Scientific analysis in an interdisciplinary approach provides a potential method for understanding of events in non-scientific fields. As a model for this approach, I am using my previous background in neuroscience to explain the resistance to new musical styles. This approach requires an interdisciplinary cooperation: musicology is needed to examine the musical structures that lead to a certain perceptual reaction in the mind, which neuroscience attempts to explain from a physiological perspective.

The aim of this study is to use recent evidence from the scientific community in the area of neuronal plasticity as the basis for a new methodology to reexamine two case studies in music history.  In the early twentieth century, a series of premieres were received with adverse criticism and even violent responses to new musical styles, but become popular in subsequent performances.  These extreme responses warrant a reexamination behind their motivations and suggest that something is involved in the neural mechanisms of their perception.

Neuronal plasticity is the ability of a neural connection to dynamically adapt functionally and structurally in strength.  Animal histology studies have confirmed that this results in a change in the brain, either by increased neurotransmitter transmission or increased sensitivity to neurotransmitters by the postsynaptic receptors.  While several theories have demonstrated how the brain perceives music, it is presently unclear about the specific neuroanatomy of music perception. There is no doubt, however, that music perception involves several different nuclei across the brain, and several studies have shown that different areas of the cerebral cortex in the temporal lobe are utilized during music perception.  Neuronal plasticity is a slow gradual change in the brain, so I therefore hypothesize that only slow gradual exposure to a new style over a long period of time will change the individual’s musical preference. 

I will apply this scientific methodology to reexamine controversies resulting from the premiers of various works by Igor Stravinsky and Arnold Schoenberg.  The 1913 premiere of Stravinsky’s ballet, the Rite of Spring, caused the audience to riot.  One year later, the work was met with praise at a performance in front of a similar audience demographic. While Stravinsky did not totally abandon tonality, the Rite of Spring used dissonances often and had new abstract forms of rhythm that was not heard in previous styles.  In a similar case, Schoenberg abandoned tonality in musical composition and pioneered the atonal musical style.  From 1908 on his music, including his seminal Pierrot Lunaire, was met with similar reception of violence and criticism.  One would question the social influences behind the initial receptions, but the fact that future performances were met with praise and are now considered masterpieces warrants further investigation.  In order to complete this project, I initiated a collaboration between my department (neuroscience), a musicologist, and a psychology professor.  I will also be the first-author on the resulting publication.