The Musical Temperament: Psychology and Personality of Musicians

In their attempts to understand the nature of musicianship, music psychologists have generally focused their attention on cognitive processes and abilities. Although a kind of folklore has long existed in musical circles relating to personality differences between players of different instruments, this is the first book to examine the impact of personality and temperament on musicianship. After an introductory chapter which summarizes the relevant personality theories, the book deals with each fact of the musicians’ personality in turn: introversion, independence, sensitivity, anxiety, and gender issues. Different forms of musicianship (such as orchestral playing, singing and conducting) are considered next, to clarify the ways in which specific skills impact upon personality development or predispose a person towards different instruments and styles of performance.