Does Schema Theory Apply to Music

Perhaps the most overlooked sub-genre of music theory in undergraduate programs, schema theory is the belief that a person establishes a set of expectations when they find themselves in familiar situations.  Two relevant readings pertaining to schema theory in music are David Huron’s eleventh chapter of Sweet Anticipation: Music and the Psychology of Expectation, and Janet Bourne’s “Perceiving Irony in Music: The problem in Beethoven’s String Quartets”.  Huron’s writings reflect a psychological focus on how people utilize schema, while Bourne’s article depicts schema violation and musical irony.  After much reflection, Huron’s ideas resulted in an exploration of how schemas are utilized in jazz, and Bourne’s methods raised curiosity as to whether enough attention was paid to the poietic dimension of Beethoven’s op. 95.

Huron’s article focuses on determining how schemata are selected, and how long it takes for people to shift from one schema to another.  Referring to schema selection, he notes the importance of environment as he writes: “We comply with the family doctor who asks to take a look in our ears, but we would be dumbfounded if the same request were made by a taxi driver or bank teller.”  He explains these social and environmental markers serve as cues and play a vital role in selecting schema.  In music, he argues things like instrumentation are cues a listener might use to select a schema before the music even starts.  Huron also discusses how listeners can quickly shift schema in the absence of cues:  “A switch from Calypso to Beijing opera might be wholly unexpected, but I doubt that the switch would take more than a few seconds…”  He develops this standpoint by calling attention to the many genres of music requiring quick schema shifts.  In the style of “theme and variation” some variations simply begin in the relative (major or minor) mode with no indication of a sudden key change.  However, while abrupt harmonic shifts are effective in surprising the audience, Bourne explores other results which can occur when a composer violates an audience’s expectations.

In her elaborate writings, Bourne uses Beethoven’s op. 95 as the primary focus to study the effects of schema violations and musical irony.  Bourne begins by clarifying the relation between musical irony and schema, claiming: “The first step of the framework for understanding musical irony is analyzing violation of expectation, which depends on common ground between composer and listeners. To pry into the common musical ground of Beethoven and his learned audiences, I use theories of form, convention, and genre to analyze violation of expectation…”. Throughout her article, she dives into specific analysis of the theories mentioned above and identifies methods used in Beethoven’s op. 95 which are consistent with those used in his previous works.  She explains how the established common ground is shattered in the uncharacteristic coda of op. 95, creating musical irony.  She clarifies an appropriate definition of irony as she references: “Hatten describes irony as ‘a higher-order trope inaugurated by the contradiction between what is claimed (or observed, or done), and a content that cannot support its reality (or appropriateness)…there has to be a potential for reversal in interpreting what is ‘really meant’ by word or deed.’”  Certainly, there is potential for reversal in the overall interpretation of op. 95 as a result of the musical language contained in its coda.  A contradiction occurs between what is observed in the previous sections of the piece in comparison to the coda.  Thus, Bourne concludes musical irony as a “compelling way” to justify the sounds of this opera buffa coda.

Upon thorough reflection on Huron’s points, I began to ponder how schemas play a role in jazz combos.  Typically consisting of 3-6 players, a combo’s spontaneity and sophistication of improvisation measures their overall proficiency within the art form.  Therefore, one can deduce that jazz musicians must practice hearing and shifting schema to become more proficient in these settings.  This aligns with some of Huron’s thoughts on quick schema shifting: “It is probably the case that the speed of schema switching is related to past experience. Listeners who have experienced considerable schema switching are probably more adept.”  Based on my experiences in these settings, it is common for a tune’s groove, tempo, key, and/or meter to abruptly shift as a result of a combo member wanting to explore new territory mid song.  Subsequently, the other players must shift schema to match the new style.  For example, in a swing groove, a player can indicate that they want to double the tempo by evening out the swing of their eighth notes.  If the other combo players are listening, they will hear this cue and shift schema to “double time feel” upon reaching the next phrase.  After further reflection, I formed a second belief that there is an overarching “jazz schema” with which other sub-schema (like the “double time feel schema”) reside in.  When a combo switches to double time feel, listeners remain in the “jazz schema” because they recognize the sound of shifting to double time as common in jazz environments.  I refer back to Huron’s description how we would not question a doctor asking to look in our ears.  Similarly, this “request” of jazz musicians switching to double time feel is a perfectly normal request of a seasoned jazz audience—perhaps indicating that no shift in schema occurs.

While most of my reflection on Huron’s reading is in agreement, I feel some hesitation fully indoctrinating Bourne’s interpretation of schema violation and musical irony into my own practices.  I feel Borne’s analysis focuses heavily on the neutral dimensions of Beethoven’s works and contains minimal inclusion of the poietic dimension.  Borne seems to attribute the sudden style change in the coda of Beethoven’s op. 95 to musical irony.  While this may be true, I think it should not be ruled out that Beethoven’s creation of an opera buffa coda may be stemmed in personal turmoil.  In 1798 he began loosing his hearing and neared total deafness by 1810…the year he completed op. 95.  With this knowledge, perhaps Beethoven was not illustrating irony in the confines of schema, but of destiny.  How ironic is it to possess such immense talent as a composer, just to have one’s hearing taken away?  It would explain the seriousness of the piece foregoing the coda, symbolizing an ability to employ his gifts with functional hearing; and the comedic nature of the coda foreshadows how he believes listeners will interpret his music once his hearing is taken away.  Maybe the immense influence of personal turmoil is why Beethoven did not want the piece performed, as Bourne notes: “…the coda of op. 95’s finale ‘has baffled many a dedicated Beethovenian’. Perhaps this is why Beethoven suggested the quartet never be performed in public.”  Evidently, there are multiple ways to speculate the reasoning behind op. 95’s coda.  Therefore, one could presume that an analysis within the lens of schema theory alone omits other essential elements necessary for a complete analysis.  

In summary, Huron’s eleventh chapter of Sweet Anticipation Music and the Psychology of Expectation studies the psychological nature of schemas in audiences while Bourne’s article highlights the practical application of schema violation and musical irony.  Their writings ignited a personal exploration of schemas in music, including  how they are utilized in jazz, as well as balancing schema theory with other methods of analysis whilst theorizing decisions of a composer.  In conjunction with other methods, these readings exhibit that including schema theory in one’s musical experiences provokes a deeper understanding of the art.  Alas, with a conscious attention to schema selection enabled, enhanced observation is attained for both musician and listener alike.

Bibliography

Bourne, Janet. “Perceiving Irony in Music: The problem in Beethoven’s String Quartets.” Society for Music Theory (September 2016): 1–26. 

Huron, David. “Chapter 11: Genres, Schemas, and Firewalls” In Sweet Anticipation: Music and the Psychology of Expectation, 203-218 Cambridge MIT Press, 2006.