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La musica y la mente / The Music and The Mind
Una aproximación a la influencia de la música en nuestras vidas. ¿Por qué ejerce la música un efecto tan poderoso en nuestro cuerpo y nuestra mente? En este accesible libros sobre la experiencia musical, Anthony Storr sostiene que, en la actualidad, la música alcanza al mayor número de personas de toda la historia, y nos explica el porqué de dicho fenómeno, cuestionando innumerables tópicos al respecto.
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First published January 1, 1992
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About the author
Anthony Storr
49 books166 followersAnthony Storr was an English psychiatrist and author. He was a child who was to endure the typical trauma of early 20th century UK boarding schools. He was educated at Winchester, Christ's College, the University of Cambridge and Westminster Hospital. He qualified as a doctor in 1944, and subsequently specialized in psychiatry.
Storr grew up to be kind and insightful, yet, as his obituary states, he was "no stranger to suffering" and was himself allegedly prone to the frequent bouts of depression his mother had.
Today, Anthony Storr is known for his psychoanalytical portraits of historical figures.
Storr grew up to be kind and insightful, yet, as his obituary states, he was "no stranger to suffering" and was himself allegedly prone to the frequent bouts of depression his mother had.
Today, Anthony Storr is known for his psychoanalytical portraits of historical figures.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
February 14, 2020
Not realizing that I had read this book twenty years ago, I just re-read it. And, my reaction this time is the same. It is not engaging, and at some times it is downright boring. Just not my cup of tea. The last few chapters become very philosophical about music. In fact, the last few chapters discuss the attitudes of well-known philosophers toward music. Not very interesting for me.
Nevertheless, there are a few highlights in the book. For example, Claude Debussy wrote, "The attraction of the virtuoso for the public is very like that of the circus. There is always a hope that something dangerous may happen."
The book discusses various helpful uses for music. It serves to create order for our muscular system, and perhaps also orders our mental state. Music in the workplace can increase morale for workers performing repetitive tasks, but it interferes with non-repetitive tasks. There is a lot of discussion about how music can arouse our emotions, by heightening expectations and delaying resolution. There is a chapter about how music can help one to escape from reality.
I am very impressed by the emphasis that the author places in discussing how music is NOT a universal language. The language must be learned, and each culture can learn differently. Also, I was very intrigued by the analogies the author drew between composing music and proving mathematical theorems.
The style of the writing is very formal. It comes off feeling dry and tedious. I cannot recommend this book to anybody except perhaps philosophers.
Nevertheless, there are a few highlights in the book. For example, Claude Debussy wrote, "The attraction of the virtuoso for the public is very like that of the circus. There is always a hope that something dangerous may happen."
The book discusses various helpful uses for music. It serves to create order for our muscular system, and perhaps also orders our mental state. Music in the workplace can increase morale for workers performing repetitive tasks, but it interferes with non-repetitive tasks. There is a lot of discussion about how music can arouse our emotions, by heightening expectations and delaying resolution. There is a chapter about how music can help one to escape from reality.
I am very impressed by the emphasis that the author places in discussing how music is NOT a universal language. The language must be learned, and each culture can learn differently. Also, I was very intrigued by the analogies the author drew between composing music and proving mathematical theorems.
The style of the writing is very formal. It comes off feeling dry and tedious. I cannot recommend this book to anybody except perhaps philosophers.
March 9, 2013
This is a splendid book on music! It's not often that I read a non-fiction book from start to finish without reading some good fiction in between, but that was the case with this book; maybe because I am myself a musician and so the topic speaks to me directly, but also because the book is very well written.
True, one can criticize the book on three accounts.
First, the author should have connected the philosophical writings in the latter half of the book more with his knowledge in psychology. The book maybe tries to be too broad, but this didn't bother me too much since I found that the book nevertheless made me want to read more on the different topics.
Second, the book is largely built around quotes from different other thinkers. I would have liked to read more of Storr's own views, but on the other hand, the quotes are often interesting and they made me want to read some of the books from which Storr found them.
Third, although Storr dismisses the claim that Western music is somehow "better" than other kinds of music, the latter part of the book almost solely focuses on Western thinkers and composers. Still, I'm not troubled by this fact. Storr grew up in Europe; it follows that his expertise is best when it comes to Western music. This doesn't mean that you couldn't transfer the theoretical aspects of the book to doing research on music from other parts of the world.
