tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8810592925338095630.post4410538416672097924..comments2021-06-10T10:33:31.583-04:00Comments on Music Therapy: Music and MemoryLyle Sanford, RMThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11312150272934828223noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8810592925338095630.post-3655862691854680322009-10-08T10:14:34.197-04:002009-10-08T10:14:34.197-04:00Jonathan - Wonderful story about your father and t...Jonathan - Wonderful story about your father and the clarinet. I hope you do pursue getting him to listen to music, as there are many studies showing it can be effective with Alzheimers patients. As a hospice volunteer I'm currently working with such a patient, playing guitar and singing for him, and more often than not he responds with rhythmic body movements, eye contact and smiles.<br /> The comment about the Beethoven reminds me of my piano teacher in conservatory years ago. He once said something to the effect he sometimes thought Beethoven was a "charlatan" because there seemed to be practically nothing to the music when analyzed.Lyle Sanford, RMThttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11312150272934828223noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8810592925338095630.post-78229873046227643102009-10-08T09:35:52.779-04:002009-10-08T09:35:52.779-04:00Though I hadn't thought about it particularly,...Though I hadn't thought about it particularly, this doesn't surprise me at all, especially this bit<br /><br /><i>The music stirred up emotions, linked to memories.</i><br /><br />If you hear music and it evokes emotions, then your memories are going to include:<br /><br />- the actual sounds<br />- the circumstances in which you first heard the music<br />- the emotions involved.<br /><br />And of course, if all those aspects of memory are stored in different parts of the brain (which seems to be the case) then musical memories will get distributed.<br /><br />My father is suffering from Alzheimers and much of his memory is now very hard to retrieve. I think I will suggest he listen to some music and remind himself of happy times playing the clarinet in amateur orchestras, which he did for about 50 years. <br /><br />I might suggest he listen to Beethoven 7 first. Many years ago, he told me that he heard that piece on the radio when he was a schoolboy during WW2 and had been evacuated away from Coventry. He was so impressed by the Allegretto, how an amazing tapestry was built on top of a simple rhythm with almost no tune to it, that he decided on the spot that he wanted to learn an instrument and be able to play music like that! A second-hand clarinet was found for him.Jonathan Westhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00527063732905729010noreply@blogger.com