Gaga or Gershwin?

Gaga or Gershwin?  

What We Need to Know About the Way Music Affects Our Emotions and Behavior

by David Horvath, PhD PMHNP-BC

Recently, I was one of nearly 3000 people attending a performance of Gustav Mahler’s 6^th Symphony performed by the New York Philharmonic at Carnegie Hall.  It was a sold out crowd, and for 1 and ½ hours (no intermission), we sat silently and motionless, uninterrupted by cell phones, iPads, Mp3 players, or other electronic techno-gadgets.  There were no costumes, explosions, or dancers on stage, and except for a few muffled coughs, all was quiet during the brief pauses between movements. The conductor, Maestro Alan Gilbert never uttered a word, and his back was to the audience the entire performance.

Though commonplace in most major American and European cities, these kinds of musical events are the exception to the rule in a world of pop glitter, adrenaline pumping, subsonic bass beats, and a plethora of 3 chord songs that are virtually indistinguishable from each other. But whether you like Lady Gaga, George Gershwin, or Gustav Mahler, our attraction to music is rooted in our neural architecture. That is, our brains. are “hardwired” receive, interpret, and enjoy musical input.  Yet, are there some kinds of music that are better for us then other kinds?  Can music help us become better people?  Or can some music be harmful for us?

Music, like food, has many purposes. Some food is “fun food”- popcorn, candy, snacks. Some food we eat because we find it “comforts” us: hearty soups, mac’n’cheese, or meatloaf. Similarly, we like to dance to fun music, and often find comfort in songs that remind us of good times, a special person, or melodies associated with hope and faith, such as “Amazing Grace”.

But what about music to help us grow emotionally? Can music help us discover our inner strengths? Our capacity for love?  Or our innate resilience? Can music even help us to improve our focus?

Not long ago, I once sat next to a woman at a concert featuring a new work by a modern composer. Midway through the piece she began writing on a pad. Thinking she was a music critic, I asked her if she was drafting a review for the New York Times. “No, she replied”… “I’m actually writing a letter to a man who I’ve been meaning to write to for a long time. I don’t know why, but after hearing this piece, I’m ready to do it.”  We can only wonder what she said, but we do know that somehow, the music  had a profound effect on her in a way nohing else to date had. 

There are endless examples of how music resonates with human emotion and behavior. Film composers for example know that a two adjacent notes played together, (technically known as a minor 2^nd) creates psychological tension. Composers Bernard Hermann and John Williams used this device effectively in the films “Psycho” and “Jaws” respectively. Opera lovers are familiar with the opening motif of “Parsifal”; a beautiful, haunting unadorned melody which captures you attention and focus for its duration.  It is reasonable to say that this kind of musical experience might be therapeutic for people who have trouble staying on task. The so-called “Mozart Effect” demonstrates that listening to Mozart helps individuals with organizational performance. No surprise, given Mozart’s compositional gift of creating exquisite order and symmetry in his compositions. 

Luckily, science has shown that our musical brains are “forward compatible” so we can all gain by “upgrading” our listening choices and broadening our musical horizons. It may be time to get out of your musical “comfort zone.” So, if you are hooked on Lady Gaga or Adele, try some Sarah Brightman. If you like her, check out Renee Fleming. Into “Death Cab for Cutie?”   Miles Davis may be for you. Or even Mahler. Don’t get stuck in a rut with one band, one artist, or one style of music. Be adventurous. You may find out something new and interesting about yourself, or rediscover that sense of inner peace that has escaped you for so long.

Happy Listening!  

David Horvath is a member of the dynamic holistic treatment staff at the Hallowell Center NYC.