Many factors influence the way classical music fans respond to a recording. The expressiveness of the composer. The virtuosity of the musicians. And, it seems, the sex of the conductor. Researchers Valerie Folkes of the University of Southern California Marshall School of Business and Shashi Matta of The Ohio State University provide evidence that gender stereotypes shape our reaction to orchestral performances. But they report these effects aren’t consistent, and for female conductors, they aren’t necessarily negative. “People have strong beliefs about how men and women differ, ... Read More
The Direct Line From Confucius to Lang Lang
October 12, 2011 • By • Leave a Comment
Classical music has taken off in China, which is producing more musical instruments, more music students, and, increasingly, more superstar players, such as Lang Lang, than any other nation. While Western musicians fearing for the art form’s future have welcomed this trend, the reasons behind it have remained unclear. Why have so many Chinese embraced an art form that is, after all, the product of a foreign culture? A prominent Chinese-American pianist and scholar has proposed an intriguing answer: Confucius. Hao Huang, an internationally renowned pianist and professor of music at ... Read More
Cultural Divide Persists as Musical Tastes Shift
September 21, 2011 • By • Leave a Comment
In cultural circles, the highbrow/lowbrow distinction has gone out of fashion in recent years, as attention has turned to omnivores. These concert- and gallery-goers enjoy a wide range of cultural offerings, and make up a large percentage of ticket-buyers. When the National Endowment for the Arts issued a report earlier this year suggesting the omnivore is in decline, many in the arts community found the news deeply unsettling. But newly published research from Britain, which focuses on taste in music, analyzes audiences from a different perspective — one that could be useful to both ... Read More
Visual Cues Impact Judgment of Piano Performances
August 29, 2011 • By • Leave a Comment
When young pianist Yuja Wang performed at the Hollywood Bowl in early August, the chatter was not about her virtuosity, but rather her short, tight dress. Washington Post music critic Anne Midgette addressed the controversy, writing: “Should we comment on how classical stars look? On the one hand, appearance has no bearing on how an artist sounds.” Stop right there. In fact, visual cues we pick up from watching musicians in action significantly influence our judgment of their playing, according to newly published research. German researchers Klaus-Ernst Behne and Clemens Wöllner ... Read More
Classical Music Linked to High Intelligence
February 2, 2011 • By • Leave a Comment
Is a preference for classical music a sign of superior intelligence? Newly published research suggests the answer is yes, but — cue an ominous minor chord — not for the reason you might think. Like Mozart or Mahler, researcher Satoshi Kanazawa of the London School of Economics and Political Science takes a few imaginative leaps to arrive at his conclusion. His latest paper, just published in the Journal of Behavioral Decision Making, may prove as controversial as his last one, which suggested highly intelligent people are more likely to be atheists and political liberals. Using ... Read More
Musical Beat Enhances Visual Comprehension
May 13, 2010 • By • 4 Comments
The origins of music are, necessarily, speculative. Charles Darwin guessed it grew out of courtship rituals, which would explain the continuing popularity of love songs. But a more recent school of thought suggests it emerged to enhance group cooperation and synchronization. As neuroscientist Steven Brown put it, “Music is a powerful device for promoting group identity, cognition, coordination and catharsis.” All of which would come in handy when a party of prehistoric humans headed out in search of food or when one tribe was threatened by another. Indirect support for this thesis is ... Read More
With Music, Ignorance May Be Bliss
March 25, 2010 • By • 1 Comment
Last month, we reported that providing contextual information may diminish viewers’ enjoyment of modern art. A commenter suggested that dynamic may apply to music as well, noting that a class he took on the music of Aaron Copland “lessened my appreciation of the composer’s work.” A study just published in the journal Psychology of Music suggests his experience was far from unique. It finds that reading a what-to-listen-for guide before hearing a piece of music seems to make the actual aesthetic experience less pleasurable. “Descriptions may interfere with the directness and ... Read More
