The Neuroscience of Bach’s Music: Perception, Action, and Cognition Effects on the Brain is a comprehensive study of Johann Sebastian Bach’s music through the lens of neuroscience and examining neuroscience using Bach’s music as a tool. This book synthesizes cognitive neuroscience, music theory, and musicology to provide insights into human cognition and perception. It also explores how a neuroscience perspective can improve listening and performing experiences for Bach’s music.
Written by a physician-neuroscientist recognized for scholarly articles on Bach’s music, this book uses specific examples to explore neuroscience across Bach’s compositions. The book is structured to discuss the brain’s action, perception, and cognition as connected to specific Bach concertos, tones, notes, and performances. Two guest contributors provide insight into exact mathematical, or topologic, and music theoretic aspects of Bach’s music with implications for cognitive neuroscience.
The Neuroscience of Bach’s Music: Perception, Action, and Cognition Effects on the Brain is a vital source for neuroscientists, especially those studying the cognitive effects of music, as well as musicians and students alike.
1. Chapter 1: Introduction - p. iii 2. Chapter 2: Background and overview of Johann Sebastian Bach - p. iii 3. Chapter 3: Basics of the brain and perception - p. iii 4. Chapter 4: Case study: A (not so) simple invention by Bach—Upside down but very, very rarely backwards - p. iii 5. Part Two: Playing Bach and the brain—Action - p. iii 6. Chapter 5: Playing Bach’s suites for solo cello and experiencing one’s actions without perception and clocking Libet’s “mind time” - p. iii 7. Chapter 6: Neural performance, action requirements, and challenges of playing Bach’s Concerto for Two Violins—A study of synchronization and perceptual experience - p. iii 8. Chapter 7: Case study: Organ, violin or guitar? - p. iii 9. Chapter 8: Incorporating the cello part with two solo violas Bach’s in Brandenburg Concerto No. 6—Challenges in synchronization and listener experience - p. iii 10. Chapter 9: More than three—Perceptual, action, and cognitive challenges for performers and listeners - p. iii 11. Chapter 10: Case study: A brainy Bach Encore for Handel - p. iii 12. Chapter 11: Case study: What is a fugue? - p. iii 13. Chapter 12: Virtuoso of Bach’s composing and performance expectations - p. iii 14. Part Three: Listening to Bach—Perception of musical space and landscape - p. iii 15. Chapter 13: An introduction to the neuroscience of “affekt”—Music, emotions, and the brain’s limbic system - p. iii 16. Chapter 14: “Affekt” related to tempos and effects—Bach’s composition and emotional playing - p. iii 17. Chapter 15: Case study: The affekt of effects in a Bach Cantata - p. iii 18. Chapter 16: The algebra and neuroscience of Bach’s transcriptions for various instruments and cognitive effects - p. iii 19. Chapter 17: Case studies: (Can you hear) What’s in a name? - p. iii 20. Part Four: Bach and the exploration of the tonal system and beyond—Cognition - p. iii 21. Chapter 18: Parallel fifths and the cognitive-perceptual system - p. iii 22. Chapter 19: Sequential enharmonic notes across instruments in Bach’s compositions - p. iii 23. Chapter 20: Case study: “Wrong Notes” in Bach - p. iii 24. Chapter 21: Bach’s 12-tone row, cognition, and musical perception - p. iii 25. Chapter 22: Case study: A whole tone scale in Bach - p. iii 26. Chapter 23: Modal traces and the cognitive-perceptual system - p. iii 27. Chapter 24: Present and future neuroimaging studies of Bach - p. iii 28. Part Five: Mathematical Bach - p. iii 29. Chapter 25: Topology in Bach I—The Brain’s analysis of Bach’s match to a “Möbius strip” structure - p. iii 30. Chapter 26: Topology in Bach II—A musical torus and the brain’s ability to hear topological structures - p. iii 31. Chapter 27: Unbroken and broken symmetry in Bach’s compositions - p. iii 32. Part Six: Conclusion - p. iii 33. Chapter 28: Bach and the brain: Action, perception, and cognition—Summary, conclusion, fresh beginnings and future studies - p. iii 34. Part Seven: Appendices - p. iii 35. Chapter 29: Recovering “Bach’s edition” of the solo cello suites - p. iii 36. Chapter 30: Further readings and online resources - p. iii 37. Index - p. iii
The Neuroscience of Bach’s Music: Perception, Action, and Cognition Effects on the Brain is a comprehensive study of Johann Sebastian Bach’s music through the lens of neuroscience and examining neuroscience using Bach’s music as a tool. This book synthesizes cognitive neuroscience, music theory, and musicology to provide insights into human cognition and perception. It also explores how a neuroscience perspective can improve listening and performing experiences for Bach’s music.
