Response #1

In the article Notation and the Art of Reading by Karl Young the idea that kinesthesia and notation need to go hand in hand is explored using examples of different cultures and time periods.

One of the first types of notation he discusses dates back to the era of the Aztecs. He called them preliterate because they used books filled with images instead of words to instill the information in their memories. These books could be used to read privately as from religious books or publicly like the reading of epics. Both of these would require the use of kinesthetics as they would be either sung or read aloud. Unlike many other peoples the Aztecs did not use this form of notation to learn but to deepen already instilled knowledge.

A second type of notation discussed in the article came from the Chinese around 810A.D. They would write and paint poems not just on paper but on cliffs and buildings as well. This artwork would be read by many people who would even travel lengthy distances to view the poetry that would mesh with the landscape. This is a good example of how writing does not have to be done only on flat surfaces.

A third example explored was the use of manuscripts in 17th century England. The penmanship of these did not compare to that of Chinese calligraphy but the quill pens used still added expression and even emotion to the text. Reading these required some skill and even at times theatrical gestures. Simple movement of the mouth into words would not suffice in satisfying the author’s intentions and would simply lose most if not all of the depth of the content. When someone was reading a poem from a manuscript or other source they would often times incorporate some type of musical accompaniment, a practice shared with the Chinese and Aztecs. Poems were rehearsed and memorized and not a simple or quick task.