Music, Sound Waves, Your Brain and The Rite of Spring

When The Rite of Spring was first performed in 1913, it quite literally caused a riot. Was it because of the dancing on stage? Was it due to the social culture of Paris at that time? Could it have been the modern and aggressive nature of the composition itself? What if it was simply a natural physical reaction of the listener's brain that caused the agitation?

Radio Lab, a production of New York Public Radio explored these questions in a program segment entitled, "Sound as Touch". In it, they discuss music's interaction with the ear and the brain and how that interaction might have had something to do with reaction The Rite of Spring received. You can hear the segment by clicking 'play' on the player below (flash required), or visit this link for Radio Lab's website.