In Search of Beauty in Music A SCIENTIFIC APPROACH TO MUSICAL ESTHETICS by CARL E. SEASHORE PROFESSOR OF PSYCHOLOGY AND DEAN EMERITUS OF THE GRADUATE SCHOOL, THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA THE RONALD PRESS COMPANY NEW YORK Copyright, 1947, by THE Ro srAij3 PHESS Alt Rights Reserved The text of this publication or any part thereof may not be reproduced in any manner whatsoever - without permission in Writing from the publisher. PRINTED IN THE TUTTED STATES OF AJIESICA This volume is affectionately and gratefully inscribed for my comrades in research in the psychological laboratory which has been dedicated to the pursuit of Insight into the Nature of Mental Lifej Appreciation of its Beauty, and Wisdom in its Control Development of Personality, Scientific Integrity, and the Art of Deliberate and Adequate Statement of Fact Center for Fundamental Science and Service to Mankind Memorial to the Pioneers in Psychology i Hearth for Comrades in Research PREFACE MORE HAS BEEN ACHIEVED in the laying of foundations for science in music in the present century than in all preceding centuries. The chief reason for this is that the applied science of music has had to await the development of such underlying sciences as acoustics, physiology, electrical engineering, anthro pology, experimental education, and experimental psychology. In all these fields phenomenal progress has been made in the instrumentation and standardizing of techniques of measure ment. Naturally to these should be added the development of a body of science-minded musical artists who welcome such scien tific approaches. The progress has been facilitated and rushed at phenomenal speed by the practical aspects of radio, phono photography, phonography, industrial acoustics, and the increas ing demands for the psychology of music in these fields, as well as in education. During this period of extraordinary expansion in the basic sciences which contribute to the scientific foundations of music, it has been my great fortune to be associated with scientists and musicians who have been interested in cultivating a closer affilia tion between science and music through teaching, lecturing, writing, and the direction of research. This volume is designed as an introduction to the science of music for advanced students of music and psychology, music teachers, educators, professional musicians, and general readers interested in the scientific approach to the understanding and appreciation of beauty in music. It is an attempt to integrate my interpretive and popular articles on research in the psychol ogy of music which have more or less direct bearing on the problem of esthetics. Each chapter has appeared in whole or in part in some leading musical, scientific, or educational journal. Since the book opens a large variety of new fields of thought and investigation, the reader is advised to turn to the table of contents for a preliminary orientation by deliberate examination VI PREFACE of the listings of specific topics where he can identify familiar items and new items in which he may be interested. In collecting this material I have aimed to organize these articles into a unified series while retaining as far as possible the original form and setting, whether used in whole or in part or assembled under a single group heading. This has the advan tage of presenting each topic in readable and newsy style, gen erally in direct address tosome specific audience or reading constituency. The need of this becomes evident when it is seen that each of the 35 chapters virtually opens a new avenue of approach to the psychology of music and esthetics and presents masses of research findings which are new to the majority of readers. Each article or unit of an article opens up a new vista for discovery and exploration which must be grasped as a more or less new idea, each in its individual field, and yet with due regard for the unity in the theme of the book as a whole...

Between the physical world of vibration and the world of consciously heard music lies a third area, which is the province of the psychology of music. This introduction, first published in 1938, by the developer of the Seashore test of musical ability, is a thorough survey of this field. A standard text for psychologists specializing in the area, teachers, or interested musicologists.

This is a new release of the original 1938 edition.

This scarce antiquarian book is included in our special Legacy Reprint Series. In the interest of creating a more extensive selection of rare historical book reprints, we have chosen to reproduce this title even though it may possibly have occasional imperfections such as missing and blurred pages, missing text, poor pictures, markings, dark backgrounds and other reproduction issues beyond our control. Because this work is culturally important, we have made it available as a part of our commitment to protecting, preserving and promoting the world's literature.

