Bodily movement and facial actions in expressive musical performance by solo and duo instrumentalists: Two distinctive case studies

Abstract

The research literature concerning gesture in musical performance increasingly reports that musically communicative and meaningful performances contain highly expressive bodily movements. These movements are involved in the generation of the musically expressive performance, but enquiry into the development of expressive bodily movement has been limited. In two studies this paper explores the expressive components of bodily movement in both solo and ensemble musical performance. The first study examined flute and clarinet performers in both solo and duo settings. Whilst each player had a specific way of expressing musical goals through their bodily movement, there were features common to the woodwind instruments investigated. Detailed analyses revealed that, although many movements were possible, performers used only six basic expressive gesture types. The second study described a performance of the internationally celebrated pianist, Lang Lang, focusing on the relationship between musical affect, bodily movement and facial expression. Analysis also revealed extensive and striking use of combined bodily and facial expression, which were involved in articulating structural features of the music and the narrative of the work. Findings suggest the existence of a repertoire of expressive information used for the generation of expressive ideas, and available to the observers of music performers.