USING BAROQUE MUSIC IN THE BACKGROUND WHILE READING

Again, this is a continuation of my earlier post pertaining to high performance reading.

In this post, I am talking about the use of Baroque music in the background.

For reading, especially difficult subjects, choose the Largo movements among the Baroque selections. A good one to start will be Pachelbel's Canon in D Major.

For reviews/revisions, I recommend the Pastorale selections, which are primarily piano pieces, although most Classical selections are equally good.

I reckon the best producer of the Baroque music selections - specially sequenced for learning & relaxation - is the Lind Institute, based in San Francisco. You can do a Google search.

Alternatively, go to a any good music shop in town that sells Baroque & Classical music. Ask them to single out the Baroque music selections for you.

As far as I know, Baroque music generally comprises 4 movements:

- Largo (the slowest of them all);
- Adagio;
- Pastorale;
- Andante;

Besides Pachelbel, other Baroque composers include Albinoni, Caudioso, Scarlatti, Vivaldi, Handel, Mozart, Gluck, Pergolesi, Corelli, & J S Bach.

As music is sometimes very personal, you probably have to try them out for yourself.

Don't forget to experiment with New Age music. My personal favourites are Ray Lynch, Steve Halpern, Yanni, van gelis, Ravi Shankar, Kitaro (except the noisy drums).

The only difference between them is that New Age music is "electronically synthesised", while Baroque music involves classical music instruments, like the harpischord, other than the fact that New Age is more contemporary.

Baroque music goes back to the 17th & 18th century, the eras of which had been considered the most productive in the history of human civilisation.