This scarce antiquarian book is included in our special Legacy Reprint Series. In the interest of creating a more extensive selection of rare historical book reprints, we have chosen to reproduce this title even though it may possibly have occasional imperfections such as missing and blurred pages, missing text, poor pictures, markings, dark backgrounds and other reproduction issues beyond our control. Because this work is culturally important, we have made it available as a part of our commitment to protecting, preserving and promoting the world's literature.

Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone!

Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone!

Between the physical world of vibration and the world of consciously heard music lies a third area, which is the province of the psychology of music. This introduction, first published in 1938, by the developer of the Seashore test of musical ability, is a thorough survey of this field. A standard text for psychologists specializing in the area, teachers, or interested musicologists.

Between the physical world of vibration and the world of consciously heard music lies a third area, which is the province of the psychology of music. This introduction, first published in 1938, by the developer of the Seashore test of musical ability, is a thorough survey of this field. A standard text for psychologists specializing in the area, teachers, or interested musicologists.

PSYCHOLOGY OF MUSIC BY CARL E. SEASHORE, PH. D., LL. D., BC. D., D. LITT. McGRAW-HILL BOOK COMPANY, INC. NEW YORK AND LONDON To my comrades in research for the last forty years this volume is affectionately dedicated. npms volume is dedicated to my comrades in research, professors J. and students, for the last forty years. I am writing as a spokes man for them all, attempting to present in high lights the new approaches developed during this period. This involves the right to draw freely from more than one hundred publications emanating from the group. Wherever possible I have named the person pri marily responsible for the contribution but the text embodies facts which in large part are common stock in the laboratory. In doing the overhead work for all these years, it has been difficult to separate my own ideas from the ideas of collaborators because our policy has been to share ideas with the utmost gener osity. In the interest of condensation and clarity, I have interpreted and classified as much as is consistent with the purpose and, there fore, have not used quotation marks extensively. It is difficult to give proper acknowledgment to all the persons and sources represented. All authors of publications from which substantial units are drawn are mentioned in the text with a super script number which refers to the corresponding number in the bibliography. The sources of illustrations are indicated in the text. Acknowledgment to authors and publishers for permission to use material is herewith gratefully extended. Owing to the nature of the situation, I have counted upon many of my collaborators to read and criticize the manuscript in whole or in part both from the point of view ofscience and from the point of view of music. The following note from the Music Educator Journal, September, 1937, IB self explanatory In a series of reports from the laboratory-studio for the Psychology of Music, Carl E. Seashore has presented to Journal readers specimens of scientific findings dealing with various phases of the psychology of music. Appearing in the October issue of the Journal will be the tenth in a series, which will deal with the problem of the tempered scale a x PREFACE The Psychology of Musical Talent, 1 7 published by Silver Burdett Company, in 1919, is a monograph which marks a ne v vantage ground in the psychology of music. It covers a restricted field in which it has permanent value and should, therefore, not be revised, but supplemented. In the present volume, I have aimed to avoid duplication of that work to which this is a logical sequel. Concentration in this field of work has been favored by a gen erous attitude on the part of the University of Iowa toward this project and through a series of generous fellowships provided by Mr. George Eastman, the National Research Council, the Guggen heim Foundation, and the Carnegie Foundation. Through a special interest in this subject and such generous financial support, it has been possible to maintain a continuous project through trained investigators, working on a unified program for a generation. The purpose of this book is to stimulate and guide the student of music in scientific observation and reasoning about his art. It is, therefore, not a summary of all the known facts on any subject, but rather a series of flashes illustrating the scientific approach from as many angles as space and material permit in anelementary textbook. Since the book is written for beginners, no technical description of apparatus or method is given except in most elementary general principles. Material for the student to work upon is, however, furnished abundantly. My attitude throughout may be expressed in the invitation, Come with me into the laboratory-studio for the psychology of music and see how the study of science of the art of music works. As in my other text books the motto has been Not psychology but to psychologize. This book has been many years in the making...

