Rethinking Affect

This chapter rethinks affect, one of the key constituents of musical aesthetics in Bach’s time. Interrogating the musicological concept of Affektenlehre, it addresses musical affect as a new perspective on what musicology has tended to isolate historically under the umbrella of German Baroque rhetoric. The first paragraphs sketch a historiography of hermeneutic views of the Affektenlehre and address the criticisms that this approach has encountered. Based on a rereading of historical sources, the chapter investigates the ways in which twentieth-century musicologists developed views on affect in German Baroque music, the relation of these views to the historical situation, and their role in Bach studies. Taking into account early modern affect theories as well as the modern philosophies of affect based upon them, the final paragraphs aim to achieve an understanding of affect that is more in line with contemporary musical practice and theory.

The Attunement Affektenlehre

This chapter focuses on the theoretical texts of the attunement Affektenlehre. In the wake of debates surrounding both comic opera and instrumental music, theorists felt the need to offer a new explanatory mechanism for musical affect. They turned, in this endeavor, to the empirical phenomenon of sympathetic resonance, postulating a mechanical operation whereby the vibration of musical sound could stimulate the nerves of the human body; the interior of the listener was then said to be attuned to the affect through this non-representational, corporeal mode of transmission. Scrutinizing the details of these attunement theories, the chapter concludes with Hegel’s critique of sense-certainty.

Hearing the λόγος

I examine here an arresting and poorly understood pair of fragments (Phld. Mus. 4.34.2-8, 115.26-35) in which the Stoic Diogenes of Babylon refers to ‘scientific sense perception’ (ἐπιστηµονικὴ αἴσθησις). Previous studies of this phrase have focussed on its attribution by Sextus Empiricus to Plato’s nephew, Speusippus. But Sextus is likely mistaken in crediting the phrase to the Academy. I argue that ‘scientific sense perception’ is best interpreted as Diogenes’ contribution to Stoic epistemology in an effort to defend the ἦθος theory of musical affect against attacks from its detractors. By identifying a hitherto unnoticed reference to Aristoxenus of Tarentum, I show that Diogenes used ἐπιστηµονικὴ αἴσθησις to give ἦθος theory new intellectual viability in the Hellenistic schools. Using the concept of ‘scientific sense perception’, the Stoic could have supported the claim that those trained in harmonic science may directly perceive ethical and emotional content even in wordless music.

Musical affect regulation in adolescents: A conceptual model

Adolescents actively use music for affect regulation. In this chapter, affect is considered as a broad umbrella term containing moods, emotions, motivational impulses, and energy levels. Theoretical and empirical research has recently been unveiling the components involved in affect self-regulation, such as the psychological functions of music listening, affective goals, regulation strategies, and musical mechanisms. The study of these components and of their interactions has resulted in a better understanding of the dynamics between music engagement, wellbeing, and psychological development among adolescents. The purpose of this chapter is to present a conceptual model of musical affect self-regulation. The core components of the model are regulatory strategies and musical mechanisms, which interact across the dimensions of cognition, feelings, and bodily reactions.

Musical affect regulation in adolescents: A conceptual model

Adolescents actively use music for affect regulation. In this chapter, affect is considered as a broad umbrella term containing moods, emotions, motivational impulses, and energy levels. Theoretical and empirical research has recently been unveiling the components involved in affect self-regulation, such as the psychological functions of music listening, affective goals, regulation strategies, and musical mechanisms. The study of these components and of their interactions has resulted in a better understanding of the dynamics between music engagement, wellbeing, and psychological development amongst adolescents. The purpose of this chapter is to present a conceptual model of musical affect self-regulation. The core components of the model are regulatory strategies and musical mechanisms, which interact across the dimensions of cognition, feelings, and bodily reactions.