So, bottom line, even though this book is by no means a exhaustive work in the field of music psychology and music philosophy (it is, in fact, rather light), what makes it so good is the way in which it explains so much current thought on the topic in a really accessible and readable way. For me, it worked perfect as an introduction to more difficult works. Truly great!
True, one can criticize the book on three accounts.
First, the author should have connected the philosophical writings in the latter half of the book more with his knowledge in psychology. The book maybe tries to be too broad, but this didn't bother me too much since I found that the book nevertheless made me want to read more on the different topics.
Second, the book is largely built around quotes from different other thinkers. I would have liked to read more of Storr's own views, but on the other hand, the quotes are often interesting and they made me want to read some of the books from which Storr found them.
Third, although Storr dismisses the claim that Western music is somehow "better" than other kinds of music, the latter part of the book almost solely focuses on Western thinkers and composers. Still, I'm not troubled by this fact. Storr grew up in Europe; it follows that his expertise is best when it comes to Western music. This doesn't mean that you couldn't transfer the theoretical aspects of the book to doing research on music from other parts of the world.
So, bottom line, even though this book is by no means a exhaustive work in the field of music psychology and music philosophy (it is, in fact, rather light), what makes it so good is the way in which it explains so much current thought on the topic in a really accessible and readable way. For me, it worked perfect as an introduction to more difficult works. Truly great!
November 23, 2022
تو این روزا که انقدر درگیر اخبار و تحلیلهای مختلف و کارای دیگهام، «چون این یه انقلابه»، این کتاب خییییییییلی بهم آرامش داد، خیلی کند خوندمش اما از خط به خطش لذت بردم.
توصیهم اینه که اگه خواستید، بخشاییش که تخصصی درباره موسیقیه، که البته زیاد نیستن، رو رد کنید. ولی خود کتاب رو حتما بخونید.
به قطعههای موسیقی که اشاره میشه گوش بدید و لذت ببرید.
من حقیقتا خودمو بیشتر شناختم از طریق این کتاب، چون همیشه زندگیم به طرز عجیبی با موسیقی عجین بوده. و لحظاتی بوده که جز موسیقی هیچ دلخوشی دیگهای نداشتم.
کتاب نظر فیلسوفان و روانشناسای مختلفی از جمله افلاطون، بودلر، راسل، شوپنهاور، فروید، نیچه و... درباره موسیقی تحلیل میکنه. علاوه بر اون درباره عملکرد حسی و ذهنی موسیقی، معنای موسیقی، شنونده موسیقی و موسیقی و جهانبینی صحبت میکنه.
اینطور بگم که بنظرم میتونید از این کتاب شروع کنید، کم کم درباره موسیقی بیشتر بخونید و هر جا لازم بود باز به این کتاب برگردید.
توصیهم اینه که اگه خواستید، بخشاییش که تخصصی درباره موسیقیه، که البته زیاد نیستن، رو رد کنید. ولی خود کتاب رو حتما بخونید.
به قطعههای موسیقی که اشاره میشه گوش بدید و لذت ببرید.
من حقیقتا خودمو بیشتر شناختم از طریق این کتاب، چون همیشه زندگیم به طرز عجیبی با موسیقی عجین بوده. و لحظاتی بوده که جز موسیقی هیچ دلخوشی دیگهای نداشتم.
کتاب نظر فیلسوفان و روانشناسای مختلفی از جمله افلاطون، بودلر، راسل، شوپنهاور، فروید، نیچه و... درباره موسیقی تحلیل میکنه. علاوه بر اون درباره عملکرد حسی و ذهنی موسیقی، معنای موسیقی، شنونده موسیقی و موسیقی و جهانبینی صحبت میکنه.
اینطور بگم که بنظرم میتونید از این کتاب شروع کنید، کم کم درباره موسیقی بیشتر بخونید و هر جا لازم بود باز به این کتاب برگردید.
May 29, 2017
In our logos-dominated society, music (not possessing any discernible relation to the external world) often seems a meaningless indulgence ('auditory cheesecake', as Steven Pinker once scathingly observed) - but this is profoundly untrue, especially for those love music.
But this latter group of people are often clueless when it comes to describing why music moves them so profoundly - after all, they are just tones, sounds - arranged in a particular sequence and perceived through the hearing apparatus of homo sapiens..
But like, that famous haiku goes "but yet, but yet.."
