Emotion and Meaning in Music

Is music merely a collection of ordered pitches and vibrations in the air, or is there inherent and universal meaning contained within? Does music convey anger, longing, desire, or humor? This week Bill delves into one of the most mysterious and fundamental qualities of music: its ability to convey emotion to the listener. Starting with Gil Shaham with the New York Philharmonic’s performance of Samuel Barber’s violin concerto, we will listen to Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring and end the week with JS Bach’s E minor Toccata. Bill asks us to listen carefully and ask ourselves, “what do we feel when we listen to this music and why?”