ABSTRACT

As living human beings we are constantly in motion. Even when we try to stand absolutely still, our breathing, pulse and postural adjustments lead to motion at the micro-level. Such micromotion is small, but it is still possible to experience it in the body and it is also visible to others. This chapter reflects on such (un)conscious and (in)voluntary micromotion observed and experienced when one attempts to stand physically still, and how musical sound influences such micromotion. It talks about embodied music cognition, and the acknowledgement of a close relationship between body motion and musical sound in both the performance and the perception of music. The empirical starting point of the chapter is data gathered during three phases of the artistic–scientific research project Sverm. The Sverm project was a two-year-long exploration of physical standstill carried out with a group of professional artists, including composer–musicians, choreographer–dancers and a scenographer.