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A book that should be read along with watching this film is Oliver Sacks' "Musicophilia". Outstanding book and inspiring to perform at nursing homes.
-Scott
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Just got to actually witness that effect yet again over this holiday season, accompanying my wife's ladies singing mission work at the senior citizen homes around the area. I dig gettin' to pound out all the great old carols on the piano anyway. And, yes, the people who work at these places are rather constantly telling us that we got some certain somebody to sing with us, yet they are basically nonresponsive the rest of the time.
I'm all but convinced that Music uses different parts of the brain than many of the other communication functions. Witness the music savants, who, typically at a very young age, are able to play just about anything they've heard yet have never had "benefit" of piano lessons or practice sessions. Where does that come from?
Likely the same place that the ability an Alzheimer's patient responding to songs they apparently knew well when younger.
--Mac
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Totally agree Mac. A close friend in the Shetland islands lost her father a couple of years ago. He was suffering from dementia. She'd visit him in a home several times a week. They'd have folk going in and giving the patients a tune & a song. One woman never spoke the rest of the time would sing to her hearts content.
A close friend of mine visits Brazil with his band every year and he often plays at nursing homes in the afternoon. One resident in particular never utters a word the rest of the year but every time he visits she chats like there's no tomorrow.
How many autistic children & adults communicate through music ? I've seen lots of programmes on TV where severely autistic people have major difficulty communicating. They can hear a tune once and play it note perfect. Maybe they should look at music as a way of entertaining old folks over here in the UK. All too often nursing homes rely on the good nature of musicians to give up their time free, sadly it's not always possible as we have families to feed too.
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Quote:
... All too often nursing homes rely on the good nature of musicians to give up their time free, sadly it's not always possible as we have families to feed too.
The situation is the same for me in this area, but I look forward to the "gigs" as Mission Work.
And, as rediscovered this past Christmas season, what a loving and receptive audience one can find!
I think this kind of work has its own reward, more valuable than money.
One old fella, in a wheelchair and wearing two hearing aids, as we were leaving after one fun hour or so, wanted to shake my hand and thank me for coming. He said, "You sure can tickle them Ivories..." Of course, I just politely thanked him for the compliment, but man, that little comment and the look of sincere appreciation on the old man's face was very dear to me.
Heh, long ago enjoyed some private lessons from one of the greats in the Pittsburgh area, mostly dealing with the art and science of playing unaccompanied piano. Perhaps the most important thing he said to me was, "They want to see you playing the WHOLE piano, so make sure to practice arpeggios and scales from 'end-to-end' and insert them anywhere there's a half note or more at the end of each melodic phrase." So true. The Chromatic Scale is a great way to connect things together that I think is not used as often as it could be. This teacher I'm referencing actually made the Chromatic Scale connections part and parcel of his style. Me, I'm still having to practice the fingering regularly or I'll get all tied up in the middle of a sudden idea... <grin?> Art Tatum was a Pianist. I'm a Pianner player.
--Mac
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After watching the video, I reread the story in 1st Samuel 16 about David and Saul. I guess the effects of music upon the mind should not be surprising.
JBlatz
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Mac I first started gigging playing at church concerts and charity nights. I got a great deal of enjoyment out of it, and next year I reckon I'll get back to doing more of the same.
On accordion it's more difficult to use the whole keyboard, but, I used to enjoy showing off and doing just that with a couple of show tunes.
Thanks to biab I have a much greater understanding of phrasing and chords. I believe myself I'm enjoying it much more now than I did 30 years ago as a full time player. Playing for the less fortunate in nursing homes will certainly increase my own pleasure.
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Graham, you brought a grin here.
On this side of the pond, for a long time, you knew the accordianist was about to show off their use of the whole keyboard when they started the intro to, "Tico Tico"...
--Mac
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Amen to all of the above as I have been seeing this effect for years now. I will also add that music has a similar effect on mentally challenged children of all ages as I am also fortunate enough to see this first hand as well as I try my best to play for the activity centers in my area as often as I can.
Of course the wonderful effect it has on the musicians is harder to describe, so I'll just say for me personally “it's cool” to say the least, others mileage may vary.
Later,
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Oh yeah, If I asked for money every time I was asked to play that tune I'd be well off.  Still a wonderful tune and one that's stood the test of time. Quote:
Graham, you brought a grin here.
On this side of the pond, for a long time, you knew the accordianist was about to show off their use of the whole keyboard when they started the intro to, "Tico Tico"...
--Mac
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My problem with that tune is for some reason i keep speeding up and up and eventually can' t go as fast as my brain.
I wonder if anyone can tell me this. I have this EEEEEE and eeeeee thing in my head after chemo and am stone deaf. Well just to high pitches from wimmens voices and up. No more crickets..
