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  • © 2018

Sound and the Aesthetics of Play

A Musical Ontology of Constructed Emotions

Palgrave Macmillan

Authors:

  1. Justin Christensen

    1. Music & Sound Knowledge Group, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark

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  • Builds upon the existing scholarship in the aesthetics of play

  • Taps into the growing field of study around emotions

  • Crosses disciplinary boundaries between sociology, psychology and sound studies

Part of the book series: Palgrave Studies in Sound (PASTS)

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  • ISBN: 978-3-319-66899-4
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Table of contents (5 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-vii
    PDF

  2. The Aesthetics of Play

    • Justin Christensen
    Pages 1-38

  3. Musical Emotions

    • Justin Christensen
    Pages 39-65

  4. The Dynamic Autonomous Artwork

    • Justin Christensen
    Pages 67-87

  5. Modes of Affective and Aesthetic Experience

    • Justin Christensen
    Pages 89-117

  6. Conclusions

    • Justin Christensen
    Pages 119-124

  7. Back Matter

    Pages 125-128
    PDF
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About this book

This book is an interdisciplinary project that brings together ideas from aesthetics, philosophy, psychology, and music sociology as an expansion of German philosopher Hans-Georg Gadamer’s theory on the aesthetics of play. This way of thinking focuses on an ontology of the process of musicking rather than an ontology of discovering fixed and static musical objects. In line with this idea, the author discusses the importance of participation and involvement in this process of musicking, whether as a listener or as a performer. Christensen then goes on to critique and update Gadamer's theory by presenting incompatibilities between it and recent theories of aesthetic emotions and embodiment. He proposes that emotions are ‘constructed’ rather than ‘caused’, that the mind uses a system of ‘filters’ to respond to sonic stimuli and thus constructs (via play) aesthetic feelings and experiences. In turn, this approach provides music with a route into the development of social capital and inter-subjective communication. This work builds on the hermeneutical steps already taken by Gadamer and those before him, continuing his line of thought beyond his work. It will be of great interest to scholars in music aesthetics as well as a variety of other music related fields, including music psychology, philosophy and science and technology studies.
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Keywords

  • Constructed Emotions
  • Sound Studies
  • Music Ontology
  • Musicology
  • Aesthetics of Play
  • Sociology
  • Philosophy of Music
  • Phenomenology
  • Gadamer
  • Hermeneutics
  • Primacy of Play
  • Aesthetic Experience
  • Appraisal theories of emotion
  • Constructive Theory of Emotions
  • Enactivism
  • Autopoiesis
  • Peircean Semiotics
  • Affect Theory
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Authors and Affiliations

  • Music & Sound Knowledge Group, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark

    Justin Christensen

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About the author

Justin Christensen is a researcher at Aalborg University in Denmark, he previously earned a PhD in music composition in the UK, along with degrees in music from the Royal Conservatoire in The Netherlands and McGill University in Canada. His research focuses on the temporal, emotional and immersive listening experience.

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Bibliographic Information

  • Book Title: Sound and the Aesthetics of Play

  • Book Subtitle: A Musical Ontology of Constructed Emotions

  • Authors: Justin Christensen

  • Series Title: Palgrave Studies in Sound

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-66899-4

  • Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan Cham

  • eBook Packages: Social Sciences, Social Sciences (R0)

  • Copyright Information: The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s) 2018

  • Hardcover ISBN: 978-3-319-66898-7Published: 18 December 2017

  • Softcover ISBN: 978-3-319-88341-0Published: 23 May 2018

  • eBook ISBN: 978-3-319-66899-4Published: 08 December 2017

  • Series ISSN: 2633-5875

  • Series E-ISSN: 2633-5883

  • Edition Number: 1

  • Number of Pages: VII, 128

  • Topics: Science and Technology Studies, Cultural Studies, Emotion, Music, Philosophy of Music

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Access via your institution
eBook USD 39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • ISBN: 978-3-319-66899-4
  • Instant PDF download
  • Readable on all devices
  • Own it forever
  • Exclusive offer for individuals only
  • Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout
Softcover Book USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
Hardcover Book USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
Learn about institutional subscriptions