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Theme and Variations: Musical Notes by a Neurologist
A fascinating glimpse into the mysterious workings of music on the human brain. Part neuroscience, part memoir, Theme and Variations makes the latest evidence about how we process music in our minds accessible to every reader. Through his own experiences, the author, a musician and neurologist, shows us how he came to understand the importance of music in his life-in all of our lives-revealing a number of surprises that will fascinate physicians, musicians and the music-loving public alike, answering such questions as Can music heal? delay dementia? comfort the terminally ill? Can music make kids smarter or better students? Why have homo sapiens made music since the origin of our species? Music, Dr. Ellenberger tells us, is an affirmative medium that stimulates us to imagine and embrace our fullest human potential.
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First published October 30, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
November 9, 2018
This book fascinated me as soon as I read the blurb on NetGalley. I have no medical knowledge and I won't pretend I understood all of what this doctor was trying to tell us through this book.
The book is in two parts, Part One - Music in the Brain and Part Two - Reflections on a Musical Life. Chapters include questions such as: Why There is Music?, Can Learning Music Make Us Smarter? and Can Music Heal? The author looks at these questions in depth and includes many references for further reading and follow up.
I am at my happiest with soft music playing whilst I read, but prefer upbeat pop/rock music when I am doing housework. There are few times where I don't have music on around the house and my taste in music varies as wide as is possible with my music collection having something from each genre in todays world.
I think we all enjoy some quiet time with music and we individually know which tracks will make us feel better depending on our mood at that current time. This book looks into the reasons why. There are chapters that look at more serious medical conditions and ask can music be of any assistance to those suffering with Alzheimers, Dementia and Parkinson's as well as many other conditions.
Thank you to NetGalley and Sunacumen Press for the opportunity to read and review this novel prior to publication.
The book is in two parts, Part One - Music in the Brain and Part Two - Reflections on a Musical Life. Chapters include questions such as: Why There is Music?, Can Learning Music Make Us Smarter? and Can Music Heal? The author looks at these questions in depth and includes many references for further reading and follow up.
I am at my happiest with soft music playing whilst I read, but prefer upbeat pop/rock music when I am doing housework. There are few times where I don't have music on around the house and my taste in music varies as wide as is possible with my music collection having something from each genre in todays world.
I think we all enjoy some quiet time with music and we individually know which tracks will make us feel better depending on our mood at that current time. This book looks into the reasons why. There are chapters that look at more serious medical conditions and ask can music be of any assistance to those suffering with Alzheimers, Dementia and Parkinson's as well as many other conditions.
Thank you to NetGalley and Sunacumen Press for the opportunity to read and review this novel prior to publication.
May 30, 2020
2.5 stars. Most of the first section of the book is really good, with lots of information about research on neurobiology, psychology and cognitive sciences related to music.
By the end of the second section though things start going adrift, with a bunch of anecdotes that are not really related to anything but the musical personal experiences of the author.
The only other big issue is the disdain of the author by any other music beyond what’s considered classical: the assumption that music of the last 50-60 is of lower quality, simpler than classical music tells more about the author’s ignorance than about the music (think about Zappa, Mahavishnu or King Crimson just to name a few well known rock/jazz acts). Moreover, there is a chapter about not knowing who Prince was. I understand you may not like his music, but for a book published in 2018, it shows the author has missed lots of what has happened in music in the last half century.
Other than that, it was good, if only the first half.
By the end of the second section though things start going adrift, with a bunch of anecdotes that are not really related to anything but the musical personal experiences of the author.
The only other big issue is the disdain of the author by any other music beyond what’s considered classical: the assumption that music of the last 50-60 is of lower quality, simpler than classical music tells more about the author’s ignorance than about the music (think about Zappa, Mahavishnu or King Crimson just to name a few well known rock/jazz acts). Moreover, there is a chapter about not knowing who Prince was. I understand you may not like his music, but for a book published in 2018, it shows the author has missed lots of what has happened in music in the last half century.