This scarce antiquarian book is included in our special Legacy Reprint Series. In the interest of creating a more extensive selection of rare historical book reprints, we have chosen to reproduce this title even though it may possibly have occasional imperfections such as missing and blurred pages, missing text, poor pictures, markings, dark backgrounds and other reproduction issues beyond our control. Because this work is culturally important, we have made it available as a part of our commitment to protecting, preserving and promoting the world's literature.

In Search of Beauty in Music A SCIENTIFIC APPROACH TO MUSICAL ESTHETICS by CARL E. SEASHORE PROFESSOR OF PSYCHOLOGY AND DEAN EMERITUS OF THE GRADUATE SCHOOL, THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA THE RONALD PRESS COMPANY NEW YORK Copyright, 1947, by THE Ro srAij3 PHESS Alt Rights Reserved The text of this publication or any part thereof may not be reproduced in any manner whatsoever - without permission in Writing from the publisher. PRINTED IN THE TUTTED STATES OF AJIESICA This volume is affectionately and gratefully inscribed for my comrades in research in the psychological laboratory which has been dedicated to the pursuit of Insight into the Nature of Mental Lifej Appreciation of its Beauty, and Wisdom in its Control Development of Personality, Scientific Integrity, and the Art of Deliberate and Adequate Statement of Fact Center for Fundamental Science and Service to Mankind Memorial to the Pioneers in Psychology i Hearth for Comrades in Research PREFACE MORE HAS BEEN ACHIEVED in the laying of foundations for science in music in the present century than in all preceding centuries. The chief reason for this is that the applied science of music has had to await the development of such underlying sciences as acoustics, physiology, electrical engineering, anthro pology, experimental education, and experimental psychology. In all these fields phenomenal progress has been made in the instrumentation and standardizing of techniques of measure ment. Naturally to these should be added the development of a body of science-minded musical artists who welcome such scien tific approaches. The progress has been facilitated and rushed at phenomenal speed by the practical aspects of radio, phono photography, phonography, industrial acoustics, and the increas ing demands for the psychology of music in these fields, as well as in education. During this period of extraordinary expansion in the basic sciences which contribute to the scientific foundations of music, it has been my great fortune to be associated with scientists and musicians who have been interested in cultivating a closer affilia tion between science and music through teaching, lecturing, writing, and the direction of research. This volume is designed as an introduction to the science of music for advanced students of music and psychology, music teachers, educators, professional musicians, and general readers interested in the scientific approach to the understanding and appreciation of beauty in music. It is an attempt to integrate my interpretive and popular articles on research in the psychol ogy of music which have more or less direct bearing on the problem of esthetics. Each chapter has appeared in whole or in part in some leading musical, scientific, or educational journal. Since the book opens a large variety of new fields of thought and investigation, the reader is advised to turn to the table of contents for a preliminary orientation by deliberate examination VI PREFACE of the listings of specific topics where he can identify familiar items and new items in which he may be interested. In collecting this material I have aimed to organize these articles into a unified series while retaining as far as possible the original form and setting, whether used in whole or in part or assembled under a single group heading. This has the advan tage of presenting each topic in readable and newsy style, gen erally in direct address tosome specific audience or reading constituency. The need of this becomes evident when it is seen that each of the 35 chapters virtually opens a new avenue of approach to the psychology of music and esthetics and presents masses of research findings which are new to the majority of readers. Each article or unit of an article opens up a new vista for discovery and exploration which must be grasped as a more or less new idea, each in its individual field, and yet with due regard for the unity in the theme of the book as a whole...

This scarce antiquarian book is included in our special Legacy Reprint Series. In the interest of creating a more extensive selection of rare historical book reprints, we have chosen to reproduce this title even though it may possibly have occasional imperfections such as missing and blurred pages, missing text, poor pictures, markings, dark backgrounds and other reproduction issues beyond our control. Because this work is culturally important, we have made it available as a part of our commitment to protecting, preserving and promoting the world's literature.