Transformational Processes in Musical Sequences and Brain States: the Drinking Scene in Otello
Abstract
Can music depict the development of a neurological process leading to impairment? This article studies the case of the progressive loss of control due to alcohol intoxication, represented musically in a scene of Verdi's opera Otello. After a first qualitative assessment, we propose a quantitative comparison between musically derived dynamics, capturing pitch and onset distributions, and a toy model of a brain transformational process. This yields a combination of parameters that makes the two dynamics comparable.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Neuroscience and Music Perception
Musicology and Musical Analysis
Music Technology and Sound Studies
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Mind and Matter
- Volume
- 23
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 181–198
- Publication date
- 1 January 2026
- Language
- EN