Mapping internal representations of timbre and movement in metaphorical descriptions of violin performance

Expressive performance in Western classical music relies on performers’ interpretive choices and on expressive musical terms (EMTs) such as amoroso or risoluto. These terms often draw on metaphorical language, yet it remains unclear how EMTs relate to listeners’ cross-modal descriptions of sound and movement. We investigated this question in violin performance, asking seven professional string players to evaluate short excerpts performed according to four EMT categories (Amoroso/Affettuoso, Giocoso/Animato, Risoluto/Feroce, Tristamente/Lagrimoso) and a neutral condition. Participants rated each excerpt on 26 timbre and eight movement descriptors, the latter derived from Laban Movement Analysis. Multidimensional scaling revealed three perceptual dimensions for timbre (Smoothness, Aliveness, Pureness) and a lower-dimensional structure for movement descriptors aligned with Laban effort factors. Correlation and clustering analyses showed that EMTs consistently mapped onto distinct timbre–movement profiles, with clearer associations in less ambiguous performances. These findings demonstrate that EMTs are perceptually grounded in embodied cross-modal mappings, linking auditory qualities to imagined movement. The study provides a systematic framework for understanding expressive intention in performance and offers applications in pedagogy and computational modeling.