Other than that, it was good, if only the first half.
February 18, 2022
In 1973 Leonard Bernstein gave a series of six intriguing lectures on music at Harvard under the collective title of ‘The unanswered Question’, itself borrowed from the title of Charles Ive’s, eponymous chamber piece, which, it has been suggested, Ives, himself, borrowed from Emerson’s poem, ‘The Sphinx’, ‘Thou art the Unanswered Question’. Bernstein opens his first lecture with the question, ‘Whither music?’
In a sense this book covers similar, if not exactly the same, ground: the author opens his introduction with two questions: what and why is music? Being a musician and neurologist, he sticks quite closely, in Part 1 of this two-part book, to describing recent developments in imaging technology, and the like, and its application to revealing what it can tell us about how human beings respond to music as evidenced by what we can see going on in our brains while we think about, play or compose it. This isn’t as dry as it might seem since he illustrates his descriptions anecdotally from his own professional experience and from published research, particularly in the field of neuroplasticity. The plus-side to all this is that thinking about, playing or composing music actually makes our brains bigger and improves our performance in other fields of cerebral endeavour too.
Part 2 moves away from neurology and comprises a series of essays on a variety of music related aspects of both the author’s professional and personal lives. For example, there is a short but informative foray into the history of Russian music and the influence of the Russian Orthodox Church on its development.
If you are a music lover and interested in the effects it has on us and why, you should find reading this extremely well-written, engaging, and educative book a very pleasurable experience.
In a sense this book covers similar, if not exactly the same, ground: the author opens his introduction with two questions: what and why is music? Being a musician and neurologist, he sticks quite closely, in Part 1 of this two-part book, to describing recent developments in imaging technology, and the like, and its application to revealing what it can tell us about how human beings respond to music as evidenced by what we can see going on in our brains while we think about, play or compose it. This isn’t as dry as it might seem since he illustrates his descriptions anecdotally from his own professional experience and from published research, particularly in the field of neuroplasticity. The plus-side to all this is that thinking about, playing or composing music actually makes our brains bigger and improves our performance in other fields of cerebral endeavour too.
Part 2 moves away from neurology and comprises a series of essays on a variety of music related aspects of both the author’s professional and personal lives. For example, there is a short but informative foray into the history of Russian music and the influence of the Russian Orthodox Church on its development.
If you are a music lover and interested in the effects it has on us and why, you should find reading this extremely well-written, engaging, and educative book a very pleasurable experience.
November 9, 2018
Seldom do you find an author who is so competent in two fields (music and neurology) and who possesses the ability to integrate them in such a way that the reader is not only more knowledgeable but awestruck. This is what Dr. Carl Ellenberger has done in this book. He uses his lifetime experiences in both areas to bring together a clear understanding of the effects of music on the brain. Not only is this book based on evidence from many sources (well referenced), but neurological terms new to the uninformed reader are defined as they are used.
The author provides very good evidence to support the notion of when learning music is most robust for individuals. I now have more reasons to be grateful to my parents, who supported my years of violin lessons as a youngster.
The chapter titles are very enticing, such as "Love: A Neuromusical Rhapsody." Of special interest to me was "Music and Dance vs Parkinson's. But you will have to find your own favorites.
The second part of the book is devoted to the author's amazing musical experiences, including the founding of Gretna Music, which has lasted more than 40 years. And during those years Dr. Ellenberger has been intimately involved in programs, performers and performances. Enjoy the read.
The author provides very good evidence to support the notion of when learning music is most robust for individuals. I now have more reasons to be grateful to my parents, who supported my years of violin lessons as a youngster.
The chapter titles are very enticing, such as "Love: A Neuromusical Rhapsody." Of special interest to me was "Music and Dance vs Parkinson's. But you will have to find your own favorites.
