Mozart Effect - Essay Example

An experiment done in 1993 by Rauscher, Ky, and Shaw claimed that listening to a Mozart piano sonata resulted in an increase in spatial-temporal reasoning scores. Spatial-temporal reasoning is the ability to form mental pictures from physical objects or to see patterns in time and space. The result of this effect is what came to be known as the Mozart effect. The research was conducted on a group of people in different environments. The music selected was from the Sonata for Two Pianos in D Major, Mozart’s composition. The piece of music is lively and it explains the intelligence of the performer. Participants who listened to a piece of Mozart music 10 minutes before completing a spatial ability assignment requiring mental concentration improved drastically than those who had 10 minutes of silence or those who had 10 minutes of verbal relaxation tape. The effect occurred when the participants were tested immediately and the improved ability disappeared within an hour. This brought another aspect of Mozart's effect that it was temporal. The size of the effect when measured was an equivalent of 8 to 9 IQ points. Mozart effect can be described as the effect felt after listening to particular pieces of Mozart's music. From the experiment, it is interesting to see how music can have an effect on the reasoning of a human being. An improvement in the ability to contain mental images from physical objects within a short time is quite tremendous.

During my listening experiment, I choose one of Mozart’s compositions called Sonata for Two Pianos in D Major. The sonata is a melody and it consists of three movements; allegro con spirito, andante, and molto allegro. The first movement allegro con spirito begins in a D major which sets the tone with a strong introduction. Both pianos set the theme simultaneously. In the second movement andante, the pace is very relaxed and the melody is played by both pianos. In this movement, there is no strong climax. The third movement molto allegro begins with a racing theme.

The reason for this choice is that the music is a melody. I wanted to feel the same effect felt during the Rauscher experiment. It is one of Mozart’s piano compositions and it reflects the intelligence of the composer. It has no verbal phrases and it is quite fascinating when listening to it.

Mozart music can be effectively used in improving learning abilities. Its ability to improve spatial and temporal reasoning tasks will be helpful in providing therapy. It can be used as a therapy for children with learning disabilities, especially those who can not solve problems requiring a series of mental images to correctly reconstruct objects. Several experiments have been done on the possibility of music becoming a therapy for some mental health problems. From the experiences during my listening experiment, it is possible for music to be used as therapy.   

There were some experiences when I listened to music with my friends. Improved concentration and attention were key experiences. After listening to the piece of music my concentration and attention were better. My friend’s experience was that the music created a mood of relaxed atmosphere and inner peace. Music creates a different environment that human beings have failed to understand yet its effect is widely felt.