(Artist Transcriptions). Authentic; note-for-note piano transcriptions of Flanagans playing on a dozen of his best; including: All the Things You Are * Caravan * Eclypso * Freight Trane * Groovin High * How Deep Is the Ocean (How High Is the Sky) * It Never Entered My Mind * Jes Fine * Love You Madly * Relaxin at the Camarillo * Sunset and the Mocking Bird * Woodyn You.
#1486376 in eBooks 2009-01-01 2009-01-01File Name: B00Y7PHI4A
Review
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful. A wonderful summary of art; psychology and neuroscienceBy Ross TaylorFirst; I must state my long abiding interest in psychology; fine art and more recently; neuroscience. I have also read Kandels In Search of Memory: The Emergence of a New Science of Mind which is more technical. But this beautifully bound and lavishly illustrated hardback; with colour reproductions of art works is such a joy to read. It is not too technical and the biological explanations should be easily understood. Kandel uses changes in knowledge of visual perception exemplified in Art to explain the workings of the brain and the different types of cortical processes used to make meaning from input from the senses. He compares the work of Freud and other Viennese scientists of the period and how their work has laid foundations for some of the recent advances in neuroscience and mans improved understanding of himself. The book itself is a work of art and I cannot recommend it too highly.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. It shows how "art" is a byproduct of the evolution of the brain.By A. Alberto SanchezI think this book is worth reading because it provides current knowledge about how some parts of our brain function.This book is about how our brains capacity to perceive light; colors; shapes; and patterns in the world we live can be used for survival; and how when the brain assigns emotional values to some of those lights; colors; shapes and patterns; those mixed memories of knowledge and emotion become much more potent and useful for survival; and as a byproduct we get the capacity to tickle ourselves; by creating things that bring alive into our minds all mixtures of subtle and powerful emotions whenever we so decide.For many; it has been rather evident for a while that "art" is one of several byproducts of the evolution of our brain which main biological function is to keep the organism alive long enough to pass its genes.However; I do not think this book will end debates about "art" or brain function because as you know most people are willing to kill each other to keep their illusions; their "culturally accepted" delusional systems; because without them their concepts of themselves and the world fall apart.5 of 5 people found the following review helpful. WHAT DOES THE BRAIN BRING TO ART?By David KeymerIn this richLY rewarding book; Nobel laureate Eric Kandel (2000 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine) attempts to draw together two widely disparate disciplines; the visual arts and brain science. That he succeeds as well as he does is a tribute to the wide reading he has done -in neuroscience; of course; but also psychology and physiology; philosophy; history and philosophy of art (he doesnt do badly in history either)--and his openness to new ideas.Using the art world and science world of turn of the century Vienna; and focusing on the three extraordinary artists who among them forged Austrian Expressionism -Gustav Klimt (1862-1918); Oskar Kokoschka (1886-1980); and Egon Schiele (1890-1918) - asks three questions:*Does art have universal functions and features?*If so; how are they arrived at and perceived?*Are our responses to art always personal or are there general biological mechanisms within us that condition them?Kokoschka called himself a "psychological tin can opener." He wanted to paint his subjects inner reality. Just as Viennese writer Alfred Schnitzler invented the interior monologue; "stream of consciousness;" to gain access to the inner thoughts and mood swings of his characters; so Kokoschka and Schiele especially; devised new artistic techniques to look behind the mask of a persons public persona. While they add little new to our understanding of their works; Kandels comments on why they worked are sensible and; more important yet; given the eventual aim of the book (the books arc) they provide a bridge to the later discussion of how in fact the brain processes visual information and; briefly; a discussion of "the brain as a creativity machine."The discussion that follows occupies almost two-thirds of the book. After a relatively short (40 pp) discussion of the cognitive psychology of perception; it concentrates on how the brain receives; stores and organizes information; and the implications of this for the visual arts. Parts of what follows is heavy going but plodding through it familiarizes the reader for some very interesting comments.I dont intend to summarize them; but I will give one example. Discussing the dominant role of line in art; Kandel observes:"Artists have always realized that objects are defined by their shapes; which in turn derive from their edges. [But] In the actual world; there is no such thing as an outline: objects end and backgrounds begin without any clear line distinguishing the boundaries. Yet the viewer has no difficulty in perceiving a line drawing as representing a hand; a person; or a house. The fact that this sort of shorthand works so effortlessly tells us a lot about how our visual processing system works. ... [O]ur brain cells are excellent ... at reading lines and contours as edges. ... Each moment that our eyes are open; orientation cells in the primary visual cortex are constructing the elements of line drawings in the scene before us."A book that ranges this widely forces the writer to move outside his or her chosen field of expertise quite regularly. There are risks in doing it but the payoff can be considerable. Kandel has done so boldly without distorting or moving beyond what current evidence has shown. He notes the achievements and observations of others; making it easy to trace where his own ideas and speculations come from. He notes what is speculation and what firm evidence. And he writes lucidly and; occasionally; very well.Another thing I like about the book is the care that has been expended in producing it. Random House deserves applause for its support of the project; which cannot have been cheap. There are numerous color illustrations; works of art and diagrams of the brain; and black and white photographs and schematic drawings of the nervous system; etc. The cover incorporates Klimts first portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer (1907); one of his most seductive and lushly painted works; and the end papers reproduce a detail; rich in gold; from the dame work. A lovely touch: when Kandel discuses what makes a face attractive; he illustrates it with a photograph of his wife taken when she was much younger.[This is the second book I have purchased and read this year on or about science where the presentation enhances the text. The other was George Dysons magnificent history of the digital revolution; Turings Castle (Pantheon; 2012).]
