Thinking through the Body. Music Theory for the Performer

Abstract

There is significant controversy between music theorists and performers about the value and relevance of the study of music theory for performers. As I argue in this paper, the dissatisfaction on the part of performers about the value of existing analytical methods stems from the fact that the majority of these methods do not address the particular needs of performers, who, unlike theorists, engage with music in a more bodily than intellectual way. The goal of this article is to propose new methods of analysis that promise to engage performer-students equally with the mind and the body. The methods proposed here share with Dalcroze Eurhythmics the belief that by experiencing music through the whole body, students develop important kinaesthetic skills necessary to understanding music more deeply and expressing themselves more musically. By revealing the connection between musical and physical movement, the two analytical representations proposed – the bouncing ball and gestural arrow – allow analysts to capture expressive movement while encouraging more bodily involvement in the analytical process. Structural analysis involves the exploration of both the expressive potential inherent in the notes of the musical score and the precise expressive effect of the way these notes are performed. The emphasis on rhythmic process and expressive nuance allows performer-analysts to engage with and become sensitized to qualities of music directly related to the act of performance.