Ferrara Chapter I “Referential Meaning in Music”
LONG Summary:
At the beginning of this chapter Ferrara poses the question, “What does music mean?” Historically, attempts have been made to answer that question through two approaches: 1) Through conventional analysis of musical syntax (i.e. harmony, melody, rhythm, etc) 2) through a referential meaning. Ah, but what is referential meaning? Ferrara introduces us to Leonard B Meyer’s Theory of emotion and meaning as a jumping point for our look into referential meaning. Unlike the strict Formalist approach of Edward Hanslick, Meyer’s approach came from an extended formalist position. Meyer clarifies that during his time there we two broad approaches to musical analysis: formalism and absolute expressionism. Formalists state that musical meaning is intellectual. Any feelings felt by the listener are not relevant. Absolute expressionists believe that musical syntax can arouse emotional responses from the listener as a result of intrinsic processes. Meyer attempts to generate a theory of musical analysis that can satisfy both parties. He aims to explain how formal elements in music cause intellectual responses yet those same formal elements can cause emotional responses.
Through John Dewey’s theory of emotion, “ Emotion is aroused when a tendency to respond is arrested or inhibited”, Meyer makes a compelling connection to musical analysis. “The inhibition that music will move from one passage to another causes tension in the listener. This conception of tension (and release) is central to Meyer’s theory of emotion in music” (Ferrara 5). In a simple diatonic song the song flows along fairly with our expectations, according to Meyer this kind of music would have a neutral meaning. However, our expectations can be shattered by hearing intense tonal delay of a Wagner opera; according to Meyer this piece would contain poignant. Via Meyer there is a point of no return with this concept. If a piece of music is completely dissonant and without underlying structure it then loses its ability to have meaning. Without establishing norms there can be no expectation. This is what separates music from noise.
Meyer comments on the interaction of musical fragments, “It is pointless to ask what the intrinsic meaning of a single tone or a series of tones is…That is, one musical event has meaning (be it a tone, a phrase, or a whole section) because it points to and makes us expect another musical event.” Meyer’s link between syntax and emotion explains why a trained musician can both intellectualize the music through its form and also experience emotions through expectation and denial of expectation.
That was a rather long-winded summary of Meyer. Now back to the point. What is referential meaning? Meaning is referential when a symbol has its own meaning but acquaintance with the symbol causes one to think of something else. For example, independent letters (c, a, and t) have little referential meaning but when combined to make a word (cat) the referential meaning (a domesticated feline) of that word as a symbol is clear. One can understand the reference of the word “cat” because words as symbols convey a concept or an image. Since the concept conveyed by a symbol is purely based off each individual’s personal experience with that symbol, it is difficult to make referential analysis objective. This lack of objectivity and verifiability makes the application of referential analysis to music very difficult from a traditional point of view. The problems with referential analysis are clear. Insight can be offered through the works of Susanne Langer.
Langer states that music, like any other language, is a system of symbols. Unlike other languages, music cannot be broken down into rationality and system to achieve a full evaluation. Langer asserts that there are two different modes of language: 1) “genuine” language (English) 2) non-discursive systems (music, poetry). In English words have a fixed meaning, however, elements of music (non-discursive) can have many functions depending on how they are utilized in the music. Translation is possible in discursive languages (English to Spanish). One cannot translate music into a painting with the same precision as one can with a discursive language. Ordinary language projects its meaning of the thing it represents. Ferrara explains how music does this as well, “Music captures the form or concept of human life and feeling; it is the symbolic transformation of human feeling. Musical form resembles the logic of the dynamics of human experience…Music and life are related because they share formal properties.” (Ferrara 14). Music is therefore analogous to life. The music does not convey actual feelings; they are only the composers’ knowledge of the idea of the feeling.
Langer continues to prove the projecting power of music by relating rhythm to life. The cardinal characteristic of actual life is rhythm, which manifests itself as the patterns of the dialectic of “permanence and change” (Ferrara 15). Langer also specifies that music is purely an analogue for life, which creates an altogether new experience. One can experience and understand human feelings that are related to but not part of actual life.
Langer asserts that musical meaning is referential because its properties are analogous to actual life. Additionally, music is more accurate at representing human feelings than ordinary language. The morphology of feeling that music is able to capture separates it from discursive language.
Personal Reaction:
I will aim to keep this brief as I went totally overboard on the summary. Which leads me to my reaction. It is really hard, if not impossible, to condense these concepts and eloquent flows of logic into 1 page double-spaced. That being said, I currently take back everything I said about Ferrara regarding the introduction. Yes, the tone very academic, but rightfully so, the man is a genius. I found myself scribbling all over the margins of the book with ideas and reactions to the concepts. Several times I was in such awe of the ideas in a paragraph that my notes only read, “WOW!” The biggest wow moment for me in this chapter was when he moved to explain Langers’ concept of music’s power to be an analogue for reality. One of the things that drew me to music so strongly was rhythm. This is probably why I ended up a bass player. I have always felt a sense of rhythm throughout my life. Each day is the beginning of a new movement. I get to improvise my daily composition within general guidelines. Just like I improvise over a jazz tune. Each daily composition has a cadence where I do my nighttime predominant rituals and resolve to my bed. This is what I am trying to express through my music; I am trying to express my reality in a way that listeners can relate and say, “Yeah, I know what that feels like. I have been there.” You can use all the words in the world to describe how you feel, as Langer explains, music is a much stronger analogue for feelings than any ordinary language could ever be. Its funny, it feels as if I am talking about music the way that Star Wars treated The Force. But, like The Force, music surrounds us, and penetrates us. It binds the galaxy together. Or at least that’s what Obi-Wan Kenobi said.
I will leave you with one of my favorite pieces of music emulating life. Here is a video of Pulitzer prize winning composer Steve Reich’s composition, “City Life”. Due to video length restrictions this video is only 10 minutes of the nearly hour-long piece. In this section, he integrates audio from everyday life in conjunction a live orchestra to create a very compelling analogue of the tension and uncertainty one can feel in the city walking home alone at night. Specifically, walking along a river. Enjoy
