Why We Love Music

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Why We Love Music

BY CARL E. SEASHORE

Professor of Psychology and Dean Emeritus of the Graduate College The State University of Iowa

OLIVER DITSON COMPANY THEODORE PRESSER CO., DISTRIBUTORS BRYN MAWR, PENNSYLVANIA

Copyright MCMXLI by Oliver Ditson Company International Copyright Secured

Printed in the United States of America

PREFACE

The magazine, Time, commenting on my new book, The Psychology of Music[A], spoke approvingly of the scientific contributions to music, but gibed that, "psychologists have not explained why we love music." As a reply to that I wrote a note, Why Do We Love Music?[B] This seemed to call for a wider excursion implementing the views there taken, as in the present Chapter I. That, in turn, led to the writing of the remainder of this volume, in which each chapter deals with some of the salient factors involved in the development of feeling for music.

These ventures digress from my habitual style of writing, as a technical psychologist, in that I frequently indulge in generalizations and predictions in a practical and popular vein. The attempt to interpret and evaluate present tendencies in the region of forward movements in music naturally takes me into unexplored territory and will stimulate questioning on the part of promoters of various interest in the field. I hold no brief for infallibility of the positions taken, except to say that they are my convictions at the present moment. While they are not direct reports of scientific experiments in the laboratory or the studio, they may be regarded as an extension or interpretation based upon scientific experiments and observations. It is hoped that they may serve as hypotheses or at least a challenge for investigation and practical trial. The reader must judge what is new and what is true from his point of view. Many of the things I advocate are in an experimental stage and in advance of current prevailing practice. This is the reason for presenting them. My aim has been to tease out those elements in the musical situation which help to make music function in our lives and be appreciated.

The following chapters have appeared in magazines: Ch. I, The Etude (brief summary); Ch. II, The Parents' Magazine; Ch. III, National Parent Teacher, under the title, "On Their Musical Way"; Ch. IV, The School Review; Ch. VI, The Scientific Monthly. For permission to bring these chapters into this volume I herewith express my appreciation to the publishers.

CARL E. SEASHORE, Iowa City, Iowa, March 1, 1940.

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Footnote A:

McGraw-Hill, 1938

Footnote B:

Music Educators Journal, Sept. 1938

CONTENTS

Chapter Page

I Why Do We Love Music? 1

The Musical Medium 2

Organic response, 2; Sounds in themselves, 3; Music proper, 3; Music with words and action, 3; Symbolism, 4.

The Musical Motives 4

Musical knowledge, 5; Musical feeling, 5; Musical action, 6; Music as play, 7; Musical imagination, 8; Who loves music?, 8.

Thought Review 10

II Music Before the Age of Six 12

From smile to music, 12; Music in play, 14; Environment, 15; Music and speech, 16; Musical talent, 17; Musical education, 18.

Thought Review 19

III Music Between the Ages of Six and Ten 21