September 19, 2007

Music and amnesia. Oliver Sacks writes about Clive Wearing. [Via MindHacks.]
posted by homunculus 17 years ago
  • Fascinating read. Between Hank's illusion post and this story, I'm amazed at the workings of the human brain.
  • I'll be hiding under my bed. I don't want to even consider thinking about contemplating the workings of the human brain. It scares the bejeezus out of me.
  • The mind is a terrible thing.
  • Waste, waste is also a terrible thing.
  • They did a segment on this on Radio Lab (the one on memory and forgetting). If you don't subscribe to this podcast, you absolutely should. One of the best NPR shows ever.
  • I should add that that show actually features audio of this guy interacting with his wife. It's astonishing.
  • Looks a little like CBC: Ideas, anyone listen to both?
  • I remember seeing a documentary on Wearing where he could play a lengthy piece for piano amongst a few other musicians accompanying him from start to finish but the moment he stopped there was no way to track the moment he was in and he would resort to the fear of being somewhere alien with these strange, unknown people suddenly around him. Kafka's Groundhog Day.
  • Just got to read this. What an incredible story.
  • I've read about Wearing before, but this article clarified much. It's all quite awe-inspring, as well as being terrifying since any one of us could, at any time, wind up in the same predicament. Marvelous, humbling, stunning piece, which underscores the need to live each moment fully and never take anything for granted. Such a powerful, magical yet fragile thing we have stored in these hard noggins of ours.
  • Interesting article! I know that for me, almost everything has some kind of musical association. Like, whenever I see or talk about tapioca, I get the "Carioca" song from "Flying Down to Rio" stuck in my head.
  • OK, I just had to share. I just got back from dining at the 90th birthday party of the fellow who was the chief patter man of our Gilbert & Sullivan society back in the 1970’s. Although not a professional singer, the guy is legendary – mention G&S to anyone in the area 40 years old or over, and the first thing you hears is, “Oh, do you know A--- K---? I still remember his Jack Point like it was yesterday.” Anyway, when we were done we asked if he wanted to sing anything, and he stood up and did the Lord Chancellor’s "Nightmare Song" from Iolanthe, at full speed (which is roughly three or four times faster than the MIDI file at the linked site), without missing a single word. And without looking at a score for even a second. I was blown away. I guess if I'm lucky I'll have enough motor memory to sing Little Buttercup on my deathbed.