Polyphonic Spaces: Archaeoacoustics, Affective Atmospheres, and 4E Music Cognition

This study examines the role of spatial, acoustic, and environmental factors in shaping musical thought and considers how their integration can inform a methodological reconceptualisation of music theory. It proposes an interdisciplinary framework that unites musical analysis, archaeoacoustics, and 4E cognition (embodied, embedded, enacted, extended) to investigate the interplay between sound, space, and cognition. A diachronic analysis of medieval sacred spaces demonstrates that specific acoustic conditions directly influenced compositional strategies. The transition from domus ecclesiae to early Christian basilicas and subsequently to Gothic cathedrals was accompanied by a significant increase in reverberation time and a reduction in speech intelligibility, facilitating the shift from spoken liturgy to chant and ultimately to polyphonic composition (Baumann 2024; Cirillo & Martellotta 2011). In this context, the organa of the Notre- Dame school can be reinterpreted through an archaeoacoustic lens: the temporal elongation of the vox principalis and the melismatic design of the vox organalis in high registers appear as compositional strategies adapted to the frequency distribution of reverberation and the propagation characteristics of architectural space. Comparative analysis with secular settings reveals acoustically distinct environments, characterised by enhanced clarity and controlled reflections, which supported monodic, accompanied forms and a heightened rhythmictextual articulation. These findings suggest a structural correlation between spatial configuration and musical organisation. The theoretical framework is further elaborated through the concepts of affective niches and atmospheres, alongside Sloterdijk’s (2009) notion of “spheres” as dynamic environmental constructs. In dialogue with soundscape ecology and the concept of biophony (Krause 2012), music is construed as a distributed and situated cognitive phenomenon. Consequently, this study advances a model of musical theory conceived as a methodologically polyphonic field, wherein analysis, perception, and environmental context collaboratively contribute to the construction of musical meaning.