Chapter 8: A Trip Back in Time

Hello, fellow travelers! Today, we embark on a journey through time to examine how ancient civilizations understood the connections between music and human emotion! As I sifted through a bunch of literature,  I found three ideas that somewhat relate to my project. Along the way, though, I also stumbled across many unrelated yet interesting topics, like musica universalis/music of the spheres—a philosophical concept that merges celestial bodies, mathematics, and (inaudible) music/vibrations! 

Ready? Now, let’s step into the time machine and see what the ancients have to say.

The Doctrine of Affections (Affektenlehre)

A theory widely used in the Baroque Era (1600-1750), the doctrine of affections proposed that music is capable of conveying and arousing different emotions in the listener. It  revolved around the idea that manipulating different musical devices could enable the composer to create a piece that evoked certain emotions. 

In fact, the association between music and emotion actually dates back to the ancient Greeks, where the balance between the four temperaments (sanguine, choleric, melancholic, and phlegmatic) dictated one’s affections. Baroque composers, thus, examined various musical elements and their affective properties. 

In Der vollkommene Capellmeister (“The Perfect Chapelmaster”), Johann Mattheson, German composer and theorist, concludes that a major third interval is lively, a minor third mournful, a fifth bold, and a seventh pleading. He also proposes that joyful music is marked by wider intervals, while sad music is marked by narrower intervals. For tempo, Mattheson states, “Adagio expresses sadness; lamento, a lament; lento, relief; andante, hope; affettuoso, love; allegro, consolation; presto, desire…” For key signatures, Jean-Philippe Rameau, French composer and theorist, argued that C/D/A majors are joyful, F/Bb majors are disturbed and raging, G/E majors are tender and happy, D/A/E majors are grandiose and magnificent, d/g/b/e minors are sweet and gentle, c/f minors are lamenting, and f/bb minors are melancholy. 

Given these connections, many Baroque composers strategically used these three elements to convey their intended effects and feelings. 

Doctrine of Ethos & Modes

I’m sure you guys have heard of the whole ethos, pathos, logos thing. And essentially, as its title suggests, this ancient Greek doctrine explored the influence of sound (and music) on ethos (human personality, emotion, and morality). Aristotle argued that the different kinds of music that evoke specific emotions can affect one’s ethical behavior. 

On a similar note, modes, also originating from ancient Greece around the 6th century BCE, are essentially scales—each associated with a distinct sound and different emotional quality. There are 7 main modes: Ionian, the normal scales; Dorian; Phrygian; Lydian; Mixolydian; Aeolian; and Locrian. In The Republic, Plato discusses his thoughts on modes: soldiers should listen to Dorian and Phrygian modes, which evoke powerful vibes, and not Lydian and Ionian modes, which evoke dreamlike, innocent vibes—qualities unwanted in warfare. This idea reinforces the doctrine of ethos, where music is thought to impact one’s behavior and personality. 

Well, I hope you did enjoy this brief trip through time! Now that we are back in the present, see you in the next one 🙂

Sources: 

Dequina, Jezreel. “Musica Universalis: The Music Theory behind the Milky Way.” Medium, 30 Mar. 2025, medium.com/@jezreeldequina/musica-universalis-the-music-theory-behind-the-milky-way-94074e59e71b. 

“Doctrine of the Affections | Music.” Encyclopædia Britannica, 2019, www.britannica.com/art/doctrine-of-the-affections.

Dissmore, Joshua. Baroque Music and the Doctrine of Affections: Putting the Affections into Effect. 12 Apr. 2017.

‌“Greek Doctrine of Ethos | Researchomatic.” Www.researchomatic.com, www.researchomatic.com/Greek-Doctrine-Of-Ethos-2931.html.

Ravasio, Matteo. “History of Western Philosophy of Music: Antiquity to 1800.” Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Metaphysics Research Lab, Stanford University, 13 July 2021, plato.stanford.edu/entries/hist-westphilmusic-to-1800/.

‌Classic FM. “Modes: What Are They and How Do I Use Them?” Classic FM, 24 Sept. 2018, www.classicfm.com/discover-music/latest/guide-to-musical-modes/.

“Greek Modes and Emotions.” Blogspot.com, 2017, stmhumanities.blogspot.com/2017/09/greek-modes-and-emotions.html.

‌Johnson, Adam. “Notes and Emotions: The Major Modes.” Shockwave-Sound Blog and Articles, 4 May 2021, www.shockwave-sound.com/blog/notes-and-emotions-the-major-modes/.