Mozart’s compositions in 2016: much more than 18th century music

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syndrome is a genetic illness characterized by a deficiency of muscle tone and troubles to eat. Music therapy enhances social and emotional conduct, eases gaining of motor skills, improves verbal and non-verbal language development, and increases attention duration (Coyle, p.7). According to Sze and Yu (as cited by Badrie Mohammad Nour ElDaou and Mira Hassaniyyeh, p.299), music is an old method for healing because it counteracts harmful emotions, improves stress tolerance and is soothing. This process also helps patients with psychological problems and increases quality of life of people with incapacities. Badrie Mohammad Nour ElDaou and Mira Hassaniyyeh made a study on eight students, whose four boys and four girls with light intellectual illness. These students are aged between eight and twelve years, who have close IQ average, and fail to stay focused and alert during a class. They devised equally the group in two, to form an experimental and a control group. Pre and post-test were made on them during ten days (each), and, between these tests, students listen to Mozart during 54 days for 30 minutes per day. The results of the pre and post-tests showed that there was a decrease of 8.25% in the control group (who did not listen to music) while the experimental group — who did listen to Mozart — demonstrated a decrease of 83.5% of inattention. The study also proved that it reduces behavioral problems of 15 % in the experimental group and only 0.75% in the control group. The experimental group also responded better to questions (0.5% more) and the control group responded well to only 0.05% more questions. They concluded that listening to Mozart — and classical music in general — have many benefits on humans. (Badrie Mohammad Nour ElDaou and Mira Hassaniyyeh, p.306-307) Furthermore, a study on relaxation established that those who listened to Mozart’s Eine Kleine Nachtmusik felt higher levels of mental peace, “awe”, “wonder”, “love” and “thankfulness” and less negative emotions than those who listened to Steven Halper’s Serenity Suite, a New Age composition. They were far more relaxed, less stressed, proving that it helped them. (Smith, p 1 and 11)

In sum, Mozart had been often included in scientific researches to improve quality of life of many types of patients, but also in Nazis’ propaganda during and before the Second World War. It also helps with corporal and mental illness of many patients around the world. Many works, such as Honor Your German Masters, are great to inform the public about what happens during the Second World War. What this essay demonstrate is that when people feel sick, angry and depressed, they should listen to Mozart: it is the best remedy!

Works Cited

Boso, Mariana, Pierluigi Politi, Francesco Barale and Enzo Emanuele. “Neurology and Neurobiology of the Musical Experience”. Functional Neurology, 2006, Nov. 4, 2016.

Coyle, Sheila. “The effect of Music Therapy on a person with intellectual disability”. DBS School of Arts, 2011, Nov. 4, 2016.

Cutshall, Susanne M, Patricia G. Anderson, Sharon K. Prinsen, Laura J. Wentworth, Tammy L. Olney, Penny. K Messner, Kenny M. Brekke, Zhuo Li, Thoralf M. Sundt, Ryan F. Kelly, and Brent A. Bauer. “Effect of the Combination of Music and Nature Sounds on Pain and Anxiety in Cardiac Surgical Patients: A Randomized Study”. Alternative Therapies, 2011, Nov. 5, 2016.

Dennis, David B. “Honor Your German Masters: The use and abuse of "classical" composers in Nazi propaganda.” Journal of Political and Military Sociology, 2002, Nov. 3, 2016.

Genetics Home Reference. U.S. National Library of Medicine. June 2014, https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/prader-willi-syndrome. Nov. 6th, 2016.

Lung-Chang, Lin, Lee Mei-Wen, Wei Ruey-Chang, Mok Hin-Kiu, Wu Hui-Chuan, Tsai Chin-Lin, and Yang Rei-Cheng. “Mozart K.545 Mimics Mozart K.448 in Reducing Epileptiform Discharges in Epileptic Children”. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2012, Nov. 6, 2016.

Mohammad Nour ElDaou, Badrie and Mira Hassaniyyeh. “The Influence of Classical Music on the Concentration and Performance Levels of Students with Mild Intellectual Disability”. International Journal of Arts & Sciences, 2016, Nov. 4, 2016.

Smith, Jonathan C, and Carol A Joyce. “Mozart versus New Age: Relaxation States, Stress, and ABC Relaxation Theory”. Journal of Music Therapy, 2004, Nov. 5, 2016.

Whittal, Arnold. “Forces of Destiny”. Musical Times, 2011, Nov. 3, 2016.