Topic: Harpsichord

Baroque era music, specifically contrapuntal compositions by masters like J.S. Bach and Buxtehude, requires the listener to process multiple independent melodic lines simultaneously. Farrell explains that playing instruments like the pipe organ, which involves using hands and feet in coordination, literally rewires the brain to think on several levels at once. He contrasts this multidimensional horizontal and vertical listening with modern music, which he characterizes as one-dimensional and "dumbed down."

After a 30-year hiatus from playing the pipe organ, Joseph P. Farrell recently returned to the instrument thanks to a virtual pipe organ provided by a crowdfunding effort. He expresses surprise at the persistence of muscle memory, even for pieces he had not previously mastered. This personal experience reinforces his belief that certain human abilities are innate and can be accessed even after long periods of dormancy or through traumatic "unlocking" events.