The swan-song phenomenon: last-works effects for 172 classical composers

Area of Science:

• Musicology
• Psychology of Creativity
• Gerontology

Background:

• Creative individuals may alter their artistic output in later life.
• The concept of a 'swan song' effect in classical music is explored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantitatively assess aesthetic changes in the last works of classical composers.
• To investigate if a 'last-works effect' influences musical attributes.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of 1,919 works by 172 classical composers.
• Evaluation of seven aesthetic attributes (e.g., melodic originality, repertoire popularity).
• Statistical controls for age, eminence, and productivity using hierarchical regression.

Main Results:

• Last works showed decreased melodic originality and performance duration.
• Last works demonstrated increased repertoire popularity and aesthetic significance.
• These effects persisted after controlling for confounding variables.

Conclusions:

• A distinct 'last-works effect' is evident in classical music composition.
• This effect involves shifts towards greater popularity and significance, with reduced originality and duration.