The History of Emotions in music

Eóin RockFiachradh McDermott

Bronwyn Henebury03-04-2014

Topics

• The Greeks – the seven modes

• The Renaissance –Monteverdi’s madrigals and operas

• 18th century – Wagner’s ‘Parsifal’

The Greeks

• Musical modes and emotions

Aristotle

• But it is clear that we are affected in a certain manner, both by many other kinds of music and not least by the melodies of Olympus, for these admittedly make our souls enthusiastic, and enthusiasm is an affection of the character of the soul. - Aristotle, Politics, Book 8, 1340a. (350 B.C.E)

The seven modes

• Ionian (Major scale)      C D E F G A B C       TTSTTTS

• Dorian                              D E F G A B C D       TSTTTST

• Phrygian                           E F G A B C D E        STTTSTT

• Lydian                               F G A B C D E F        TTTSTTS

• Mixolydian                        G A B C D E F G       TTSTTST

• Aeolian (Minor scale)     A B C D E F G A       TSTTSTT

• Locrian                              B C D E F G A B       STTSTTT

• T=Tone S=Semi-tone

The Ancient Greeks and Emotions

• Aristotle's Rhetoric Book 2

• Anger

• Mildness

• Enmity

• Fear

• Confidence

• Shame

• Shamelessness

• Benevolence

• Pity

• Indignation

• Envy

• Emulation

• Contempt

Ionian mode

• Ionian (Major scale) C D E F G A B C    TTSTTTS

• Along with the Lydian mode it was considered a 'soft/relaxing' melody for drinking.  

• 'And which are the soft or drinking harmonies? The Ionian, he replied, and the Lydian; they are termed 'relaxed.'' - Plato's Republic Book 3

• Examples: Frosty the snowman

Dorian Mode

• Dorian            D E F G A B C D       TSTTTST

• Manly, Brave, warlike. Plato recognised it as being useful.

• 'I want to have one warlike, to sound the note or accent which a brave man utters in the hour of danger and stern resolve' -Plato's Republic Book 3

• Examples: Drunken Sailor, 'Smoke on the water' Deep Purple

Phrygian Mode

• Phrygian             E F G A B C D E        STTTSTT

• Makes one's character peaceful.

• 'and another to be used by him in times of peace and freedom of action, when there is no pressure of necessity' - Plato's Republic Book 3

• Examples: 'Adagio for Strings' by Samuel Barber

Lydian Mode

• Lydian                                 F G A B C D E F        TTTSTTS

• Like the Ionian mode considered to create a 'soft' 'drinking' melody. Plato saw these modes as useless and indeed harmful to the character of men and women in a civilised society. 

• 'These then, I said, must be banished; even to women who have a character to maintain they are of no use, and much less to men.' - Plato's Republic Book 3

• Examples: 'The Simpsons' theme by Danny Elfman

Mixolydian Mode

• Mixolydian     G A B C D E F G       TTSTTST

• Had a sad and mournful effect on one's character.

• 'but listen to some in a more mournful and restrained state, for instance the mode called Mixolydian' - Aristotle's Politics Book 8

• Examples: Sweet Home Alabama by Lynard Skynard

Why did Aristotle and Plato exclude the Aeolian and

Locrian mode?• Possibly they were out of fashion at that stage

as theorised by David Binning Monro in 'The Modes of Ancient Greek music' (London, 1894).

• Maybe they were just not considered to have a considerable or definable moral influence on one's character like the other modes. 

• The Greek philosophers were hardly musicians themselves so possibly were just unfamiliar with them. 

Mixolydian Mode analysed

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Cyokaj3BJU

• Mixolydian                        G A B C D E F G       TTSTTST

• Is a very major sounding scale. The intervals of the major scale are very similar. 

• TTSTTTS

• The only difference being the intervals between the last two notes.

• This would contradict Aristotle's assessment of the mixolydian being a sad and 'mournful' piece. If anything we would associate this assessment to a more minor sounding mode like the dorian, phyrigian or aeolian mode.

• However Plutarch a much later Greek philosopher agreed wholeheartedly with Plato's and Aristotle's assessments of the modes suggesting that certainly some notable people agreed.

• Evidence for social-constructionism or proof that the modes the Greeks used were indeed interpreted wrongly by the medieval theorists?

Claudio Monteverdi1567 – 1643

Italian composer, gambist, singer and RC priest.Renaissance music

Madrigal

• A secular, polyphonic vocal music composition

• 1605, the 5th book of Madrigals: Cruda Amarilli

• Shift from prima pratica to seconda pratica

From the preface to

Monteverdi’s ‘Scherzi Musicali,’

1607

Cruda AmarilliCruda Amarilli 

Cruda Amarilli che col nome ancoraD'amar, ahi lasso, amaramente insegni.Amarilli del candido ligustro,Più candida e più bella,Ma dell'aspido sordoE più sorda e più fera e più fugace.Poi che col dir t'offendoI mi morò tacendo. 

Cruda Amarilli 

Cruel Amaryllis, who with your nameto love, alas, bitterly you teach.Amaryllis, more than the white privetpure, and more beautiful,but deafer than the asp,and fiercer and more elusive.Since telling I offended you,I shall die in silence. 

Opera

• musical drama

• 1607 ‘L’Orfeo’

• Greek legend of Orpheus

• Orpheus descends to Hades to bring his dead bride Eurydice back to the living world, but does not succeed...

• Tu se morta – you are dead...

Word painting in Tu se’ mortaDeath = slow and somber notes

to the deepest abysses = descending melodyto see the stars again = ascending melody

Tu se' morta, se morta, mia vita

ed io respiro, tu se' da me partita,

se' da me partita per mai piu,

mai piu' non tornare, ed io rimango-

no, no, che se i versi alcuna cosa ponno,

n'andra sicuro a' piu profondi abissi,

e, intenerito il cor del re de l'ombre,

meco trarotti a riverder le stelle,

o se cia negherammi empio destino,

rimarro teco in compagnia di morte.

Addio terra, addio cielo, e sole, addio

You are dead, you are dead, my dearest,And I breathe, you have left me,You have left me forevermore,Never to return, and I remain-No, no, if my verses have any power,I will go confidently to the deepest abysses,And, having melted the heart of the king of shadows,Will bring you back to me to see the stars again,Or, if pitiless fate denies me this,I will remain with you in the company of death.Farewell earth, farewell sky, and sun, farewell.

Wagner

• Born 1813, died 1883.

• German composer, theatre director, and conductor.

• Known for his operas.

• Called operas "music dramas".

Works included:

• Der Ring des Nibelung

• Tristan

• Parsifal

Parsifal

• Parsifal himself

• Amfortas

• Kundry

• Klingsor

Themes

• Blood

• Sexuality

• The Grail

• Religion

Kundry's entry

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8668wDE9N3g

• 36:40

Questions?

• Thanks for your attention!