Written by a physician-neuroscientist recognized for scholarly articles on Bach’s music, this book uses specific examples to explore neuroscience across Bach’s compositions. The book is structured to discuss the brain’s action, perception, and cognition as connected to specific Bach concertos, tones, notes, and performances. Two guest contributors provide insight into exact mathematical, or topologic, and music theoretic aspects of Bach’s music with implications for cognitive neuroscience.
The Neuroscience of Bach’s Music: Perception, Action, and Cognition Effects on the Brain is a vital source for neuroscientists, especially those studying the cognitive effects of music, as well as musicians and students alike.
1. Chapter 1: Introduction - p. iii 2. Chapter 2: Background and overview of Johann Sebastian Bach - p. iii 3. Chapter 3: Basics of the brain and perception - p. iii 4. Chapter 4: Case study: A (not so) simple invention by Bach—Upside down but very, very rarely backwards - p. iii 5. Part Two: Playing Bach and the brain—Action - p. iii 6. Chapter 5: Playing Bach’s suites for solo cello and experiencing one’s actions without perception and clocking Libet’s “mind time” - p. iii 7. Chapter 6: Neural performance, action requirements, and challenges of playing Bach’s Concerto for Two Violins—A study of synchronization and perceptual experience - p. iii 8. Chapter 7: Case study: Organ, violin or guitar? - p. iii 9. Chapter 8: Incorporating the cello part with two solo violas Bach’s in Brandenburg Concerto No. 6—Challenges in synchronization and listener experience - p. iii 10. Chapter 9: More than three—Perceptual, action, and cognitive challenges for performers and listeners - p. iii 11. Chapter 10: Case study: A brainy Bach Encore for Handel - p. iii 12. Chapter 11: Case study: What is a fugue? - p. iii 13. Chapter 12: Virtuoso of Bach’s composing and performance expectations - p. iii 14. Part Three: Listening to Bach—Perception of musical space and landscape - p. iii 15. Chapter 13: An introduction to the neuroscience of “affekt”—Music, emotions, and the brain’s limbic system - p. iii 16. Chapter 14: “Affekt” related to tempos and effects—Bach’s composition and emotional playing - p. iii 17. Chapter 15: Case study: The affekt of effects in a Bach Cantata - p. iii 18. Chapter 16: The algebra and neuroscience of Bach’s transcriptions for various instruments and cognitive effects - p. iii 19. Chapter 17: Case studies: (Can you hear) What’s in a name? - p. iii 20. Part Four: Bach and the exploration of the tonal system and beyond—Cognition - p. iii 21. Chapter 18: Parallel fifths and the cognitive-perceptual system - p. iii 22. Chapter 19: Sequential enharmonic notes across instruments in Bach’s compositions - p. iii 23. Chapter 20: Case study: “Wrong Notes” in Bach - p. iii 24. Chapter 21: Bach’s 12-tone row, cognition, and musical perception - p. iii 25. Chapter 22: Case study: A whole tone scale in Bach - p. iii 26. Chapter 23: Modal traces and the cognitive-perceptual system - p. iii 27. Chapter 24: Present and future neuroimaging studies of Bach - p. iii 28. Part Five: Mathematical Bach - p. iii 29. Chapter 25: Topology in Bach I—The Brain’s analysis of Bach’s match to a “Möbius strip” structure - p. iii 30. Chapter 26: Topology in Bach II—A musical torus and the brain’s ability to hear topological structures - p. iii 31. Chapter 27: Unbroken and broken symmetry in Bach’s compositions - p. iii 32. Part Six: Conclusion - p. iii 33. Chapter 28: Bach and the brain: Action, perception, and cognition—Summary, conclusion, fresh beginnings and future studies - p. iii 34. Part Seven: Appendices - p. iii 35. Chapter 29: Recovering “Bach’s edition” of the solo cello suites - p. iii 36. Chapter 30: Further readings and online resources - p. iii 37. Index - p. iii
