Motion, Emotion, and Love: The Nature of Artistic Performance

by Thomas Carson Mark

Dynamically transforming the elements of any performing artist’s craft, this practical guide is a must-have for musicians, dancers, and actors. The handbook shows how artistic performance is embodied in the unification of three critical elements—motion, emotion, and love—demonstrating how it offers experiences and opportunities distinct from the nonperforming arts. Step-by-step guidelines are provided for building intentional and inspirational practice time, thereby enhancing the relationships between the source, the performer, and the audience. Illustrating how intentional movement invokes emotions from both the performer and the audience and how the concept of love gives a performance humanity and life, this eye-opening exploration creates pathways for achieving true artistry.

Genres: Nonfiction, Music

256 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2012

Reviews

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was recommended to me by my guitar teacher and it was appropriately eye-opening, addressing many of the philosophical issues as well as technical and performative issues in my playing as a classical guitarist. It is very clear that Thomas Mark got an education in philosophy as he meticulously - and by the end of the book, comprehensively - develops an argument detail by detail to make it as air-tight as possible.

Some points come as a great relief to me, and some points come more reinforced than discovered but in a philosophically secure way that will leave the reader reassured in some of their more intuitive convictions. It provides a roadmap not just for instrumentalists but performance artists writ large on important next steps; for me, I am definitely going to read his other book, What Every Pianist Needs to Know About the Body despite not being a pianist as it will still apply to guitarists. I find its approach about incorporating emotion into performance, and its wholesale deconstruction of metaphorical myth-making in music lessons, incredibly clarifying. We are indeed able to cognitively think about emotions without feeling them to convey them to another human being, thank goodness.

It's given me also lots of guideposts not just on learning music, but how to learn music. By introducing a new conceptual framework for introducing motion and body mapping into practice I have a road map to a more stable route to understanding and internalizing a piece. I felt I was hitting a wall with the strategies at my disposal, so hopefully this book will spur the growth I want and strive for as a musician.

[Bridget · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a non-fiction book but a must-read for anyone who is an artist or who appreciates the arts. It is full of "Aha" moments. As I was reading, many things I knew but couldn't express or fully understand were explained and reasoned in remarkably clear and easy-to-read language. It helped me realize specifically what makes a performance successful and why others fall short. It has made me more fully understand my own musicianship and appreciate other artists of all genres. I have read it twice!

[Gloria · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author is a pianist and thus the focus is on piano performance; however, the concepts apply to all artistic efforts. This is a somewhat formal, studious approach to performance in all its aspects. The intention is to help individuals acquire good habits, practice and perform mindfully, and engage audiences. Mind, body and spirit must work together for the best results. Perhaps most helpful is how people approach their art in practice, and how differently they might do that in performance.