The search for this elusive 'more' that music provides to its supplicants is basically at the heart of this fairly dense book. The writing is like quicksilver, dense and light at the same time, as the author (a psychiatrist by profession) wears his erudition lightly, weaving a tapestry of informed speculation drawn from the coils of anthropology, ethnomusicology, psychoanalysis (of course), and philosophy. This exploration is conducted through several pointed chapters, each a dense article in itself, dealing with questions that only a music obsessive would ponder : where exactly does music come from? (possibly from our primate heritage) is it true, as freud suspected, that the fundamental attraction of music is that it represents an escape from depressing reality? (sort of, but not entirely) He even takes a gander at the speculation that solitary listening to music (an evolutionarily novel, and historically very recent phenomenon) can be construed as neurotic phenomenon.
The conclusion that the author arrives at (after several detours and pitstops) is that music is meaningful precisely because we are, by necessity, meaning-making creatures - we do not grasp individual phenomena as they are by themselves, but their relations. In this, music's well-known affinity with mathematics is made clear, both are concerned with the implicit ordering of abstract phenomena (the relation between tones in music, and the process of ordering itself in mathematics), but mathematics does not have the bodily component that music does. We are inescapably bodily creatures, and music is inescapably bodily. Music thus manages to be both abstract and concrete, mind and body, at the same time - it moves us so profoundly and at our whole being, because it is a synthesis and a re-unity of aspects of ourselves that are very often divided. It is the ur-phenomenon of the primal human process of meaning-making, the crystalline model of our intuitively-felt flow of life.
The author quotes Nietzsche (who has a chapter devoted to him) approvingly, "If not for music, existence would most certainly be considered a mistake." - and the author himself, ends his treatise with the expansive declaration that "music is an unasked-for, and undeserved blessing - transcendent."
I feel as though the author, given the opportunity to write about the love of his life, has just thrown the kitchen sink at it - like all love letters, it is passionate, a bit messy, and a tour-de-force of intellectual synthesis (OK, maybe not the last one) - strongly recommended for anyone who has heard a song.
I would be remiss if I didn't mention that while the author's specialty and focus is the tradition known as Western classical music, a knowledge of music theory is not really required (except for the chapter "Basic Patterns" which purports to investigate the claim for the supposed objective basis for the Western harmonic system), given that the book is written at a sufficiently general level - an achievement I feel is of real credit to the author.
But this latter group of people are often clueless when it comes to describing why music moves them so profoundly - after all, they are just tones, sounds - arranged in a particular sequence and perceived through the hearing apparatus of homo sapiens..
But like, that famous haiku goes "but yet, but yet.."
The search for this elusive 'more' that music provides to its supplicants is basically at the heart of this fairly dense book. The writing is like quicksilver, dense and light at the same time, as the author (a psychiatrist by profession) wears his erudition lightly, weaving a tapestry of informed speculation drawn from the coils of anthropology, ethnomusicology, psychoanalysis (of course), and philosophy. This exploration is conducted through several pointed chapters, each a dense article in itself, dealing with questions that only a music obsessive would ponder : where exactly does music come from? (possibly from our primate heritage) is it true, as freud suspected, that the fundamental attraction of music is that it represents an escape from depressing reality? (sort of, but not entirely) He even takes a gander at the speculation that solitary listening to music (an evolutionarily novel, and historically very recent phenomenon) can be construed as neurotic phenomenon.
The conclusion that the author arrives at (after several detours and pitstops) is that music is meaningful precisely because we are, by necessity, meaning-making creatures - we do not grasp individual phenomena as they are by themselves, but their relations. In this, music's well-known affinity with mathematics is made clear, both are concerned with the implicit ordering of abstract phenomena (the relation between tones in music, and the process of ordering itself in mathematics), but mathematics does not have the bodily component that music does. We are inescapably bodily creatures, and music is inescapably bodily. Music thus manages to be both abstract and concrete, mind and body, at the same time - it moves us so profoundly and at our whole being, because it is a synthesis and a re-unity of aspects of ourselves that are very often divided. It is the ur-phenomenon of the primal human process of meaning-making, the crystalline model of our intuitively-felt flow of life.
The author quotes Nietzsche (who has a chapter devoted to him) approvingly, "If not for music, existence would most certainly be considered a mistake." - and the author himself, ends his treatise with the expansive declaration that "music is an unasked-for, and undeserved blessing - transcendent."