The second part of the book is devoted to the author's amazing musical experiences, including the founding of Gretna Music, which has lasted more than 40 years. And during those years Dr. Ellenberger has been intimately involved in programs, performers and performances. Enjoy the read.
November 17, 2018
Theme and Variations: Musical Notes by a Neurologist is a very thorough exploration of music and its effect on us humans. It provided a lot of background history and journey of music. Musicians and regular people were explored on the music topic. Questions of how and why music affects us and why specific ones are more suited to others is explored. It was quite the experience. Most of the information provided was above me. However, I was able to relate and understand some of the content. I knew the purpose of this book. While Theme and Variations answered many questions, it still left other bigger ones in its wake. Will we ever truly know if music can help those suffering from Alzheimer's and Parkinson's the way it does for the newborn's brain growth? Maybe...but more work still needs to be done. It also depends on the individual. Overall, this book was deep, thoughtful, and gave more information on music than most books do. I recommend Carl Ellenberger, MD's book to all readers. There is plenty to learn from this read.
I received this copy from the publisher. This is my voluntary review.
I received this copy from the publisher. This is my voluntary review.
November 17, 2018
Simply put, Theme and Variations: Musical Notes by a Neurologist is wonderful. Carl Ellenberger manages to appeal to both experts and the relatively unitiated ("long ears and short ears," to paraphrase Mozart), defining complex terms, both musical and medical, clearly and succinctly while making a case for the fundamental value of music, particularly "art" music with Western European roots. After his premise is well-established through meticulously researched and documented yet thoroughly readable, at times cheeky prose, Dr. Ellenberger takes on a variety of topics, from Thomas Jefferson to Prince. Thank God (who also gets mentioned) the void left by the sublime Oliver Sacks has finally been filled.
November 7, 2018
I actually quite enjoyed reading this book. The first part provided a good overview of current thinking about how learning music can be beneficial to a developing brain, and how those benefits seem to continue as the brain ages.
The reason I only gave this book three stars, however, was because the two sections of the book seemed completely disconnected. The second part consisted of anecdotes about the author’s musical experiences, mostly describing various people with whom he had performed or who had performed as part the music festival with which he has been associated for many years. Unfortunately, often the only connection to the first part of the book comes from a sentence or two tacked onto the story, and this left me feeling as if I had read two different books.
I received an advanced reading copy from the publisher via NetGalley. Thanks!
The reason I only gave this book three stars, however, was because the two sections of the book seemed completely disconnected. The second part consisted of anecdotes about the author’s musical experiences, mostly describing various people with whom he had performed or who had performed as part the music festival with which he has been associated for many years. Unfortunately, often the only connection to the first part of the book comes from a sentence or two tacked onto the story, and this left me feeling as if I had read two different books.
I received an advanced reading copy from the publisher via NetGalley. Thanks!
May 18, 2021
If 3.75 stars existed that would be my rating. Loved diving back into music and neuroscience after recovering from uni. The first half of this book was great — succinct, interesting, informative. The second half had a little bit of a snobby tone insinuating that only those who listen exclusively to the western classical tradition can reap the intellectual benefits of musical study. Nevertheless, a lovely non-fic read!
November 4, 2018
A fascinating and personal account of the relationship between music and the brain. The author is both a doctor and a proficient and passionate musician. The book is broadly divided into two sections, the first half dealing with the science and the second based more on the author's personal experiences. My personal preference was the first half, I found the science to be well researched and clearly and concisely presented. The topics covered ranged from the effects of exposure to music on the development and plasticity of the brain in young children, to the possibility of music being used as an adjunct to conventional treatments in conditions such as dementia and even Parkinson's disease. The tone of the second half of the book is more personal, and describes the author's lifelong love of music and his passion to share it with others.
I read and reviewed a copy of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.
I read and reviewed a copy of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.
January 30, 2019
What a great book! I learned a lot about the relationship between music education and neuroscience. I also enjoyed the latter, more biographical section, since I am not familiar with American music education. A must read for musicians and non-musicians!
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews