The Evolution and Logic of Acoustic Claims for Choir Seating and Formation Plans, 1800-2007: Analysis of a Research Construct

James F. Daugherty

That placement of singers of scored voice parts in relation to singers of other such parts affects choir sound in particular ways is a proposition routinely asserted by choir conducting methods texts and a corpus of research studies whose designs presuppose that proposition. The purpose of the investigation reported here was (a) to trace the evolution and logic of such beliefs in N="547" North American and European choral methods books published between 1800 — 2007, and (b) to examine the continuing function of such claims in published empirical investigations of choral singing phenomena, 1959- present. Among primary findings of this historical and theoretical study: (a) the abiding notion that choir formation per se has inherent, universal acoustical properties was an idea whose genesis was demonstrably intertwined with habits of thought initiated during the Industrial Revolution, particularly with respect to the inventions of aesthetic autonomy, the musical “work,” and the modern symphony orchestra; (b) this idea was further elaborated as choir directors interacted with such technological innovations as the modern concert hall, the recording microphone, the radio broadcast, and portable step risers; (c) when analyzed according to canons of classical logic, arguments for the role of choir formation per se in achieving choral tone prove unsound; (d) the validity and reliability of choir formation as a construct for scientific research should be viewed with caution; and (e) the persistence of this construct may occlude research efforts to identify more accurately contours of other phenomena that may contribute acoustically to human chorusing.

James F. Daugherty, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Choral/Vocal Pedagogy The University of Kansas
Editor, International Journal of Research in Choral Singing
The University of Kansas USA
jdaugher@ku.edu
Tel: 785/832-8059
448 Murphy Hall
The University of Kansas
1530 Naismith Drive
Lawrence, KS 66045-3102