Art and Emotions

ABSTRACT The article explores the different routes by which art, and especially music conveys and arouses emotions. Apart from the three formerly discussed routes: the narrative route of narration‐identification, the direct route of isomorphism and the indirect route of ego mastery, a fourth route is presented, based on the emotions produced by the listener himself as the result of his active attempt to process the musical input in his mind. This is a “Meta emotion” reflecting the sum‐total of all the disparate and opposing emotions conveyed or aroused by means of the other three routes. The point is made that the assimilation of classical polyphonic music, demands an active effort on the part of the listener. The same is true of other higher rank arts, each one of which has developed its specific means to transmit a wide spectrum of diverse emotions simultaneously. Attached to this challenge, there is the promise of earning a new experience – a Meta‐emotion emanating from the ability to integrate the contrarieties inside us. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.