I feel as though the author, given the opportunity to write about the love of his life, has just thrown the kitchen sink at it - like all love letters, it is passionate, a bit messy, and a tour-de-force of intellectual synthesis (OK, maybe not the last one) - strongly recommended for anyone who has heard a song.
I would be remiss if I didn't mention that while the author's specialty and focus is the tradition known as Western classical music, a knowledge of music theory is not really required (except for the chapter "Basic Patterns" which purports to investigate the claim for the supposed objective basis for the Western harmonic system), given that the book is written at a sufficiently general level - an achievement I feel is of real credit to the author.
March 9, 2020
موقع خوندن اين كتاب تمركز حواسم خيلي كم بود .صفحات ابتدايي كتاب دقيقا متقارن شده بود با روزايي كه از نظر روحي مشكل داشتم و داغون بودم.بعدا بايد دوباره بخونمش شايد نمره ديگه اي بدم بهش . ولي الان هم نظرم دو و نيمه.تو كتاب هم بيشتر به اين مقوله ميپردازه كه موسيقي از طبيعت اومده يا بيشتر ساخته ي ذهن و تلاش انسانه و شنيدن موسيقي چه تاثيراتي بر ذهن ما ميذاره
September 28, 2011
I will review this book in the style that Mr. Storr wrote it. First a quote from the goodreads member, Jigsaw, who recently finished reading the book.
"This book wasn't what I expected; nevertheless, it was good once I understood what the actual point was. I thought at first that it would address psychological aspects of music primarily. Instead, it focuses briefly on physiological aspects of music, and then becomes more of a review of philosophy of music. Once I got used to this, it was decent. The author does spend a lot of his time quoting others, though."
I, too, felt very much the same way about this book, both in what I initially thought the book was about and what I quickly realized was the real emphasis of the text. Mr. Storr's writing is mostly the binding agent for the copious quotes that fill a good third or more of the book. After a few chapters I looked forward to reading the quotes more than Mr. Storr's writing.
"This book wasn't what I expected; nevertheless, it was good once I understood what the actual point was. I thought at first that it would address psychological aspects of music primarily. Instead, it focuses briefly on physiological aspects of music, and then becomes more of a review of philosophy of music. Once I got used to this, it was decent. The author does spend a lot of his time quoting others, though."
I, too, felt very much the same way about this book, both in what I initially thought the book was about and what I quickly realized was the real emphasis of the text. Mr. Storr's writing is mostly the binding agent for the copious quotes that fill a good third or more of the book. After a few chapters I looked forward to reading the quotes more than Mr. Storr's writing.
December 10, 2014
Storr is great at communicating complex ideas in a direct fashion and this is a highly engaging collection of pieces linking music with philosophy, religion, psychology mathematics and other intellectual pursuits. Although its focus is on Classical music, there is much to enjoy here for any kind of music devotee.
January 23, 2025
A very interesting collection of essays on music and our perception of it. Despite the advertisement of the book as the thoughts of "a distinguished psychiatrist," much of the essays (especially the final three) tend toward the philosophical, and the author is clearly well-read in that regard. He explains, and reflects on, the aesthetic ideas of lots of thinkers and psychologists in formulating his ideas.
The essays are fascinating, informative, and inspiring - I found myself compelled to write down a few notes when I came across a point I wanted to discuss, which is high praise for a book for me - but can get very technical and are definitely a slow read. Storr is upfront about this, including references and apologies for jargon, but the book is definitely tough.
The pacing lost 1/4 of a star but,
I had to knock a full star off because of Storr's exclusive focus on classical music. His complete inability to engage with anything other than Western art music, even as he makes a point to (correctly) say that other musics are just as valid, and even as he (correctly) decries as pretentious anyone who gives the western classical tradition fundamental importance, is disappointing. I can forgive his frequent references to works of classical music that I am unfamiliar with - it is his own taste, after all, and he is as admirably clear about his preferences as his use of jargon, but to ignore the entirety of the world's popular music in one's musings on the ways we process and create music is shocking to me.
Storr's musings largely align with my own beliefs in universalism, cultural egality, and the fundamental validity of all kinds of art, which makes it all the more surprising and unacceptable that he either refuses to discuss, or is incapable of discussing, anything outside his own tastes.
If you are in the mood to muscle through some technical discussion of exclusively classical music, though, I
Reccomend!
The essays are fascinating, informative, and inspiring - I found myself compelled to write down a few notes when I came across a point I wanted to discuss, which is high praise for a book for me - but can get very technical and are definitely a slow read. Storr is upfront about this, including references and apologies for jargon, but the book is definitely tough.
