Live musical performances trigger a stronger emotional response than listening to music from a device. This was revealed by a study by the University of Zurich, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Researchers measured real-time activity in the amygdala of 27 listeners and the performer of the musical pieces using magnetic resonance imaging. Based on these measurements, the pianist immediately adapted his performance to further intensify the audience's emotions. To compare reactions, listeners were then played a recording of the same music performed by the same musician.