The Mozart Effect Essay Example

Introduction

The most extraordinary music is Mozart’s: not fast, not slow, smooth, but not boring, and charming in its simplicity. Unique and extraordinary power of music by Mozart explains his life. His prenatal existence was a daily immersion into the world of music. The house sounded violin father, who certainly had a tremendous influence on the development of the nervous system and the awakening of cosmic rhythms in the womb. His father was a conductor in Salzburg, and his mother, the daughter of a musician, played a huge role in his musical development. She sang songs and serenades at the stage of pregnancy. Mozart was born literally fashioned from music.

What is Mozart Effect?

Spiritual, religious music restores emotional balance, gives a feeling of peace. If you compare the music with medications, the religious music - an analgesic in the world of sounds, that is, it eases the pain. Singing cheerful songs helps with heart disease, promotes longevity. But the greatest effect on the person is providing by the melody of Mozart. This musical phenomenon to the end has not yet been explained, and named - "Mozart effect." Doctors found that stringed instruments are most effective for heart disease. Clarinet improves the functioning of blood vessels, the flute has a positive effect on the lungs and bronchi, and the pipe is effective in radiculitis and neuritis. Scientists have discovered that the human brain itself can produce sounds that also have a positive effect. This method is called brain music therapy. Electromagnetic waves produced by the brain are recorded and then translated into music. In the future, when listening to this music from CDs human brain "learns" the melody, and it has a beneficial effect on him. Alternative form of music therapy is audio technology. Initially, this method was used for meditation. Its essence lies in the fact that the sounds of different tones soothe the mind and allow you to better communicate its right and left hemispheres. For this single tone of sound was sent to the right ear, respectively perceived by the left hemisphere, and the sounds of a different tone sent to the left ear. In order to synchronize these sounds together, the two hemispheres of the brain have to strengthen communication with each other. (The Mozart Effect: A Closer Look, 2015).

The History of Mozart Effect

Studies show that Mozart's music enhances brain activity. After listening to the works of the great composer, the people responsible for IQ-test show a marked increase in intelligence. The special properties of Mozart's music first attracted public attention through innovative research in the University of California in the early 1990s of the last century. In the center of neurobiology Irvine, who has been studying the processes of pedagogy and memory, a group of researchers began to study the effects of Mozart's music to students and teenagers. Francis X. Rauscher, Ph.D., and her colleagues conducted a study in which university graduates from the Faculty of Psychology tested for spatial intelligence index (on a standard scale of intellectual Stenfor da Binet). The result was 8-9 points higher in subjects who listened for ten minutes "Sonata for Two Pianos in D Major" by Mozart. Despite the fact that the effect of listening to music lasted only ten - fifteen minutes, Dr. Rauscher group concluded that the relationship between music and spatial reasoning is so strong that even the mere listening to music can have a significant impact. The next day, after published reports of discoveries in Irvine, music stores one major American city sold out instantly recording works by Mozart. (The Mozart Effect - National Center for Biotechnology Information, 2015).

Other Studies about Mozart Effect and Healing Properties of Music

Secret healing properties of music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was confirmed by Alfred Tomatis, an otolaryngologist, a member of the French Academy of Medical Sciences. Exploring the features of the human brain, he found: Listen to high-frequency sounds - 5000-8000 Hz - activates brain activity, improves memory and stimulates thinking. These vibrations like nourish our brain, and with it the whole body. Analyzing the music of different composers, Alfred Tomatis came to the conclusion that the works of Mozart contain the largest number of desired frequencies. He also found that it is mainly their child hears in utero. Simulated similar background, he gave the recording to listen to children of different ages and with different disabilities - their health improved. The fact that the high-frequency vibrations evoke a sense of connection with the archaic mother, give a person a sense of security, integrity and well-being. Based on the results of his research, Dr. Tomatis has developed a method of treatment with the help of music. It is effective in childhood autism, impaired concentration, speech disorders, as well as adult depression.

Conclusion

Harvard University psychologist Christopher Chabrier analyzed 16 studies "Mozart effect", in which 714 people participated whole. He found no beneficial effect of the great composer and music until he came to the conclusion that the improvement of brain activity in subjects was due to a phenomenon that psychologists call "excitement". Music improves mood, and the test - the test results. Chambray but decided to continue the series of experiments to study the phenomenon, so it is possible that soon the camp of the "Mozart effect" gained another serious scholar (Steele, K.M., 1999).
The researchers concluded that, regardless of previous experience or tastes of listeners, Mozart's music has always produced a calming effect on them, improves spatial perception and the ability to more clearly and to express themselves in the process of communication. There is no doubt that the rhythms, melodies and high frequencies of Mozart's music to stimulate and upload creative and motivational areas of the brain.

Works Cited

Campbell, Don G. The Mozart Effect: Tapping the Power of Music to Heal the Body, Strengthen the Mind, and Unlock the Creative Spirit. New York: Avon, 1997. Print.
"How Music Affects the Brain (and How It Benefits You) | Life " Web. 18 Mar. 2015.
"MuSICA Research Notes: V VII, I 1, Winter 2000." MuSICA Research Notes: V VII, I 1, Winter 2000. Web. 18 Mar. 2015.
Phillips, William. Companion to Clinical Neurology. 3rd ed. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2009. Print.
Steele, Kenneth M., Karen E. Bass, and Melissa D. Crook. "The Mystery Of The Mozart Effect: Failure To Replicate." Psychological Science: 366-69. Print.
"The Mozart Effect: A Closer Look - TSE Research Portal." Web. 18 Mar. 2015.
"The Mozart Effect® - Books, Music, Resources and More!" The Mozart Effect® - Books, Music, Resources and More! Web. 18 Mar. 2015.
"The Mozart Effect - National Center for Biotechnology Information." Web. 18 Mar. 2015.