Transformations Between 1955-1975. Series: Musical cultures of the twentieth century. Routledge: Abingdon, Oxon ; New York, NY, pp. 273-293. ISBN 9781138323018 (doi: 10.4324/9780429451669-13)

[img]
Preview
Text
186830.pdf - Accepted Version

939kB

Publisher's URL: https://www.routledge.com/9781138323018/

Abstract

This chapter explains new music theatre through the lens of theories of ‘embodied cognition’, according to which musical perception is governed by the ‘mimetic hypothesis’, namely that listening involves an actual or imaginary attempt to imitate the sound-producing actions. It discusses their relevance for an understanding of modernist and experimental opera and music theatre, closing with an analysis of two case studies, Mauricio Kagel’s String Quartet II and Luciano Berio’s Sequenza V. One of the distinguishing features of theories of embodied cognition is their basis in experimental findings in the neurosciences. An analytical method for the study of opera and other multimodal art forms involving music based on theories of embodied cognition would have to develop ways of describing and theorising levels and forms of congruence. An analysis of musical gesture in accordance with theories of embodied cognition is most usefully executed in experimental music theatre, more than in operatic forms.

Item Type:Book Sections
Status:Published
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Heile, Professor Bjorn
Authors: Heile, B.
Subjects:M Music and Books on Music > ML Literature of music
M Music and Books on Music > MT Musical instruction and study
College/School:College of Arts & Humanities > School of Culture and Creative Arts > Music
Publisher:Routledge
ISBN:9781138323018
Copyright Holders:Copyright © 2019 The Contributor
First Published:First published in New Music Theatre in Europe: Transformations Between 1955-1975: 273-293
Publisher Policy:Reproduced in accordance with the publisher copyright policy

University Staff: Request a correction | Enlighten Editors: Update this record