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The instrumental body in the age of Mozart: science, aesthetics and performances of the self

The instrumental body in the age of Mozart: science, aesthetics and performances of the self AbstractDuring the European Enlightenment, scientific enquiries into the function of the nervous system led to new understandings of the self. These enquiries held implications far beyond the scientific community, extending to various cultural practices of the period, including music, and with surprising frequency instrumental performance was located at the heart of the matter. As producers of sonic vibrations, performers occupied a zone of heightened sensory experience that called into question the relationship between the physical body and the processes of consciousness. At the same time, the elevated status of the sensorium challenged traditional conceptions of the soul and deeply held beliefs about human life, existential concerns that touched on the nature of perception, pleasure, morality, health and emotion. By considering a range of historical material, this article aims to explore the intersections between instrumental performance practices and Enlightenment conceptions of embodiment, debated across Europe in the overlapping spheres of science and aesthetics. Although such perspectives are often lost in chronicles of Western music history, they provide a valuable cultural framework for interpreting the music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and his contemporaries. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Early Music Oxford University Press

The instrumental body in the age of Mozart: science, aesthetics and performances of the self

Breene, Samuel
Early Music , Volume 42 (2) – May 1, 2014
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Publisher
Oxford University Press
Copyright
© The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.
Subject
Article
ISSN
0306-1078
eISSN
1741-7260
DOI
10.1093/em/cau044
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

AbstractDuring the European Enlightenment, scientific enquiries into the function of the nervous system led to new understandings of the self. These enquiries held implications far beyond the scientific community, extending to various cultural practices of the period, including music, and with surprising frequency instrumental performance was located at the heart of the matter. As producers of sonic vibrations, performers occupied a zone of heightened sensory experience that called into question the relationship between the physical body and the processes of consciousness. At the same time, the elevated status of the sensorium challenged traditional conceptions of the soul and deeply held beliefs about human life, existential concerns that touched on the nature of perception, pleasure, morality, health and emotion. By considering a range of historical material, this article aims to explore the intersections between instrumental performance practices and Enlightenment conceptions of embodiment, debated across Europe in the overlapping spheres of science and aesthetics. Although such perspectives are often lost in chronicles of Western music history, they provide a valuable cultural framework for interpreting the music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and his contemporaries.

Journal

Early Music – Oxford University Press

Published: May 1, 2014

Keywords: Keywords: Mozart instrumental music embodiment nerves vibration touch

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