Masterpieces in music and literature: Historiometric inquiries

Journal/Book: Creativity Res J. 1998; 11: 10 Industrial Ave, Mahwah, NJ 07430-2262. Lawrence Erlbaum Assoc Inc. 103-110.

Abstract: Having taken a class from Rudolf Arnheim during my graduate days at Harvard University, I can take this experience as the point of departure for describing a research program that departs appreciably from that of my former teacher Rather than the single-case, qualitative, and interpretative approach favored by Arnheim, I argued for a multiple-case, quantitative, and hypothesis-testing approach-the historiometric analysis of artistic products. The advantages of such historiometric analyses are then illustrated by reviewing key findings in three separate domains: Western classical music, dramatic and poetic literature, and opera. I also discussed whether these same techniques can be usefully applied to the visual arts, the domain that most interested Arnheim.

Note: Article Simonton DK, Univ Calif Davis, Dept Psychol, 1 Shields Ave, Livermore,CA 95616 USA

Keyword(s): COMPUTER-CONTENT-ANALYSIS; TIME-SERIES ANALYSIS; CLASSICAL COMPOSERS; MELODIC ORIGINALITY; SHAKESPEARE SONNETS; THEMATIC FAME; CREATIVITY; AGE; EVOLUTION; EMINENCE

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