The Cognitive Neuroscience of Music

Figure 18.4

Example of the opera

’s excerpts used in the experiment. Approximate translation of the e

xcerpts, from

Les Huguenots

(Meyerbeer):

‘Really,

his na

ïvity is charming. However, he trembles in front of beautiful eyes

’, and from

Faust

(Gounod):

‘For me, the pleasures and young mistresses, the crazy

orgy of the heart and the senses

’. Note that in French, the

final incongruous words

‘boeufs

’and

‘sciences

’rhyme with the expected completions

‘yeux

’

and

‘sens

’. The

final note of the excerpt is in or out of tune. (Adapted from Re

f. 72.)

Vrai-

mentes can-deur eat char-

A

mai

• 
  

les

ieu

mante he- lasl

il tremble de- vant de beaux

gi-

e

Du

Ye u x Boeuf Ye u x Boeuf

coeur

• et

des

• 
  

nes mai-

tres-

ses

Et

la

folleor-

Sens! Sens!

Sciences! Sciences!

plai-

sirs

Les

• 
  

3

33

33 33

Meyerbeer (1791

• 
  
  
  
  1864. 
        
  
  
  
  

Les Huguenots

Faust

Gounod (1818

• 
  
  
  
  93.