EPQ Ideas: Music and Language
Define music and language
Similarities across the two entities in terms of their aims:to communicate
Scientific differences/ similarities
Different parts of the Brain
The universality of language and music.
Music is a language-only in a metaphorical sense.
´Music is the universal language of mankind.´- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Music: Communicates via notes/tunes/melodies.
Language: Communicates via syntax, phonology, morphology, semantic- linguistic concepts
A new Johns Hopskin studies improvisation and the idea of jazz being a kind of conversation
How Brain sees Music as a Language:
http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2014/02/how-brains-see-music-as-language/283936/
Idea that music holds a universal message which can be understood by all cultures across the globe
Could reference how each culture seems to base their music on a different set of scale or pitches.
In the same way, there are different languages across the globe which help to develop an understanding of each society.
Characteristics of both entities:
Music
Tonality, Harmony, Texture, Form
Rhythm
Dynamics
In Language: How loud or quiet we speak
Language: The intonation, the stress
Melody
In language: the pitches, how high or low our speech sounds
Emotions is an aspect of Music
Not the only aspect.
One could argue that other aspects include creativity and imagination or memory.
The way in which both Music and Language are learnt.
Film music
Useful source entitled: The evolution of Music on Film and its Psychological impact on Audiences.
Stuart Fischoff says that " Music plays upon our emotions."
Are emotions a central aspect to the entity of Music?
References a very interesting movement in the 50s which intended to exclude music scores from the films.
Seems to suggest that the reason as to why this movement did not last long is because the film was 'dead'.
Acknowledges how it ' can be a subtle tool to manipulate the audience'.
Perhaps suggests the wider uses of music in our society?
References the cognitive and affective significance which music may acquire.
Split between cognivist and emotivist theories.
Music as a Language
For who?
Berstein
Leonard B. Meyer
Music is not a language
For who?
Brain research scientists
Evolutionary theorists
Both require a set of rules and grammar
Capacity to memorise
Experiments carried out
EVIDENCE