Musicophilia by Oliver Sachs

An informative and interesting tour through the world of neuroscience case-studies focusing on musical issues. For those with greater background knowledge, it will still be informative (i.e., oh, I remember that) and interesting, but less so.

As with many neuroscience/psychology, Musicophilia highlights how our abilities depend upon the proper functioning of our brain – a useful reminder because it is so easy to forget.

One of the overall messages was described by the author in chapter 7:
“…that what one calls musicality comprises a great range of skills and receptivities, from the most elementary perceptions of pitch and tempo, to the highest aspects of musical intelligence and sensibility, and that, in principle, all of these are dissociable, one from another...”