The pacing lost 1/4 of a star but,
I had to knock a full star off because of Storr's exclusive focus on classical music. His complete inability to engage with anything other than Western art music, even as he makes a point to (correctly) say that other musics are just as valid, and even as he (correctly) decries as pretentious anyone who gives the western classical tradition fundamental importance, is disappointing. I can forgive his frequent references to works of classical music that I am unfamiliar with - it is his own taste, after all, and he is as admirably clear about his preferences as his use of jargon, but to ignore the entirety of the world's popular music in one's musings on the ways we process and create music is shocking to me.
Storr's musings largely align with my own beliefs in universalism, cultural egality, and the fundamental validity of all kinds of art, which makes it all the more surprising and unacceptable that he either refuses to discuss, or is incapable of discussing, anything outside his own tastes.
If you are in the mood to muscle through some technical discussion of exclusively classical music, though, I
Reccomend!
October 29, 2022
My fav quotes (not a review):
- "Encountering a new piece of music is not unlike making a new acquaintance. In both instances, increased familiarity will bring greater understanding. ‘X is much nicer and more interesting than at first appears�� may apply equally to a difficult person and to a difficult piece of music. Getting to know a difficult piece of music is comparable with getting to know a person who does not immediately reveal him- or herself, or who may appear to erect barriers against intimacy."
- "It is rare for an artist to acknowledge that a younger person working in the same field is his superior. Yet Haydn’s modesty and generosity recognized Mozart’s genius as greater than his own. The two composers were close friends; learned from each other, and played in string quartets and quintets together. When Mozart died, Haydn called his loss ‘irreparable’, and wept as he recalled his friend’s clavier playing."
- "Conceptual thought requires the separation of thinking from feeling, of object from subject, of mind from body. We have already observed the divergence between song and speech, and the development of language as the vehicle of rational thinking as distinct from emotional expression. Human beings require this division if they are to function efficiently as objective thinkers; but they also need to bridge the Cartesian gulf between mind and body if they are to live life as creatures enjoying a full complement of human feelings."
- "I have a lurking suspicion that music may be especially important to people who are somewhat alienated from the body, because playing an instrument, singing, or simply listening to music puts them in touch with their physical being in ways unmatched by reading poetry or by looking at beautiful objects."
- "Encountering a new piece of music is not unlike making a new acquaintance. In both instances, increased familiarity will bring greater understanding. ‘X is much nicer and more interesting than at first appears�� may apply equally to a difficult person and to a difficult piece of music. Getting to know a difficult piece of music is comparable with getting to know a person who does not immediately reveal him- or herself, or who may appear to erect barriers against intimacy."
- "It is rare for an artist to acknowledge that a younger person working in the same field is his superior. Yet Haydn’s modesty and generosity recognized Mozart’s genius as greater than his own. The two composers were close friends; learned from each other, and played in string quartets and quintets together. When Mozart died, Haydn called his loss ‘irreparable’, and wept as he recalled his friend’s clavier playing."
- "Conceptual thought requires the separation of thinking from feeling, of object from subject, of mind from body. We have already observed the divergence between song and speech, and the development of language as the vehicle of rational thinking as distinct from emotional expression. Human beings require this division if they are to function efficiently as objective thinkers; but they also need to bridge the Cartesian gulf between mind and body if they are to live life as creatures enjoying a full complement of human feelings."
- "I have a lurking suspicion that music may be especially important to people who are somewhat alienated from the body, because playing an instrument, singing, or simply listening to music puts them in touch with their physical being in ways unmatched by reading poetry or by looking at beautiful objects."
January 10, 2019
Some beautiful girls fascinate us
Sometimes books also
You open this book and fall into the lake of music
Author has deep understanding about music it includes origin as well as style of every famous musicians
You love to learn the origin of music from birds and ends with human and also the perceptions of great mind about music
Signing Freud, Nietzsche, Russell. Schopenhauer, Carl Jung also discussed precisely.
A complete entertainment about music.
Sometimes books also
You open this book and fall into the lake of music
Author has deep understanding about music it includes origin as well as style of every famous musicians
You love to learn the origin of music from birds and ends with human and also the perceptions of great mind about music
Signing Freud, Nietzsche, Russell. Schopenhauer, Carl Jung also discussed precisely.
A complete entertainment about music.
