Out To The Stars, Into The Heart: Spatial Movement in Recent and
Earlier Music The work of child psychologist Jean Piaget
describes the gradual unfolding of the perceived world as a
youngster ages. After a year or so, the baby begins to grab
things and soon walks, talks, and covers even more space. The
mature adult is fascinated with the lives of others as well as
the heavens and the rich interior distances of the psyche where
immediate physical circumstances may drive one less. In some
systems of thought (e.g., Buddhism) this gradual opening of the
spatial sense itself (as non-relativistic “presence” per se)
becomes an aspect of enlightenment. There is an almost
irresistible psychological imperative to move the body toward
the source of any sound, especially those within the frequency
range of a human voice (e.g., the so-called Cocktail Party
effect where you are able to pick out your name whispered across
a crowded, noisy room). Throughout history many instruments and
vocal styles were invented to transmit