Chords as Emotional Expression in Music: A Review of Concepts and Musical Experience
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.37368/tonika.v9i1.917Keywords:
chords, musical emotion, musical experience, timbreAbstract
There has been relatively little research on the emotional import of chords in music, as discussions of musical emotion have largely focused on melodic development, voice leading, harmony, and temporal musical processes. This study seeks to better understand emotional experience in music through the expressive functions of chords as they are perceived in listening. Using a qualitative approach, the synthesis of the literature integrates empirical and theoretical perspectives on chords, emotion, and listening experience. The findings reveal that emotional experiences emerge through the structural and functional roles of chords, both in isolation and within chord progressions. These experiences are shaped by multiple variables, including chordal configuration, progression, texture or tone, intervallic size, and listener engagement. The reviewed literature further indicates that emotional responses to chords arise from a combination of cognitive processes and emotional and bodily experience, rather than from structural features alone. This study invites broader perspectives on chords as emotionally expressive entities and highlights the need for further research, particularly on the emotional and contextual dimensions of chords across musical domains.
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