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Gutierrez 1

Sarah Gutierrez

Allison Bocchino

Writing 2

29 April 2024

The Dimensions of Music: A Comparative Analysis

In the world of academics, the study of music spans several different disciplines, each

offering their unique perspectives. Two particularly interesting disciplines within this regard are

history and psychology. Although both may be researching the same topic- the study of music-

history and psychology as disciplines show several distinctly different properties throughout

several academic articles. Both Paul Long’s “The Poetics of Recorded Time: Listening Again to

Popular Music History”, and Ian Cross’s “Music and Communication in Music Psychology”

illustrate the different perspectives of how music can be interpreted. These two articles establish

their own outlooks on the convergence between music and history, and music and psychology.

By examining the differences between these two articles, one can explore the differences in how

they shape their respective communities as well as how they contribute their individual

perspectives to the study of music. Ian Cross's "Music and Communication in Music

Psychology" and Paul Long's "The Poetics of Recorded Time: Listening Again to Popular Music

History" showcase the differences between cultural musicology and music psychology through

their respective focuses and conventions, exploring the effect of music on human cognition and

music in a socio-historical context, therefore creating scholarly communities centered around

cultural analysis and scientific research.

Paul Long’s article "The Poetics of Recorded Time: Listening Again to Popular

Music History" adopts a more historical approach, delving into the evolution of music’s
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popularity and its cultural significance over time. Long navigates through time and explores how

popular music reflects the socio-political environment of various eras in time, providing insight

into societal changes of the past. He goes on to state that popular music from different time

periods serves as a channel to a broader understanding of our history: “this poetics is productive

for listening again to and with popular music as historical source and as a conduit to a broader

understanding of the past.”1 By discussing the progression and evolution of music over the years,

Long is able to connect it to societal changes throughout history using conventions such as

alternate evidence and sources to support his claims.

In Long’s exploration into the history of music, he employs a series of conventions that

underline his historical approach, emphasizing the connection between music and memory. Long

draws from Nausea (1938/2007), a novel written by Jean-Paul Sartre, “wherein

narrator-protagonist Antoine Roquentin meditates on the nature of the past, memory and time in

response to a record he hears on several occasions.”2 In other words, the novel illustrates how

music can encapsulate specific moments in time. By referencing the protagonist’s response to a

song that he hears on repeat, Long highlights the ways in which music can evoke memories and

reflections on the past. The song ‘Some of These Days,’ recorded by Sophie Tucker and written

by Sheldon Brooks serves as the case study for Long’s stance. Long discusses its relevance

across several time periods, noting its use in “the HBO TV series Boardwalk Empire (2010–14)

or the Bobby Darin film biography Beyond the Sea (2004).”3 This use of outside evidence within

the article, demonstrates how music relates to memory in specific historical context, a key

convention of Long’s writing. He incorporates references from multiple different time periods
1
Long, Paul, “The Poetics of Recorded Time: Listening Again to Popular Music History,” Popular music
history 12.3 (2020): 296
2
Long, Paul, “The Poetics of Recorded Time: Listening Again to Popular Music History,” Popular music
history 12.3 (2020): 296
3
Long, Paul, “The Poetics of Recorded Time: Listening Again to Popular Music History,” Popular music
history 12.3 (2020): 296
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and different pieces of media, which reinforces the connection between music and memory.

Throughout his article we are able to note Long’s reliance on historical inquiry that is evident

through his analysis of historical and philosophical texts, such as Nausea, that allow him to

further expand on the reflection of popular music and its poetics. He mentions that the novels

protagonist experiences “a resolution of sorts is inspired by repeated hearings of ‘Some of These

Days’, an encounter profound enough to overcome the impasse in his life and thinking.”4 Using

diverse evidence types throughout his writing, such as Nausea, Youtube, Spotify, The Rolling

Stones Magazine and The New York Times emphasizes the formal tone of the article as well as

his appeal to a more broad community. By sourcing from several different planes of discipline,

Long is able to create a diverse community for historians, musicologists, and cultural scholars.

He connects all the prior evidence used in this article to make his final statement: “by thinking

more reflexively about how we connect with historiographical debate about our foundational

concepts, method and presentation, we could conceive of inspired and innovative ways of

approaching music.”5 This comprehensive use of evidence and formal tone solidifies Long’s

contribution to the historical components of music.

