Scholarlink

This chapter explores the intricate relationship between physical vitality and musical aesthetics in the Western tradition, emphasizing the embodied nature of musical experience. It traces the historical evolution of Western musical thought, from ancient Pythagorean-Platonic theories linking music to cosmic and moral harmony, through Enlightenment formalism and Romantic expressivism, to contemporary frameworks of embodied cognition. This chapter examines how physical fitness influences musical preferences, with empirical evidence indicating that physically fit individuals gravitate toward high-arousal, rhythmically intense music and utilize music to enhance exercise performance. Drawing on phenomenological insights, particularly Merleau-Ponty’s concept of the habitual body, and neuro-aesthetic research, it argues that music perception is a corporeal act, resonating through bodily sensations and movements. Philosophical perspectives from Kant, Schopenhauer, and modern enactive theories further illuminate how music engages the body as much as the mind. This chapter concludes that physical vitality amplifies aesthetic engagement, positioning the body as a central locus of musical experience, thus enriching our understanding of musical beauty and pleasure as somatic phenomena.

错误：搜索内容不能为空，请输入英文关键词
错误：关键词超出字数限制，请精简
高级检索

Embodied Aesthetics: How Physical Vitality Shapes Musical Experience in the Western Tradition

  • 章节

  • 发表日期：

    2025年

查看全文
  • Subrahmanyam Velcheti,
  • Akanksh Chokkapu,
  • Siva Sai Gorle,
  • Kanaka Durga Prasad Bhamidipaty

摘要

This chapter explores the intricate relationship between physical vitality and musical aesthetics in the Western tradition, emphasizing the embodied nature of musical experience. It traces the historical evolution of Western musical thought, from ancient Pythagorean-Platonic theories linking music to cosmic and moral harmony, through Enlightenment formalism and Romantic expressivism, to contemporary frameworks of embodied cognition. This chapter examines how physical fitness influences musical preferences, with empirical evidence indicating that physically fit individuals gravitate toward high-arousal, rhythmically intense music and utilize music to enhance exercise performance. Drawing on phenomenological insights, particularly Merleau-Ponty’s concept of the habitual body, and neuro-aesthetic research, it argues that music perception is a corporeal act, resonating through bodily sensations and movements. Philosophical perspectives from Kant, Schopenhauer, and modern enactive theories further illuminate how music engages the body as much as the mind. This chapter concludes that physical vitality amplifies aesthetic engagement, positioning the body as a central locus of musical experience, thus enriching our understanding of musical beauty and pleasure as somatic phenomena.