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Abstract

This research stems from an initial fascination with narrative ballets choreographed to existing classical music. This thesis explores how metaphors — both linguistic and embodied—can serve as a powerful tool for building individual interpretations of piano repertoire, aligning with personal cognitive schemata.

This thesis documents a process of uncovering theoretical frameworks that explain the relationship between music, movement, and narrative, extending this understanding to the use of metaphor in the interpretation, memorisation, and performance of piano works. Central to this approach are two types of metaphor — linguistic and embodied — which emerge from an understanding of dance and musical narrativity and are employed throughout the research to deepen musical engagement. The concept of ‘performing-as’ — Inspired by Peacocke’s ‘experiencing-as’ — is introduced as a way of integrating these metaphors into performance practice.

The research employs autoethnography, phenomenology, and practice-as-research methodologies to interrogate the role of metaphor in musical interpretation. Through these approaches, the thesis investigates the interpretative processes of an actively performing pianist, both in solo practice and in collaborative creative projects. This inquiry contributes to broader aesthetic and cognitive debates—including the “performative turn” in musicology—by offering new perspectives on the intersection of musical performance, embodiment, and interpretation.

The Creative Portfolio comprises performances that apply metaphor-based interpretation in diverse contexts, including solo piano works and collaborations with dancers. The creative projects begin with experimental applications of metaphor to shorter pieces, gradually expanding to large-scale repertoire that integrates both narrative structures and dance-inspired movement. By demonstrating how metaphor shapes musical interpretation, this research contributes to interdisciplinary discussions in cognitive science, phenomenology, and music aesthetics, positioning metaphor as a central mechanism within the artistic process.

Publication Type:	Thesis (Doctoral)
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BH Aesthetics G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GV Recreation Leisure M Music and Books on Music > MT Musical instruction and study
Departments:	Doctoral Theses

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