Talk about the connection between brain and classical music has popped
up again, with a BBC Music Magazine report on a new study of dementia
patients in London's Maudsley Hospital.  Dr.  Raj Persaud, who conducted
the study, concluded that there is a link between musical taste and
intellectual function when he observed that as brainpower diminishes in
dementia patients who have previously liked classical music, the patients
sometimes begin to prefer pop music.  This happened at the same time
patients developed increasing problems with speaking and abstract thinking.

"What this may mean is that you require more gray matter to appreciate
classical music," Persaud said, "and that you don't need so much gray
matter to appreciate pop music, so as you lose gray matter your taste in
music changes accordingly." The study cited other work pointing to the same
connection between damage to the frontal lobes of the brain and musical
taste.

And, semi-related, a fine review of ALW recordings:

   http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2001/12/23/PK229929.DTL

Janos Gereben/SF
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