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Ute Lemper takes on the Brooklyn BridgeEvolution, Music and the Brain
Enjoying a concert from the comfort of your seat is perfectly normal -- but your brain has other things in mind. Today, the neuroscientist Daniel Levitin explains why it’s only natural to dance when you hear music. Plus, on the eve of Soundcheck’s own special from Berlin, chanteuse Ute Lemper kicks off Carnegie Hall’s Berlin in Lights festival. She joins us for a preview. And later: a look at Plastic People of the Universe, the Czech rock band whose music is at the heart of a new Broadway play.
Music: It's Only Human
Record-producer-turned-neuroscientist Daniel Levitin went from working with Stevie Wonder and Blue Oyster Cult to researching human behavior and music. He joins Soundcheck to discuss whether music is an evolutionary accident -- or fundamental to our species.
More about Daniel Levitin, Ph.D.
Dr. Levitin's New York Times op-ed, "Dancing in the Seats"
Ute Lemper
Before she kicks off Carnegie Hall's "Berlin in Lights" festival tonight at the Neue Gallerie, Ute Lemper joins us to talk about a program that includes the dark gems of Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill. And she gives us a sneak preview of her appearance all next week on WNYC's Evening Music, part of our "Berlin Without Walls" extravaganza.
More about Ute Lemper
WNYC's Berlin Without Walls, a 13-day multimedia festival
Berlin in Lights festival schedule
Ute Lemper hosts Evening Music
Soundcheck's Berlin Blog
Rock and Revolution
The Czech rock band Plastic People of the Universe formed in 1968 as Soviet tanks rolled into Prague. For the next two decades, the band would be a symbol of resistance and artistic freedom. New York Times pop music critic Jon Pareles talks about the Plastics, which are featured in playwright Tom Stoppard’s Broadway play, "Rock 'n' Roll."
Plastic People of the Universe official site
'Rock 'n' Roll' on Broadway
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The Ill Effects of Urban Noise
Soundcheck
Soundcheck received an overwhelming response to our segment on the effects of urban noise. So much so that Arline Bronzaft decided to address the feedback. Listen to the original segment and read Bronzaft's response.
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