I've had the pleasure of reading some really good books lately--still my drug of choice. Musicophilia by Oliver Sacks is a fascinating account of so many ways that our brains can disrupt, enrich, and generally throw us off course with our relationship to music. I had never heard of musical hallucinations. Well, O.K., there are a lot of things I've never heard about. My point here is that Dr. Sacks never fails to inform and delight me. He broadens my horizons and explains so many of my previous experiences. In talking about musicogenic epilepsy, he suggests that it is not as rare as one would suppose, and extends that suggestion to include photic epilepsy. Many people will retreat from music (or light effects) that make them uncomfortable, thus warding off a seizure before it can occur. Well, that explains why I close my eyes and even cover my face with my hands at times. I've done this all my life, until it seems to be a habit, especially when I'm tired. It's only been within the past two years that I was diagnosed with epilepsy and just within the last two months that I realized that visual cues (bright lights, rolling computer screens, television) play a part in triggering my seizures. I've been protecting myself all along without being conciously aware of it. Another topic that Dr. Sacks writes about is synesthesia, a combining of different senses, such as seeing music as color. I can't imagine what that would be like, but for some people it is a normal part of their lives.
One thing I would like to mention--music seems to have a therapeutic effect on many people with neurological disturbances. Dr. Sacks talks about Alzheimer's patients, Parkinsonian patients and others who can retain musical ability (or just derive pleasure from music) even in advanced states of their disease. How many of our elderly are in nursing homes without benefit of such a simple therapy? I've told my husband that if I'm ever bedridden and unable to communicate, play music! Please.
Another book I've enjoyed is Beethoven by Edmund Morris. I'm not going into a long discourse on Beethoven's life. I just want to say that this book reads like a novel. Beethoven has never been my favorite composer, but I have been listening to his piano sonatas and have a better feeling for his music. The piano was his instrument after all. The sonatas awe and amaze me, leaving me breathless at times. This book gives insight into the man that Beethoven was. Still perplexing and astounding, but very human and fallible.
The last book I finished is This Is Your Brain on Music by Daniel J. Levitin. I hurried through this and I would like to go back at a later date and reread parts of this book. Levitin stresses that he is interested in the cognitive aspect and yet, he throws around terms of brain anatomy that I am only vaguely familar with. I wish he had included a comprehensive "brain map" because I am interested in the anatomy. I like knowing what part of my brain is causing different phenomena. I was encouraged by his assertion that our brains are more plastic than previously thought. If one area is injured, there is hope that another area might be able to take over for the injured part. Also, he proposes that there is a 10,000 hour requirement for expertise in any field, including music. I'm redoubling my efforts. Maybe I'll get in my 10,0000 hours of piano before I die. If only I had known this sooner! Ha! If I don't succeed in achieving piano fluency, at least I'll die happy.
On another note, pun intended, I am able to play piano again. Evidently, the "use it or lose it" concept does apply. Or perhaps, I finally got enough B12 in my system to stop the dizzy spells.
Happy days.
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