July 27, 2022
Storr is logical in his approach to discussing music, which is something I appreciate. I loved his perspective on the way music affects people and I found myself agreeing with a lot of his points. It definitely takes some getting used to, and it actually took me a while to get through each chapter since the language was so complex. Even though it was a challenging read, I’d love to revisit this book to annotate it, as I feel I may have glossed over some of the more difficult sections.
March 23, 2021
Some real resonant highs looking at the origins of music, it's philosophy and the purpose it provides an individual with in everyday life. Unfortunately some parts surrounding music theory & classical composer very far over my head. Maybe a harsh rating considering; definitely worthwhile for anyone passionate about the music they have in their lives :)
April 12, 2020
This book dives deeply into the origins and functions of music. One of the ’must read’ books, especially for those that the music has a significant place in their lives. I underlined most.of the pages, I read almost all of the sections twice , and I will go further on with the books in references.
July 19, 2017
Reading this, I felt like I was on an aimless and wandering journey, with many stops along the way to regard the varied and numerous monuments (quotations).
July 15, 2018
A good British general summary of the way things are.
December 7, 2018
this series so good
August 11, 2019
Historically and musically knowledgeable and detailed, analytical, thought provoking, well structured and argued, incisive...entertaining, constructive.. opened new doors... so, yes, five star !!
April 12, 2020
Too many quotes with not enough text added to it...
December 26, 2020
A philosophical and deeply analytical take on a favorite passion. I learned so much from it.
July 14, 2023
A good read about the history of music and its famous composers. It was interesting to learn how sound in general is treated so differently by the brain compared to spoken language.
February 17, 2024
philosophers on music
March 4, 2020
So I didn't read the whole book....more like two chapters, but hey, I can put it down. I read those two chapters for school so it really doesn't count...or should it??
September 25, 2015
I've concluded that what Anthony Storr discusses about the psychogenic (psycho-, mental, -genic, coming from - starting from the mind) causes and effects of music has a great deal of merit, even if he may be no better educated about it than I am. (His focus: the human body; mine: making music and understanding language)
I think this is worth pondering, even if you aren't a musician or a neurologist.
(Maybe it is not the most appropriate for my elementary school colleagues, but maybe they could look up the great music he mentions! To practise for research they might do later.)
After all, health and well-being are not only for the few.
So I am glad to have hung in there and made it through migraines and semi-busy lifestyle to appreciate this Oxford psychiatric work. As John Logan's quoted on the title page, "Music's the medicine of the mind."
Why does an arrayed set of tones move a listener?
I think this is well-addressed with only a minimal background in music or mental health necessary. Everything else can be easily looked up.
N.B.: If you're not used to getting information from this kind of book ("academic" I see other reviewers call it), it could be daunting.
I think this is worth pondering, even if you aren't a musician or a neurologist.
(Maybe it is not the most appropriate for my elementary school colleagues, but maybe they could look up the great music he mentions! To practise for research they might do later.)
After all, health and well-being are not only for the few.
So I am glad to have hung in there and made it through migraines and semi-busy lifestyle to appreciate this Oxford psychiatric work. As John Logan's quoted on the title page, "Music's the medicine of the mind."
Why does an arrayed set of tones move a listener?
I think this is well-addressed with only a minimal background in music or mental health necessary. Everything else can be easily looked up.
N.B.: If you're not used to getting information from this kind of book ("academic" I see other reviewers call it), it could be daunting.
September 4, 2009
Made it about half-way through this book -- it doesn't strike me as worth finishing. It's not bad as far as it goes, but Storr is no authority on this topic. He's a psychologist who has written books about a number of eclectic subjects, and has no specialization in musicology or music psychology.
This book is essentially a long essay by somebody who is generally smart and who has reflected philosophically about music with the resources of a decently-read layperson, but he doesn't seem any more qualified in his judgments than I am, and I don't mean I'm an expert. We've done nearly equivalent amounts of reading on the subject, but I'm not running out to write about book about it.
(shrug)
I know there's a book out there on music psychology that is the one I'm looking for, but this wasn't it.
This book is essentially a long essay by somebody who is generally smart and who has reflected philosophically about music with the resources of a decently-read layperson, but he doesn't seem any more qualified in his judgments than I am, and I don't mean I'm an expert. We've done nearly equivalent amounts of reading on the subject, but I'm not running out to write about book about it.
(shrug)
I know there's a book out there on music psychology that is the one I'm looking for, but this wasn't it.
