The Power of Sound: The 2016 Presidential Campaign

By: Justin Patch (Vassar College) // The modern political campaign is an emotional and sensory affair. It is not rational or reasonable, nor is it concerned with presenting best policies and practices for governance, fostering the greatest good for all, or sensibly managing the world’s largest economy. Instead, campaigns appeal to pathos, optimism, nationalism, and …

Audible Interiors: Music and Emotion in the Hollywood Film Score

By: Stephan Prock (New Zealand School of Music) // Music in film has the power to make audible the emotions, thoughts, and desires of characters on screen. During the silent film era, music was often continuously performed to convey the feeling of a scene because, though their words might be displayed on the screen, characters could …