Title: Slow Listening
Subtitle: Musical Experience Is Quality of Life
Subject Classification:  Arts, Philosophy, Psychology  
BIC Classification: AVR, AVH, HPCB
BISAC Classification: MUS020000, PHI001000, MUS049000
Binding: Hardback, eBook
Planned publication date: Feb 2027
ISBN (Hardback): 978-1-80866-027-6
ISBN (eBook): 978-1-80866-028-3

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Description

In an age of distraction, Slow Listening champions the profound value of deep, attentive engagement with music. Using J.S. Bach’s iconic Cello Suites as a recurring case study, this book guides readers on how to cultivate a richer, more nuanced musical experience. The author expertly alternates detailed analyses of individual movements with broader thematic explorations into the nature of musical appreciation itself. Drawing on insights from aesthetics, rhetoric, cognitive science, and poetry, the book unpacks the universal mechanics of musical pleasure—the interplay of expectation and surprise, deferral and gratification, form and meaning. It argues that by learning to listen closely, we not only deepen our understanding of music but also sharpen our sensory and emotional faculties, enhancing our overall quality of life. Accompanied by a dedicated website with animated scores, Slow Listening is an essential read for anyone seeking to move beyond passive hearing to achieve a more meaningful and rewarding connection with classical music.

Biography

Author(s):  Christian Kock is Emeritus Professor of Rhetoric at the University of Copenhagen. He has published extensively in Danish and English on rhetoric, argumentation, political discourse, literary criticism and musical aesthetics and appreciation. Julie Tandrup Kock is a professional cellist who has played with the Danish National Symphony Orchestra, the Danish Chamber Orchestra, Copenhagen Philharmonic, and others. She is a graduate of the Royal Danish Academy of Music in Copenhagen.

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