In contrast to Long’s historical narrative, Ian Cross takes a different approach in his

article “Music and Communication in Music Psychology” by exploring the field of psychology

and the mechanisms behind communication through music. By utilizing research evidence and

technical jargon throughout his article, he is able to expand on the importance of his own

research. Cross’s aim in his article is to answer two questions: “has the psychology of music

provided answers that could help explain the power of music to heal? and second, why should

4
Long, Paul, “The Poetics of Recorded Time: Listening Again to Popular Music History,” Popular music
history 12.3 (2020): 298
5
Long, Paul, “The Poetics of Recorded Time: Listening Again to Popular Music History,” Popular music
history 12.3 (2020): 313
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music therapy look to scientific psychology, or, more broadly, the cognitive sciences, for answers

to such questions at all?”6 To answer these questions, Cross explores the cognitive responses our

brain produces in response to music, delving into neurological research that highlights music as a

communicative medium. His methodical use of data and scientific terminology reflects the

conventions of a psychological research paper, separating his work from Long’s historical and

cultural analysis.

At the center of Cross’s main idea is the desire to uncover how the brain reacts with

music. He states that he intends to “explore the possibility that music, across cultures, shares

particular features as an interactive medium that endows it with the capacity to achieve these

effects.”7 In his article, Cross highlights the communication amongst individuals with

developmental issues, quoting a study on adults and children with ASD, stating that “this

premise allows music to act as an effective medium for engaging in non-verbal social

exchange…”8 He further notes that the “interaction in spontaneous speech and in music suggest

that both domains are underpinned by common temporal processes.”9 Cross’s use of scientific

and psychological jargon indicates that his target audience consists of those with a background or

interest in psychology, ethnomusicology, or the cognitive sciences. The article's evidence base

includes mostly research articles and scientific journals relating to the science behind

music-based communication, accentuating Cross’s main purpose of scientific discovery. He

employs a structured format which is typical of academic research papers, presenting several

psychological theories and experimental ideas to discover the inner workings of music within our

cognitive process. This structured configuration of the article includes a clear introduction,

6
Cross, Ian, “Music and Communication in Music Psychology,” Psychology of music 42.6 (2014): 811
7
Cross, Ian, “Music and Communication in Music Psychology,” Psychology of music 42.6 (2014): 812
8
Cross, Ian, “Music and Communication in Music Psychology,” Psychology of music 42.6 (2014): 810
9
Cross, Ian, “Music and Communication in Music Psychology,” Psychology of music 42.6 (2014): 816
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research review, methodology, and discussion - all conventions of an academic research article.

Cross’s work serves as a guideline for future ethnomusicological research with psychological

framework, as he notes “the emergence of interaction as a key theme in cognitive, behavioral and

neuroscientific research should have significant benefits for the development of music therapy.”10

Though Long’s historical approach and Cross’s more scientific position are quite

different, they intersect upon a similar theme: the power of music. Long’s study of popular music

history reveals how music captures memories over time, reflecting cultural shifts that can alter

these associations. In contrast, Cross’s approach explores the psychological aspects of music,

focusing on its effect on the human psyche and how we are able to use that connection to engage

in non-verbal communication. Despite their different methodologies, both articles place an

emphasis on music’s ability to bridge boundaries between culture and cognition. By connecting

both psychology and history together, we can gain a larger understanding on the relationship

between music, culture, and cognition. Both the historical and psychological approach to the

study of music offer an encompassing perspective that illustrates how different points of view

can help us better understand a topic. Long's "The Poetics of Recorded Time: Listening Again to

Popular Music History" and Cross's "Music and Communication in Music Psychology" offer

valuable insights into the diverse ways the study of music can be discussed and researched. By

harboring communities of interest for their own respective topics within both psychology and

history, these pieces are able to illuminate the power music holds in society while paving the way

for future exploration and discovery in these fields.

10
Cross, Ian, “Music and Communication in Music Psychology,” Psychology of music 42.6 (2014): 816
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References

Cross, Ian. “Music and Communication in Music Psychology.” Psychology of music 42.6

(2014): 809–819. https://doi.org/10.1177/0305735614543968

Long, Paul. “The Poetics of Recorded Time: Listening Again to Popular Music History.”

Popular music history 12.3 (2020): 295–315.

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