Beauty of Melancholia - Neuroscience of Music Cognition

This study investigates the relationship between the neuroaesthetics of sadness and melancholy in music with perceived beauty and enjoyment. Though these experiences may initially seem opposing, this research explores the positive correlation between melancholic music and its perceived beauty among a diverse group of participants. The participants’ levels of empathy were measured in advance, providing background data to better understand why beauty and sadness may be linked in the brain. Upon listening to ‘sad’ music, participants across all empathy levels reported feeling moved, nostalgic, insightful, and relaxed. These feelings, in turn, were highly correlated with perceptions of beauty and enjoyment—even more so in those with higher levels of empathy. Findings suggest that listeners perceive sad music to be beautiful due to the complex, multistage emotional journey which leads to more positively-associated emotions such as relaxation, enchantment, and awe. This study emphasizes that it is not the melancholy itself which the brain finds pleasing, but rather the uniquely human emotional experience evoked by such music that makes it sound so beautiful.