June 16, 2013
This book was basically all about the author's opinion on how he feels music effects and impacts people on an everyday basis. Storr believes music plays a significant role in everyone's lives. He talks about how music helps people getting through difficult times, how we are surrounded by it. This book was actually pretty interesting for a non-fiction book. Although it is usually more difficult for me to read non-fiction books quickly, this book was interesting enough to be a quick read. I was able to relate to how music impacts daily lives and learn about the way it does effect people. After reading this book, I realized that music is an essential part of everybody's live. Music is in everyone's life because there is one that fits them. There are so many genres and types of music that there has to be one for everyone.
May 1, 2011
Storr shares his thoughts on music, philosophy, and psychology in this well-written book. He explores various great philosophers' viewpoints on music from the past, including Nietzsche, Freud, Jung, Schopenhauer, and Plato as well as various composers and musicians. He finds himself especially sympathetic with Schopenhauer and Nietzsche (because he is an atheist) and spends a great deal of time discussing their thoughts on music. Although he is a committed evolutionist, Storr is forced to puzzle over the evolution of music and finds the answer lacking. All in all, I would recommend this book if you are a person who wants to think critically about music and its relationship to philosophy and psychology.
December 22, 2016
What was good about this book:
- Theories on the origin of music
- The function of music in preliterate societies
- The function of music in ancient civilization
- The relationship between music and the mind and body
- The impact of music on people with neurological and physiological health conditions
What wasn't good about this book:
- Disjointed ideas which had no apparent connection with one another, especially in the discussion of "The Solitary Listener"
- Lofty philosophical analysis of music in comparison with other art forms. I found a lot of these ideas to be a bit of a stretch
I highly recommend this book for the first half of its content. However, I couldn't give it more than 3 stars because of the second half.
- Theories on the origin of music
- The function of music in preliterate societies
- The function of music in ancient civilization
- The relationship between music and the mind and body
- The impact of music on people with neurological and physiological health conditions
What wasn't good about this book:
- Disjointed ideas which had no apparent connection with one another, especially in the discussion of "The Solitary Listener"
- Lofty philosophical analysis of music in comparison with other art forms. I found a lot of these ideas to be a bit of a stretch
I highly recommend this book for the first half of its content. However, I couldn't give it more than 3 stars because of the second half.
March 16, 2008
an incredibly stimulating philosophy of music – why it exists, what purposes it serves – through the words of a psychiatrist who understands music through the words/thoughts of philosophers. quoting from works of nietzsche, schopenhauer, plato, socrates, and jung, he contemplates the origins of music, our fascination with it, and its meaning in our lives. not to mention his focus on thoughts from composers such as wagner, stravinsky, haydn, and tchaikovsky.
a fascinating read for those who might be interested in philosophy and how it relates to western classical music – great for composers and musicologists. this book didn’t relate to my studies as much as i had hoped. on to another!
a fascinating read for those who might be interested in philosophy and how it relates to western classical music – great for composers and musicologists. this book didn’t relate to my studies as much as i had hoped. on to another!
January 21, 2017
A brief but well-written set of contemplations about the nature of music. Why do we like it so much? Is there something underlying our conscious minds that music helps us connect to?
I find that some of theory, that music helps us connect with deep and big things beyond us, makes more sense with something complex like classical music. Perhaps less so with much pop music.
And because Storr seems very familiar with the former and almost unfamiliar with the latter, one really wonders to what degree he would say all the things that he says about music, if he dealt more with more mainstream music.
I find that some of theory, that music helps us connect with deep and big things beyond us, makes more sense with something complex like classical music. Perhaps less so with much pop music.
And because Storr seems very familiar with the former and almost unfamiliar with the latter, one really wonders to what degree he would say all the things that he says about music, if he dealt more with more mainstream music.
May 25, 2012
Huh. Not particularly impressed. The whole book seemed to be building up to some point or other, with all the quotations and analyses of philosophers and musicologists. I just wasn't sure what the point was, or what he was trying to say, exactly. Perhaps something like "music is important?"
Some interesting quotes and a few helpful ideas, such as his treatment of music as a force/process that helps organize the mind and especially the subconscious (much in the way that dreams do) but on the whole I finished this book no more 'illuminated' than when I started.
Some interesting quotes and a few helpful ideas, such as his treatment of music as a force/process that helps organize the mind and especially the subconscious (much in the way that dreams do) but on the whole I finished this book no more 'illuminated' than when I started.
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