Encoding Music Score Data for Emotional Expression Prediction in Western Classical Music Pieces

Music’s ability to evoke emotions has long been recognised, with specific musical features shaping listeners’ perceptions. This study investigates the relationship between symbolic musical features and perceived emotional responses (valence and arousal) in Western classical music. Focusing on 72 preludes by J.S. Bach (Baroque period), F. Chopin (Romantic period), and D. Shostakovich (Modernist period), we develop an approach to predict emotional ratings directly from symbolic music that reduces interpretation bias, while examining how compositional structures shape emotional expression. It is observed that a GRU model integrated with Dyna-Octuple feature set achieves the best trade-off between accuracy and efficiency. Segment-level analysis reveals that emotional predictions remain stable across beginning, middle, and end sections, while period-based comparisons uncover distinctive stylistic patterns: Bach’s balanced control, Chopin’s expressive emotional intensity, and Shostakovich’s contrasting emotional states. This preliminary study demonstrates how symbolic features in Western classical music can relate well to emotional responses, as well as providing insights into stylistic differences across different periods in history.