Sound and Music : For the Pleasure of the Brain

Sound and Music explores the effects of music on emotion and reason from a psychological point of view. Jack Orbach examines the brain of the listener, performer, and composer, engaged in hearing, feeling, understanding, and enjoying musical compositions. He follows the development of music, beginning with the Greek philosopher Pythagoras, who first studied music scientifically, through what is known about music as a science today. Orbach begins with the basic physics of music, and advances into the components as music comes together from different sounds, effecting the mind of those who hear it. He also details the organization of music as it was ordered and manipulated, including musical aptitude in relation to intelligence, while examining the popular methods of training and the mind's response to these processes. Finally, he presents the place of musical therapy throughout history, as well as a comparison of musical practices in various parts of the world.