Senior Theses
Publication Date
12-2014
Document Type
Thesis (Open Access)
Degree Name
Bachelor of Arts in Music
Department
Music
Faculty Advisor(s)
Faun Tiedge
Subject Categories
Music
Abstract
The connections between our emotions, music, and the natural world have only been examined in dualities, rather than as an interwoven triangle of elements that are innate and stem from our evolutionary history as a species. Our emotions are profoundly tied to musical sounds, while we also have a deeply rooted emotional connection with nature. The music of the natural world provided the foundation for crucial aspects of our human evolution, making our connections with both music and nature innate. Composers, musicians, poets, and storytellers have recognized this for centuries, exploiting these inherent connections in order to convey emotion and meaning through their creative work. Composers throughout many generations, and from regions across the world, have sought to inspire emotions in the listener through the portrayal of nature in music.
In order to fully appreciate and understand how artists have been able to pull our emotions so heavily, it is crucial to examine how far back our history reaches as a musical species, immersed in the natural environment.
Recommended Citation
Stewart, Katricia D. F., "The Essentialism of Music in Human Life and Its Roots in Nature" (2014). Senior Theses. 6.
https://digitalcommons.linfield.edu/muscstud_theses/6
