Smarter people listen to instrumental music: study

New York Post ^ | May 23rd, 2019 | By Hannah Sparks

[Mariner]

here seems to be an air of pretension among aficionados of jazz and classical music, psychological research is giving them good reason.

A new study published in Evolutionary Behavioral Sciences suggests that those who prefer instrumental music tend to be more intelligent.

Study author Elena Racevska, a PhD student at Oxford Brookes University, became interested in how musical preference is tied to personality traits as she learned about the Savanna-IQ Interaction Hypothesis, which presumes that more intelligent individuals seek more novel experiences compared to less intelligent people.

“After reading Kanazawa’s papers, one of which was on the relationship between intelligence and musical preferences, we decided to further test his hypothesis using a different set of predictors — namely, a different type of intelligence test (i.e. a nonverbal measure), and the uses of music questionnaire,” says Racevska. “We also measured a number of variables likely to have an effect in this relationship, such as taking part in extra-curricular music education, its type and duration.”

[Ammo Republic 15]

Some 30 years ago I began to collect instrumental surf music and built up quite a collection. Bands like The Challengers, The Surfaris, The Ventures and Dick Dale had quite a few albums out. And then you could find recordings by The Chantay’s, P J & the Galaxies, The Pyrimids, Eddie and the Showmen...all west coast surf bands in the 60’s. Great music!

[mewzilla]

That wasn’t The Barber of Seville, was it?

[dfwgator]

Nope.

[mewzilla]

Marriage of Figaro..?

[Charles Martel]

Gotta love the ol' Spear and Magic Helmet. :-) I think I might prefer Rhapsody Rabbit, though. More instrumental.

[dfwgator]

Nope. Think Hungarian.

[Publius]

Poet and Peasant Overture?

[Publius]

Liszt’s Hungarian Rhapsody #6?

[dfwgator]

So close.

[mewzilla]

Interesting side bit on that...

How “Rhapsody Rabbit” Caused Controversy At the Oscars

[nopardons]

Well I grew up hearing this kind of music ( opera and operettas too ), so for me, it's probably nature AND nurture; though the people who had this type of music on/played it, were brilliant.

Re operas...when I was bitty, my grandmother told me the stories of the operas, then, later, she bought me a book that was all about that and also more. So I too prefer no sub-titles, because they are a distraction and I know what is going on/being sung anyway.

[dfwgator]

“What’s up, Doc? Who? Franz Liszt? Never heard of him, wrong number!”

[mewzilla]

Did I get it by accident with my above link on Rhapsody Rabbit?

[dfwgator]

Yeah.

[Publius]

Brahms Hungarian Dance #5?

[Billthedrill]

When I'm in the mood for a catchy tune with neither instruments or voice I queue up John Cage's 4:22. Serious passion in this one.

[mewzilla]

LOL. Bugs was my first exposure to classical music. Mom was an Elvis and Beatles fan. Dad didn’t care for long-hared (ha ha) music of any kind.

[dfwgator]

LOL. Bugs was my first exposure to classical music.

I think that was true for a lot of kids.

[mewzilla]

LOL! A roomie in college was an opera devotee. And really, really liked Wagner. Not my cuppa. 😢

[dfwgator]

She’s sweet on Wagner
I think she’d die for Beethoven
She loves the way Puccini lays down a tune
And Verdi’s always creeping from her room

ELO - Rockaria