ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the communication of expressivity and artistic individuality in keyboard performance, using as a starting point Kendall R. A and Carterette E. C'.s tripartite model of musical communication. Two studies on the perception of artistic individuality identified instrument-specific cues to individuality, such as articulation in organ performance and onset asynchrony in harpsichord music, in addition to confirming the role of global tempo as a major cue used by listeners to discriminate between performers. A third study, based on a semi-improvisatory musical genre that does not specify notated durations, showed that melodic expectation is statistically predictive of variation in expressive timing in performance, which itself predicts listeners' continuous ratings of perceived musical tension. The chapter highlights the scientific value of an experimental, quantitatively grounded approach to the investigation of communication in music performance and emphasizes the importance of using a theoretical framework that considers the interactions among musical score, performer, and listener.
