Document Type
Research Paper
Publication Date
4-18-2025
Year of Award
2025
Date Assignment Submitted
2025
Abstract
Few musics rouse as much disdain and confusion as certain styles of Western classical music that arose in the middle of the 20th century. Derided as meaningless and ugly by some, and lauded as complex and liberatory by others, I aim in this paper to elucidate the effects of such music on the mind and why it is so controversial. I discuss the historical functions of music in enhancing social cohesion and facilitating affective offloading using perceptual models developed in the cognitive sciences. This is followed by a description of the 20th century revolution in musical aesthetics and the differences in structure and cognitive processing demands between music of this ilk and all prior music in the Western classical tradition. I argue that listening to music can alter patterns of perception via structural changes in brain activity, and that this new music has the capacity to catalyze unique changes.
Publisher
Lynn University
Conference/Symposium
Lynn University Student Research Symposium
Contest
Research Paper
Award
Winner
City/State
Boca Raton, FL
Department
Conservatory of Music
Instructor
Professor Greg Stepanich
Recommended Citation
Lund, D. (2025, April 18). The aesthetic revolution in 20th-century classical music and its perceptual effects on listeners: A cognitive-historical perspective [Research paper]. Lynn University Student Research Symposium, Boca Raton, FL, United States.
Comments
Derek Lund won Best Research for his paper entitled: “The Aesthetic Revolution in 20th-Century Classical Music and Its Perceptual Effects on Listeners: A Cognitive-Historical Perspective” with Faculty Sponsor: Professor Greg Stepanich