(15) Le rôle de l’espace dans les quatre conduites d’écoute
(27) L'orientation vers le soi
(28) Dans l’orientation vers le soi, la conscience d’écoute est mobilisée et dominée par un point de vue personnel, qui se manifeste sous forme de sensations, d’émotions ou de délibérations neutres telles que des évaluations. Cependant, vu au travers des lentilles des systèmes physiques et conceptuels inhérents à l’être humain, le soi contient deux composantes, le corps et l’esprit, qui, ensemble, forment le sujet. Le sujet perçoit le son acousmatique et détermine ensuite quels objets vont se développer grâce aux conduites d’écoute. La manière dont le sujet (l’auditeur) conçoit l’espace acousmatique peut avoir une influence sur les types de sensations, d’émotions et d’évaluations (les objets) qui apparaîtront, ainsi que sur les conséquences spatiales que ces objets pourraient impliquer.
In order to understand the relationship between space in acousmatic sound and the reception behaviour self-orientation, we need to consider their respective definitions in an interactive way. As we know, space is the vector through which all sound is conveyed and received; without it, sound and subsequently, any reception behaviour cannot exist. As previously noted, acousmatic sound has specific internal spatial dimensions that comprise spectral space and three-dimensional space, in which spatial motion and distribution occur. These spatial dimensions are fixed onto a supporting medium embedded as a component of the sounding flow, and unfold in the external, three-dimensional space of the listening space.[1] In self-orientation, the listening consciousness is mobilised and dominated by a personal viewpoint, which develops as sensations, emotions, or more neutral deliberations such as evaluations. However, as seen through the lens of the physical and conceptual systems inherent in the human being, the self contains two components, the body and the mind that together, form the subject. The subject perceives acousmatic sound and then determines which objects will develop through reception behaviours. All objects are manifest via processes, deliberations and responses carried out by, or experienced by, the subject.[2] Therefore, how the subject (the listener) processes space in acousmatic sound can influence which types of sensations, emotions evaluations (objects) arise and what spatial implications they may have. (28)
Sensations, emotions and evaluations as objects
(29) Je propose l’idée que les émotions et les évaluations peuvent avoir des dimensions spatiales, et que ces dimensions peuvent être catalysée par les dimensions spatiales du flux sonore (e.g. le volume, la position et la directionnalité).
If we examine the subject, we know the ‘intake’ of sound occurs aurally, through the body. The ear receives the vibrations and, in turn, transforms the acoustic energy into the electrochemical signals of the human nervous system (Slawson in Appleton and Perera, 1975: 49). The signals are processed by the brain (mind) where they develop into an object, through a reception behaviour which, in self-orientation, can remain anchored in the context of the mind as an emotion or a neutral evaluation, or unfold in the context of the body in the form of a sensation. I suggest that emotions and evaluations can have spatial dimensions, and that these dimensions can be catalysed by the spatial dimensions (e.g. volume, position and directionality) in the sounding flow. (29) Additionally, acousmatic composers may deliberately create or enhance inherent spatial attributes in the sounding flow so that the attributes highlight the poietic message. For example, Normandeau uses large acoustic spaces to convey sadness in the fourth movement Tristesse et espace of his acousmatic work Éclats de voix. This viewpoint contrasts with that of Blesser, who posits,
“Emotions are everywhere, like water for fish. Whenever we care about what we are perceiving, an affective component must be present. Thus, emotions become an amorphous concept for everything that gives meaning and texture to our perceptual experiences. If, however, we want to understand how aural architecture produces spatial experiences that have impact and relevance, we need to examine the affective attributes of acoustic spaces ” (Blesser, 2007: 332).
(30) Les émotions se présentent en tandem avec d’autres types de réponses. Ces émotions et ces réponses se rapportent aux objets potentiels de l’aspect « vers le soi » de la conduite d’écoute, lesquels sont fixés dans le contexte de l’esprit. Il s’ensuit que les espaces acoustiques, qu’ils soient réels ou virtuels, ne possèdent pas d’attributs affectifs, mais peuvent en générer. Cela s’applique de la même manière aux attributs ou réponses sensoriels, à partir du moment où ils sont générés en tant qu’objets par le sujet.
(31) On peut aussi considérer que les sensations ont des propriétés spatiales perçues par les sens en termes de volume, de position et de directionnalité.
