From time to time, I’m really, REALLY affected by certain pieces of music or art, to the point where I’m pretty much reduced to tears. This is referred to as Stendhal Syndrome and really for me, it only occurs with music; Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring will always do it, as will certain artists like Anneke van Giersbergen. I used to have similar reactions to certain hymns when I was a Christian as well. Anyone else here feels faint in the presence of beauty of any kind?
Fascinating. I am a huge fan of his writing, but had not heard of Stendhal Syndrome in relation to him.
Sorry I can’t add much - I have a deep relationship with art and find myself deeply moved in many ways, but have not experienced that physical reaction to that degree.
I’ve had what I believed to be Stendhal’s Syndrome when I first went to Nepal. Not the way you describe it - the phenomenon of being moved by art - but the “rapid heartbeat, dizziness… confusion”. Kathmandu is a riot of vibrancy and noise and just plain weirdness, particularly around the temples - thousands of brightly colored pieces of imagery of varied grotesqueness and unfamiliarity. I felt really frightened and quite unwell in the head for a couple of days. I liken it to a form of agoraphobia. I also experienced it to a milder degree during my first visit to Delhi.
I also get overwhelmed by some art, but I think that’s a different phenomenon.
I get this whenever I go to see something at the theatre. There’s just that initial sense of being moved and a little bit overwhelmed by the music and spectacle. Not sure if that’s the same as an emotional response to simply the music, though?
I’m really unsure of the precise definition, or symptoms. I pretty much equate it with anytime, on hearing or seeing something beautiful, I am no longer capable of carrying on a conversation because I’m totally swept away and unaware of things around me. Is that truly Stendhal Syndrome, or something else? I’m not sure.