THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SOCIAL CIRCUMSTANCES AND RECOUNTED MUSICAL EXPERIENCES

The subjective perception of music and its effect on the individual depend not only on musical structure, but on the specific circumstances and the social situation in which it is heard. Music is integrated into an on-going construction of a personal narrative and receives meaning through its combination with other situational factors. The present study examined narratives of events in which music played an integral part. Participants were divided into three groups, according to the circumstances under which music was heard: alone, with one close person, and with a larger group of people. Results show differences between the subjective quality of experience with music in the three situations. When listening to music alone, participants were concentrated on themselves and their emotions. When listening with a close person, attention was turned to the relationship and communication with the other. When listening with a group of people, participants felt an enhancement of the self. Although results suggest the situation determined perception of the music, in participants’ narratives, the relationship was reversed, and music was seen as the cause of subjective experience of the situation 1. BACKGROUND