A Phenomenology of Musical Absorption

Beschreibung

“Examining skilled performance in all its fascinating and mysterious intensity, Høffding reallylistens to his informants, developing exciting novel methods for interdisciplinary research onexpertise.”—John Sutton, Professor of Cognitive Science, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
”A valuable addition to the growing field of music and philosophy, the results are as fascinatingas they are enlightening, and would be of interest to anyone seeking to explore the richcomplexity of musical experience and the ways in which it is possible – and indeed desirable –to understand ourselves through it.”—Nanette Nielsen, Associate Professor, University of Oslo, Norway
“This is a study conducted from the inside out – starting inside the masterful musicalperformances of the Danish String Quartet, explicated in a detailed set of interviews with themusicians. Høffding brings the latest developments in phenomenology and cognitive scienceto bear on these issues, and creates one of the rare places where expertise in phenomenologymeets expertise in musical performance – an overall performance not to be missed.”—Shaun Gallagher, Lillian and Morrie Moss Professor of Excellence, University ofMemphis, USA
This book presents a detailed analysis of what it means to be absorbed in playing music.Based on interviews with one of the world’s leading classical ensembles, “The Danish StringQuartet” (DSQ), it debunks the myth that experts cannot reflect while performing, but alsoshows that intense absorption is not something that can be achieved through will, intention,prediction or planning – it remains something individuals have to be receptive to. Based inthe phenomenological tradition of Husserl and Merleau-Ponty aswell as of Dan Zahavi andShaun Gallagher, it lays out the conditions and essential structures of musical absorption.Employing the lived experience of the DSQ members, it also engages and challenges core ideasin phenomenology, philosophy of mind, enactivism, expertise studies, musical psychology,flow theory, aesthetics, dream- and sleep studies, psychopathology and social ontology, andproposes a method that integrates phenomenology and cognitive science.
Simon Høffding is a postdoctoral researcher at the Department of Musicology, University ofOslo, Norway.

This book presents a detailed analysis of what it means to be absorbed in playing music. Based on interviews with one of the world’s leading classical ensembles, “The Danish String Quartet” (DSQ), it debunks the myth that experts cannot reflect while performing, but also shows that intense absorption is not something that can be achieved through will, intention, prediction or planning – it remains something individuals have to be receptive to. Based in the phenomenological tradition of Husserl and Merleau-Ponty as well as of Dan Zahavi and Shaun Gallagher, it lays out the conditions and essential structures of musical absorption. Employing the lived experience of the DSQ members, it also engages and challenges core ideas in phenomenology, philosophy of mind, enactivism, expertise studies, musical psychology, flow theory, aesthetics, dream and sleep studies, psychopathology and social ontology, and proposes a method that integrates phenomenology and cognitive science.

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Simon Høffding

Themen in »A Phenomenology of Musical Absorption«

philosophy music phenomenology classical music Danish String Quartet Expertise Aesthetic experience Affectivity Musical Absorption Enactivism Cognitive science

Stimmen zu »A Phenomenology of Musical Absorption«

“Simon Høffding asks what it is like for elite musicians to play together. Examining skilled performance in all its fascinating and mysterious intensity, Høffding really listens to his informants, developing exciting novel methods for interdisciplinary research on expertise. In a precise analysis of the full range of experiences in performance, from frustration to euphoric joy, he offers rich and rigorous discussions of immersion and ‘flow’ experience, and a striking critique of existing accounts of skillful coping. This study of musical collaboration, powerfully integrating philosophy and cognitive theory, will appeal to all interested in music, aesthetics, and the psychology of performance.” (John Sutton, Professor of Cognitive Science, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia)
“In this carefully crafted and insightful study, Høffding elegantly combines several disciplines in his quest to get to the heart of musical absorption. A valuable addition tothe growing field of music and philosophy, the results are as fascinating as they are enlightening, and would be of interest to anyone seeking to explore the rich complexity of musical experience and the ways in which it is possible – and indeed desirable – to understand ourselves through it.” (Nanette Nielsen, Associate Professor, University of Oslo, Norway) 

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