Emotions exist in tandem with other types of responses as potential objects which pertain to the self-orientation aspect of the reception behaviour that remains fixated in the context of the mind. It follows that acoustic spaces, whether real or virtual, do not possess affective attributes: they can generate them. This is also true for sensorial attributes, or responses, insofar as they are generated as objects by the subject. (30) Further, if a self-orientated reception behaviour is fixated in the body as a sensation (object), it may unfold in a dimension that is appreciable through one of the senses with which the body perceives three-dimensional space. Hence, sensations also can be seen to have spatial properties in terms of volume, position and directionality as perceived by the senses. (31)[3] For example, the impression that a sound seems to ‘recede and disappear’ may be catalysed by the listener’s previous visual experience, while the sensation that a sound ‘is piercing’ may be interpreted by the listener’s ‘inner’ sense of touch. A sound that ‘feels like a chilly breeze’ may be perceived as if it belongs to the sense of thermoception. Finally, the socio-spatial environment in which the listening experience occurs may also impact on the self-oriented reception behaviour, as noted by Patrik Juslin and John Sloboda:
“Although emotions can occur when a person is alone, their full manifestation very often seems to require other people. For instance, it is well known that young children (e.g. pre-verbal) will look to a nearby adult for a cue concerning how to respond to some events, such as a fall or graze” (Juslin and Sloboda, 2002: 86).
The socio-spatial environment in which the listening experience occurs may also impact on a self-oriented response to space in the sounding flow insofar as a work that is perceived collectively in an external space may influence the listener’s reaction to space in the work in different ways than if the listener were alone. For example, if the spatial dimensions in a work are perceived as forbidding (e.g. out of proportion with human dimensions, such that they may be apprehended as suffocating or dwarfing), an adverse reaction could be attenuated by the knowledge of the implied safety of the social climate of the listening experience. However, the reverse may be true. If the spatial dimensions in a work engender feelings of loneliness or despair, listening alone might accentuate those feelings.
The icon in self-orientation
(32) L’espace spectral et tridimensionnel, incarné dans le flux sonore d’une œuvre acousmatique, peut-il être iconique des sensations, émotions et évaluations ?
(33) Une icône est une indication fondée sur une ressemblance et qui cherche à relier des points par analogie. De tous les signes, l’iconicité est le plus approprié pour relier ces genres de points, l’un étant un signe de l’autre.
Can spectral and three-dimensional space, as embodied within the sounding flow of an acousmatic work, be iconic to sensations, emotions and evaluations? (32) To address this question, it is necessary first to define the icon. An icon is a pointer, founded on a type of resemblance, and it deals with connecting analogous points. Of all existing signs, iconicity is most appropriate for potentially connecting these kinds of points, one being the sign of the other. (33) No other sign function can account for such a parallelism. The observer chooses the contact points. As Langer illustrates,
“Where the forms of two things are iconic, the essential relation between the elements of the two things is one of qualitative identity, despite differences between the ‘materials’ constituting the elements and consequent differences in the descriptions we might be tempted to offer of the relationships within the two sets of elements” (Langer in Davies 1994: 126).
Further, Langer proposes a connection between perceived space and feelings,
“[…] the spatial form of a painting can be iconic with the temporal form of a feeling, because the essential relationship between the elements of the painting can (be known to) correspond to the essential relationship between the elements of the feeling. Similarly, the relationship between the aural elements of a musical work can be the same as the relationship between the thoughts and sensations that constitute a feeling” (Langer in Davies 1994: 126).
(34) On peut imaginer qu’une iconicité puisse exister entre la temporalité d’un sentiment et les relations spatiales dans une peinture pour deux raisons. La première est que les relations spatiales impliquent des relations temporelles par défaut, et si ces relations temporelles impliquées dans les relations spatiales (d’une peinture ou d’une œuvre musicale, par exemple) sont congruentes avec la temporalité d’un sentiment expériencié, une relation d’iconicité peut s’établir. La seconde raison est que les humains font l’expérience de la temporalité de toute situation dans un espace tridimensionnel, et peuvent donc projeter la temporalité de n’importe quelle situation vécue sur un autre espace tridimensionnel conçu (qu’il soit musical, littéraire, plastique, théâtral).
One may suggest that iconicity can occur between the temporality of a feeling and the spatial relationships in a painting for two reasons. The first is that spatial relationships imply temporal relationships by default, and if the implied temporal relationships within the spatial relationships of, for example, a painting or musical work are congruent with the temporality of experienced feelings, an iconic relationship can occur. The second reason is that humans experience the temporality of any situation in three-dimensional space, and therefore can project the temporality of any experienced situation into another conceived three-dimensional space (e.g. musical, literary, plastic arts, theatre). (34) Such a projection can be facilitated if the conceived three-dimensional spatial relationships resemble, or are in some way related to, the three-dimensional spatial relationships experienced while experiencing the temporality of a feeling.
[2] All reception behaviours can be considered to be self-orientated since they arise through the self, the subject. However, for the purpose of this dissertation, the reception behaviour self-orientation centres on behaviours that are directed inwardly, on the self.
[3] However, the scope of sensations is not limited to the scope of space as perceived by the body.