In this groundbreaking union of art and science, rocker-turned-neuroscientist Daniel J. Levitin explores the connection between music—its performance, its composition, how we listen to it, why we enjoy it—and the human brain.
Taking on prominent thinkers who argue that music is nothing more than an evolutionary accident, Levitin poses that music is fundamental to our species, perhaps even more so than language. Drawing on the latest research and on musical examples ranging from Mozart to Duke Ellington to Van Halen, he reveals:
• How composers produce some of the most pleasurable effects of listening to music by exploiting the way our brains make sense of the world • Why we are so emotionally attached to the music we listened to as teenagers, whether it was Fleetwood Mac, U2, or Dr. Dre • That practice, rather than talent, is the driving force behind musical expertise • How those insidious little jingles (called earworms) get stuck in our head
A Los Angeles Times Book Award finalist, This Is Your Brain on Music will attract readers of Oliver Sacks and David Byrne, as it is an unprecedented, eye-opening investigation into an obsession at the heart of human nature.
By:
Daniel J. Levitin
Imprint: New American Library
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions:
Height: 201mm,
Width: 134mm,
Spine: 19mm
Weight: 266g
ISBN: 9780452288522
ISBN 10: 0452288525
Pages: 322
Publication Date: 28 August 2007
Recommended Age: From 18 years
Audience:
General/trade
,
ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active
This Is Your Brain On MusicIntroduction I Love Music and I Love ScienceWhy Would I Want to Mix the Two? 1. What Is Music? From Pitch to Timbre 2. Foot Tapping Discerning Rhythm, Loudness, and Harmony 3. Behind the Curtain Music and the Mind Machine 4. Anticipation What We Expect from Liszt (and Ludacris) 5. You Know My Name, Look Up the Number How We Categorize Music 6. After Dessert, Crick Was Still Four Seats Away from Me Music, Emotion, and the Reptilian Brain 7. What Makes a Musician? Expertise Dissected 8. My Favorite Things Why Do We Like the Music We Like? 9. The Music Instinct Evolution's #1 Hit Appendices Bibliographic Notes Acknowledgments Index
Reviews for This Is Your Brain on Music: The Science of a Human Obsession
Endlessly stimulating, a marvelous overview, and one which only a deeply musical neuroscientist could give. . . . An important book. -Oliver Sacks, M.D. I loved reading that listening to music coordinates more disparate parts of the brain than almost anything else - and playing music uses even more! Despite illuminating a lot of what goes on, this book doesn't 'spoil' enjoyment - it only deepens the beautiful mystery that is music. -David Byrne, founder of Talking Heads and author of How Music Works Levitin is a deft and patient explainer of the basics for the non-scientist as well as the non-musician. . . . By tracing music's deep ties to memory, Levitin helps quantify some of music's magic without breaking its spell. -Los Angeles Times Book Review
- Winner of CINE Special Jury Prize for Arts and Culture.
- Winner of Quill Award.
- Winner of Rockie Award Nominee.
