Babies dig classical music

by Roger Sinasohn (Subscribe to Roger Sinasohn's posts)
Oct 16th 2008 5:00PM

Whether or not you put any stock in the Mozart effect, classical music is a pleasure to listen to. A new study seems to indicate that you don't have to be a grown-up to think so, either. In tests, babies as young as five months old were found to be able to distinguish between "happy" pieces and "sad" ones.

This is just another way babies learn about communicating. The report notes that "Infants' discrimination of music is important because music, like speech, is communicative and a basic function of music and speech is to express meaning through emotion." Music definitely equates to emotion and emotions are something we definitely need to understand as we grow up.

Pieces that the babies listened to include some universal favorites -- the first movement of Bach's Brandenburg Concerto number three 3 and the fourth movement of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony were among the "happy" pieces while Beethoven's Seventh Symphony and Faure's Elegie were on the "sad" team. Happy or sad, these are all works worth listening to. I'm glad even the little ones can get into the music.

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10-16-2008 @ 11:59PM

Secret Mommy said...

My 6 month old son ADORES classical music. I listened semi-frequently while pregnant (though I hadn't listened to much classical music before that) and now I keep the station in my car tuned to the classical station. It keeps him happy in the car (he's not a big fan of the car seat...) and I like it that it's a listener supported station and so no more commercials! :)

Sometimes I think he is "conducting" to the music because he waves and flaps his arms fast or slow depending on what we are listening to.

10-17-2008 @ 9:33AM

Ed Reints said...

Too bad not enough babies are exposed to classical music instead of the garbage that passes for music today. It is too frenetic and nervewrecking and aggravates most people no end

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