Letters from the May 8, 2004, issue of Science News
By Science News
Listen carefully
Perhaps Stefan Koelsch’s study should have been limited to trained musicians, rather than exclude them (“Song Sung Blue: In brain, music and language overlap,” SN: 2/28/04, p. 133: Song Sung Blue: In brain, music and language overlap). Word and visual associations in music are vigorously reinforced in movie soundtracks, cartoons, and elsewhere. But classical composers and musicians typically take pains to isolate their musicianship from any and all nonmusical elements. This inquiry may shine light on the alleged universality of a musical “language.” Music lovers have been brawling over related issues for centuries.