From Bach fugues to Indonesian gamelan, from nursery rhymes to rock, music has cast its light onto every corner of human culture. But why music excites such deep passions, and how we make sense of musical sound at all have, until recently, remained mysterious. Now in The Music Instinct, Philip Ball provides a comprehensive, accessible survey of what is known–and still unknown–about how music works its magic, and why, as much as eating and sleeping, it seems indispensable to humanity. Weaving together the latest findings in brain science with history, mathematics, and philosophy, The Music Instinct not only deepens our appreciation of the music we love, but shows that we would not be ourselves without it. The book provides an:
- In-depth exploration of musical structure through the prism of how our brains respond to music
- Thorough introduction to basic music theory–how music works–for the general reader
- Incorporates most up-to-date research in music psychology and brain science to explore how music works on the human brain
