Welcome
to the 90.9 WGUC music blog: Clef Notes. My name is Jessica Lorey and I am the
Classical Music Director at WGUC. Allow me to be your guide as you follow our
new blog through the wonderful world of music.
How
does the music you listen to move your emotions? Whether it creates joy in your
heart, stirs a somber mood, or brings back a memory from days past, every piece
that you listen to conjures up some sort of deeper feeling within. The musical
term for this type of emotion is “affection.” The word “affection” is used
within the music world to describe an emotion created while listening to any
given composition. The word originated during the Baroque era (period of music
ranging from ca. 1600–1750) as an aesthetic theory known as the Doctrine of
Affections. At the time, composers believed that only one type of “affection”
(or emotion) could be moved at a time, and for this reason they would compose
entire movements that would remain consistent in rhythm, texture, melody, and
harmony. It was not until the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries
that composers realized that they could play around with their listeners’ emotions
by adding contrast and colors to their work. Use the word “affection” at your
next social gathering and I guarantee you will sound impressive!
So
tell me, how does music “affect” you? The purpose of this blog is to open up
the world of music and discover how it enriches our lives. We’ll discuss major
musical events, pieces, musical gossip, and how all of these matters “affect”
us. I welcome your comments related to your own experiences listening to music.
I hope this blog will be your connection to a community of music lovers and we
can all discuss our discoveries within the music we love.
