Passage 2 - The Role of Mothers in the Origins of Music

Reading Passage

The Role of Mothers in the Origins of Music

A leading researcher has proposed that the key to understanding the origin of music is in the playful language used between mother and child.

A

In a recent lecture Richard Parncutt, a professor of systematic musicology at the University of Graz, Austria, discussed the idea that music originated from "motherese" - the playful voice mothers use when speaking to infants. According to Parncutt, larger human brains caused by evolutionary changes occurring around two million years ago resulted in earlier births, more fragile infants and, therefore, a need for stronger relationships between mothers and their newborns. According to Parncutt, motherese arose as a way to strengthen this bond and to help infants survive. "If babies were born earlier, it is clear they would need better care in order to survive... this would involve the baby communicating its state and needs more clearly to the mother," he says. Parncutt believes it is very likely that motherese is an evolutionary adaptation, and that there is a large amount of modern empirical evidence for the musical nature of motherese.

B

Although it may sound like nonsense, motherese is actually a sophisticated form of communication. According to Parncutt, it contains structural musical elements such as rhythm and melody, and codes that babies and mothers understand. It also contains cross-cultural similarities with regard to the physical gestures it incorporates, an important consideration when examining the origin of music. Parncutt explains that music and accompanying movements inform mother and infant about the current physical and emotional state of the other. "Here, emotions such as surprise and disappointment are learned for the first time... It is about survival in that it motivates the mother to care for the infant and gives her information about the infant's needs." For example, mothers will be able to understand when their babies are tired or hungry, he explains. Motherese also helps infants to acquire language.

C

Parncutt explains that a foetus begins hearing nearly four months before birth, as it regularly hears its mother's voice, heartbeat, and digestive sounds - all of which provide information about its mother's emotional state. After birth, the baby recognises these sound patterns and its mother's correlating mood. Gary McPherson, head of the University of Melbourne's School of Music, reiterates the importance of this prenatal association, saying that music is the very first form of intelligence to reveal itself - even before birth.

D

However, there are several competing theories about the origins of music. Parncutt developed a grading system to assess these theories, the objective being to measure their validity against a set of criteria which he called "universal aspects of music". Some key aspects are that music is meaningful and can be used to communicate information; it involves movement and gesture; it has several structural components like rhythm, melody, repetition and form; it performs social functions; music is intentional, meaning musicians must have a degree of mental sophistication in order to manipulate the emotions of others; and it is intrinsically spiritual. According to Parncutt, "a good theory of music's origin should explain or be consistent with" all these aspects.

E

Using his criteria, Parncutt evaluated several theories. One suggests that musical talent is inherent in the behaviour of animals, for example wolves howling to mark territory or birds singing to enhance courtship. Others suggest that it exists to give people pleasure or that it developed as a way to attract sexual partners, and that music evolved as a tool to help youngsters acquire other non-musical skills. While Parncutt's work has not disproved these ideas, it suggests that motherese offers a more comprehensive explanation. "He tackles these theories head-on," says McPherson. "By examining all the different theories he is actually building up a very powerful argument. It's a wonderful contribution."

F

However, evidence for the motherese theory is far from concrete; some experts wonder whether the question of origin can be answered at all. "There are many speculations about the origins of music, but don't forget for a minute that they're only speculations - wild ones," cautions Sandra Trehub, a psychology professor at the University of Toronto Mississauga. "Vocal music, like speech, doesn't leave traces that allow us to discern its origins in ancient times... None of these theories can be proven."

G

Another criticism is that Parncutt's theory doesn't account for non-vocal music. Neil McLachlan, a music psychologist at the University of Melbourne, argues, "There certainly isn't one social function of music. It's quite possible that certain musical behaviours have developed from demands other than learning." He points out that music has been used in warfare to inspire marching armies and also in work traditions to distract people from repetitive tasks. According to McLachlan, there are probably multiple origins throughout history. "Motherese may be the earliest origin, but it doesn't account for all music - particularly non-vocal expressions."

H

According to Parncutt, infants lack an independent sense of self and view themselves as extensions of their mothers. He sees this emotional connection as a kind of spirituality. "I am leaving... the solid foundation of science by talking about these things, but since they are of such central importance to the human condition I would prefer not to ignore them - as most researchers on the origins of music have done to date." Parncutt admits that proof is inconclusive but he maintains that motherese is the most comprehensive explanation, and the only one that accounts for the curious link between music and spirituality.