News
ENLARGE
We differ in only 1.5 percent of our DNA from chimps and 2.3 percent from gorillas. What make us uniquely human is the arts, especially music.
The ability to follow a beat is called beat induction. Chimpanzees — our closest primate relatives — are not capable of beat induction, which is considered a uniquely human trait. We hear music, we clap along. Music becomes faster or slower, and we can dance to it.
All human cultures have music. Primitive man like Cro-Magnon had instruments like flutes and rattles. Primitive tribes learned to pull skins tightly over gourds to make drums or pluck taut strings. Human art and music is non-utilitarian and is for the most part purely for aesthetic pleasure. Bird song serves to mark territory or woo a mate, although many forms of human dance do have erotic movements. Whales and dolphins sing in chorus, but is it purely for aesthetic pleasure? Researchers believe humpback whale songs are complex messages to other whales that can be heard for up to 1,000 miles. Only suppressive cultures or religious groups seem to ban music and dance. When the Taliban were pushed out of Afghanistan, there were reports of celebrating by making music and dancing in the streets.
Music has evolved along with human civilizations. The ability to create and enjoy music is a universal human trait and plays an important role in the daily life of most cultures. Old cultures like India, China and some parts of Middle East have a very long history, and their music is far more intricate and complex than some of their Western counterparts. For example in India, there are two main forms of music, distinct in tonic quality and geographical location. Different scales and styles of play portray different moods. In Western music there are only two main scales (major and minor), on which all of their music is based.
Music is called the universal language of the world for many reasons. Music, like any other language, can express any and every type of emotion. Music can create images without using words. Studies have shown that when children are exposed to music during the early years, the learning process is enhanced by promoting language development, creativity, coordination and social interaction. Music has a unique ability to trigger memories, awaken emotions and to intensify social experiences. We do not need to be trained in music performance or appreciation to be able to reap its benefits, and as infants, we relate to it spontaneously. T
There has been an interest in neuro-imaging, which is the neural basis of musical experience. It has been suggested that music, like language, involves an intimate coupling between the perception, the production of sequential information and the ability to communicate meaning and emotion. Most experts now agree that a link between music and math or science exists. It is weakest when a person simply listens to music, and strongest when learning an instrument or composing music. Playing an instrument exercises large swaths of the brain, and combines visual, motor and auditory skills. It's in the act of coordinating all of your senses and remembering it. A good friend of mine was very involved in Art Magnet Schools and curricula which integrate all of the major study areas in schools and the arts.
Shakespeare said, “If music be the food of life, play on.”
Dr. Joanne Stolen is retired from Rutgers University where she taught microbiology. Her scientific interests are in emerging infectious diseases and environmental pollution. She lives in Breckenridge.
The ability to follow a beat is called beat induction. Chimpanzees — our closest primate relatives — are not capable of beat induction, which is considered a uniquely human trait. We hear music, we clap along. Music becomes faster or slower, and we can dance to it.
All human cultures have music. Primitive man like Cro-Magnon had instruments like flutes and rattles. Primitive tribes learned to pull skins tightly over gourds to make drums or pluck taut strings. Human art and music is non-utilitarian and is for the most part purely for aesthetic pleasure. Bird song serves to mark territory or woo a mate, although many forms of human dance do have erotic movements. Whales and dolphins sing in chorus, but is it purely for aesthetic pleasure? Researchers believe humpback whale songs are complex messages to other whales that can be heard for up to 1,000 miles. Only suppressive cultures or religious groups seem to ban music and dance. When the Taliban were pushed out of Afghanistan, there were reports of celebrating by making music and dancing in the streets.
Music has evolved along with human civilizations. The ability to create and enjoy music is a universal human trait and plays an important role in the daily life of most cultures. Old cultures like India, China and some parts of Middle East have a very long history, and their music is far more intricate and complex than some of their Western counterparts. For example in India, there are two main forms of music, distinct in tonic quality and geographical location. Different scales and styles of play portray different moods. In Western music there are only two main scales (major and minor), on which all of their music is based.
Music is called the universal language of the world for many reasons. Music, like any other language, can express any and every type of emotion. Music can create images without using words. Studies have shown that when children are exposed to music during the early years, the learning process is enhanced by promoting language development, creativity, coordination and social interaction. Music has a unique ability to trigger memories, awaken emotions and to intensify social experiences. We do not need to be trained in music performance or appreciation to be able to reap its benefits, and as infants, we relate to it spontaneously. T
There has been an interest in neuro-imaging, which is the neural basis of musical experience. It has been suggested that music, like language, involves an intimate coupling between the perception, the production of sequential information and the ability to communicate meaning and emotion. Most experts now agree that a link between music and math or science exists. It is weakest when a person simply listens to music, and strongest when learning an instrument or composing music. Playing an instrument exercises large swaths of the brain, and combines visual, motor and auditory skills. It's in the act of coordinating all of your senses and remembering it. A good friend of mine was very involved in Art Magnet Schools and curricula which integrate all of the major study areas in schools and the arts.
Shakespeare said, “If music be the food of life, play on.”
Dr. Joanne Stolen is retired from Rutgers University where she taught microbiology. Her scientific interests are in emerging infectious diseases and environmental pollution. She lives in Breckenridge.
