> My understanding of using music in the operating room is that it > relaxes the surgeon and helps him/her focus on doing the operation > right. Similarly it is possible to relax the patient in circumstances > where (s)he is awake and this would help the treatment (eg in the > dentist's chair).
I read that the patient can listen to his favourite music even in the operating room when apparently unconscious, and recover more quickly, especially if the surgeon says something to encourage him in this sense, while operating. > > Another potentially interesting use of music is reflected in research > from a music teacher in this country (UK) which purported to show > that playing Mozart to school pupils increased their capacity to > learn. Presumably lute fantasies would have an even stronger effect :-) The reason is simple: whatever puts you in an Alpha state enhances you to concentrate and work- or study- better.Classical music can do it, rock and pop can't, because of their rythm and the distortion of sound which they often have, not to speak of subliminar messages which are often inserted and are perceived by the brain distracting it from a difficult task like operating. In my experience, even classical music can be distracting: I used to have a history of music teacher who liked to explain while Marco Rizzi ( now a famous violinist) who was a student at the time, was practising in the nearby room.The teacher was not a musician. As soon as I heard Rizzi playing Bach or some other, I couldn't listen to the words of the history teacher anymore, because I was completely absorbed into the music, which was much more beautiful... Some other thoughts: when the musician plays for music's sake and not to show how skilled he his, he's giving out himself and love at the same time, that's the reason why a concert or a good CD can be theraphy, to me it's more a matter of love and support going around, rather than a job you should be taught. Donatella http://web.tiscali.it/awebd > > Eric Crouch > > > -- To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
