A Comparison of Music Characteristics of Funeral Music from Croatia, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom

• DOI: 10.31820/pt.32.1.12
• Publication Date: 2023-05-05T08:15:06Z
• Authors: Waldie E. Hanser; Ruth E. Mark; Ad J. J. M. Vinge...
• Keywords: Kingdom

Music forms an integral and essential part of funeral rituals worldwide, but has to date received little systematic research attention. Recent investigations into music used in the Netherlands showed that it is lower tempo valence, less energetic, more acoustic than popular music. Funeral also often a major mode. The present study sought replicate these findings for Dutch (NL) sample expand upon previous knowledge by investigating audio features provided Spotify, namely: energy, tempo, acousticness, instrumentalness, mode, danceability samples from Croatia (HR) United Kingdom (UK). First, values characteristics HR, N = 388 pieces, NL, 500 UK, 439 were compared control each country separately. Previous replicated: displayed similar pattern as described above. Second, Spotify between countries. Analyses revealed significant differences NL/UK namely valence energy higher acousticness (only HR-UK) instrumentalness HR. Effect sizes were, however, small are likely due selections. These results suggest that, even though there much diversity pieces songs, within across European countries alike different terms its characteristics.