But if a song is in my head it's there until I start up a new one. It almost never stops until I remember it's going on, so for 2 hours I'm into white xmas, then it's Fly with me. I have to think about the tune, sing a few bars to myself, and it takes off from there. Can anyone concurr that this is the start of full blown Old Timers and I'm going to get worse and tell that joke about the talking cow saying to the other about the "gee a talking dog" thing? Will it always be thus? ..there's a one man band he can play a tune for you....NOOOOOOOOO", "I wish you bluebirds in the spring...."
and then again I wish you ...lub.."
my aching heart and I agree...
John Conley
Musica est vita
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Quote:
But if a song is in my head it's there until I start up a new one. It almost never stops until I remember it's going on, so for 2 hours I'm into white xmas, then it's Fly with me. I have to think about the tune, sing a few bars to myself, and it takes off from there. Can anyone concurr that this is the start of full blown Old Timers...
If it is, then I've suffered from Alzheimer's since around the age of three.
You've got a song in your heart, as the old song goes.
That's a good thing, no?
I often will stop and whistle or sing the song that's going through my head when the wife is with me.
Just today I skatted the main theme to the Clementi piano thing in C at her. Dum-dee-di-dum-dum, Dum-dee-di-dum, Dee Deedle Deedle Deedle Deedle Deedle Deedle-Dum...
I tell her I just wanted to share what else I was hearing along with her...
Then there's those times of what I like to call "mental practicing" in which I *imagine* I'm playing a particular song on a particular instrument, then imagine transposing it to other keys on the fly, as well.
Sometimes I hear things that I cannot identify as being already composed, too.
Happened just the other week in the band van on the way from a gig.
"Man, I wish you guys coulda heard THAT!"
--Mac
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I wish I could have heard it too Mac.
Later,
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I'm the same when it comes to tunes. Once I hear a few bars I can usually play it even if I havn't played it before ( If I know the tune of course ) Quite often the name of a tune won't mean a thing, once I hear it I'm away....
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I've been advocating "Music Therapy" in my Nursing Home ever since I've been here (nearly three years) but its fallen on deaf ears. My Speech Therapist, Christine, believes in it but, since she has no formal training, she hesitates to get involved officially.
I see unresponsive Alzheimer patients come alive when they hear music from their own generation, specifically their teenage years, so my room is a constant source of music for them.
One, an 85 year old lady, would come to my doorway, smile broadly, and tap her feet in perfect time to old time fiddling, her personal favorite. I have noticed that their sense of rhythm stays intact to the very end. The day before she died, she was still moving her feet in time to the music.
I quit getting close after losing her. Its too painful.
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<<I think this kind of work has its own reward, more valuable than money.>>
Right you are Mac. Pauline and I are in a little band that plays at a different retirement home/treatment facility every week. As a duet, we also play at 3 facilities once a month and also on special occasions such as Veteran's Day. We see what differences it makes to the Alzheimers patients. Many people on this forum have helped us to create and improve our backups which has, in turn, also helped these patients. There are lot's of ways to help bring music to those in need. Be creative and come up with you own ideas. The maximum time of our programs is 45 minutes. I admit that it can get boring sometimes, but then it's not about me. Give it a try. You might find that the reward is greater than you ever thought it could be.
Stan
Cornet Curmudgeon
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Okay, my friends, with your encouragement, I just submitted a proposal to my Nursing Home Administrator, Speech Therapist, and Activities Director and volunteered to pre-load patients' mp3 players with their own choice of music. I am almost positive that kindness to Alzheimer's patients is against some law but I'll cross that bridge with the "copyright cops" when I come to it.
You folks are tops!
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Quote:
My problem with that tune is for some reason i keep speeding up and up and eventually can' t go as fast as my brain.
I wonder if anyone can tell me this. I have this EEEEEE and eeeeee thing in my head after chemo and am stone deaf. Well just to high pitches from wimmens voices and up. No more crickets..
But if a song is in my head it's there until I start up a new one. It almost never stops until I remember it's going on, so for 2 hours I'm into white xmas, then it's Fly with me. I have to think about the tune, sing a few bars to myself, and it takes off from there. Can anyone concurr that this is the start of full blown Old Timers and I'm going to get worse and tell that joke about the talking cow saying to the other about the "gee a talking dog" thing? Will it always be thus? ..there's a one man band he can play a tune for you....NOOOOOOOOO", "I wish you bluebirds in the spring...."
and then again I wish you ...lub.."
my aching heart and I agree...
John,
Oliver Sacks addresses this in his book, Musicophilia. Just be glad it's not the same song forever. It is not age related, from what I recall.
That's a fantastic book, btw. You should also check out "Seeing Voices" by Oliver Sacks as well.
-Scott
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OK, who here will hold me accountable to at least get my own sorry rear-end to the local nursing home with my Casio WK-200 (actually my daughter's) under one arm and the stand and seat under the other, and the kids toting their instruments and the Reader's Digest family favorites books in tow?
I've been saying I will do this for nearly 2 years. I used to do it back in MI, with just one of the residents who 'played' harmonica along with whatever song I played. I played my acoustic and had to transpose everything to C because that's what key his harmonica was in.
Gotta get some practice in - this is an important gig.
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