Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain – Oliver Sacks – Book Review – New York Times
I just read this review in today’s New York Times and thought I’d share it with you. I want to understand the reason music can lift a mood immediately, make you cry unexpectedly, and raise you to your feet to dance. Perhaps this book will scratch the surface to my questions.
I know that hearing music is more than just entertainment – just one note can spin you back to moments that span a life-time – to your first dance, hearing the Temptations on a winter night in a coffee shop in Baltimore, or sitting in a parking lot listening for the first time The Three Tenors and crying like a baby! How does this happen?! Just one note!
Music experiences can changed your whole course in life. When I was in second grade, I remember the class walking hand-in-hand down to the Old Glen Theater to see my first movie, The Wizard of Oz. From that day, you could hear (off key) “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” being sung was all seriousness. Then, this infatuation moved into other arts – I sketched Judy Garland in crayon, pencil and charcoal until I knew every line, every shadow by memory. This led to studying art at the university and dabbling in violin (a disaster!). The love of one song in one movie penetrated and affected my whole family! I later learned that my grandmother had a love affair with Jack Haley, the Tin Man! (So secret, that I didn’t even get an autograph!)
And now, as the years fly by, I don’t even recognize the name of the pop groups – no less being able to recite their songs. We move fast, cull what enters into our senses, stay energized learning and grateful that we can. Check out this latest book!
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+00002007-11-23T21:53:41+00:00302007b+00:00Fri, 23 Nov 2007 21:53:41 +0000 24, 2007 at 10:35 pm11 |
Hi Barbara,
Taking a break from the food and conviviality of this day, I returned to your web site to read your most recent entry about Musicophilia. Your article, and no doubt the book you review, are thought provoking.
I’ve been intending to write and tell you that our time with the Maestro in Ravello was an eye opener to me…or, should I say ‘ear’ opener? I know I’ll never listen to music, any form of music, the same again.
With curiosity sparked and a new appreciation of music composition, I recently attended the Chicago Humanities Festival’s “An Evening with Alan and Marilyn Bergman”. The Bergmans are recognized as one of the most successful lyric writing teams in history. The evening was structured in an interview format, sprinkled with Alan, Capathia Jenkins, and Lari White singing some of the songs the Bergmans wrote; with Andrew Ezrin, pianist, playing some of the songs; and with the Bergmans showing and commenting on film clips from “The Windmills of Your Mind”, “The Way We Were’ and the score of “Yentl”(their Oscar winners), plus others you’d recognize. While the entire program was mesmerizing, it was most interesting to me that the songs of past years were written to highlight a memorable event or events occurring within the film… whereas today, music appears throughout the film with no ‘one’ memorable song on the departing audience’s lips.
Apparently this program starring the Bergmans appears miscellaneous places. If you ever get a chance, don’t miss it. It is produced by Michael Kerker, Director of Musical Theater for ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers).
Enjoy the day!
Brgrds,
Jan