Transcriber's note: This version of the text cannot represent certain typographical effects. Italics are delimited with the '_' character as _italic_. The few minor errors, attributable to the printer, have been corrected. Please see the transcriber's note at the end of this text for details regarding the handling of any textual issues encountered during its preparation. Why We Love Music BY CARL E. SEASHORE Professor of Psychology and Dean Emeritus of the Graduate College The State University of Iowa OLIVER DITSON COMPANY THEODORE PRESSER CO., DISTRIBUTORS BRYN MAWR, PENNSYLVANIA Copyright MCMXLI by Oliver Ditson Company International Copyright Secured Printed in the United States of America PREFACE The magazine, _Time_, commenting on my new book, _The Psychology of Music_[A], spoke approvingly of the scientific contributions to music, but gibed that, "psychologists have not explained why we love music." As a reply to that I wrote a note, _Why Do We Love Music?_[B] This seemed to call for a wider excursion implementing the views there taken, as in the present Chapter I. That, in turn, led to the writing of the remainder of this volume, in which each chapter deals with some of the salient factors involved in the development of feeling for music. These ventures digress from my habitual style of writing, as a technical psychologist, in that I frequently indulge in generalizations and predictions in a practical and popular vein. The attempt to interpret and evaluate present tendencies in the region of forward movements in music naturally takes me into unexplored territory and will stimulate questioning on the part of promoters of various interest in the field. I hold no brief for infallibility of the positions taken, except to say that they are my convictions at the present moment. While they are not direct reports of scientific experiments in the laboratory or the studio, they may be regarded as an extension or interpretation based upon scientific experiments and observations. It is hoped that they may serve as hypotheses or at least a challenge for investigation and practical trial. The reader must judge what is new and what is true from his point of view. Many of the things I advocate are in an experimental stage and in advance of current prevailing practice. This is the reason for presenting them. My aim has been to tease out those elements in the musical situation which help to make music function in our lives and be appreciated.