Meant to suggest to those looking for further reading material books by frequent RadioLab consultant, Oliver Sacks--particularly:

Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain (2007) – Revised & Expanded (2008)
Paperback, Vintage Books, ISBN 1400033535
Hardcover, Alfred A. Knopf, ISBN 1400040817

In his newest book — now revised and expanded for the paperback edition — Dr. Sacks investigates the power of music to move us, to heal and to haunt us.

Hallucinations
by Oliver Sacks

(November 6, 2012)
also available in audio and ebook editions

Description:

From Library Journal: “Everyone’s favorite neurologist is back to explain types of hallucinations, what they tell us about the brain’s workings, and how they have influenced art and culture. Who knew medicine could be so much fun?”

Also, "The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat"--he was a musician, wasn't he?

I can only go by my own experience--but I am guessing that the ability to hear many symphonies in one's head at same time while experiencing colors and imagery is not all that unusual--under-reported, more likely.

My own experience goes back to when I was around ten years old or so--I'd have a dickens of a time falling asleep because there were two symphonies--full romantic orchestral type--blasting away inside my head accompanied by a Cinerama surround 3D movie.

Unfortunately, adults, teachers (and my mother was one--adult and teacher) did all they could to convince me I had not talent and was too stupid. Lately, I've heard recordings, effusively praised, on radio that sound ever so much like stuff I used to improvise at home (alone) and on church organ (again, when no one else was around. I was able to teach my self first three of Bach suites for unaccompanied 'cello and eventually have some lessons from Margaret Rowell [mother of Galen, Natl. Geo. photographer], SF Symphony, but we lived rather far away from San Francisco at the time--long before BART.

One obvious candidate for having taken this ability or phenomenon to a higher level is Charles Ives.

I am glad I'm not the only one that noticed the inaccuracies the musical form of the pieces mentioned in this very interesting piece. Audiation plus is what I was thinking as I listened. It is amazing. I have not heard of synesthesia before, but will be doing some research about it.

Is it please possible to get a written copy of this section of the show? My elderly, retired music professor father would absolutely LOVE to read about this! Thank you.

A good playlist but absolute horrible torture. I just got it and i'm 57.

The term "symphony" is used for expediency in the broadcast. Also, the tunes played in the broadcast were not the same as in the actual test. The Radiolab guys all did a good job. It was a real treat to work with them.

I hope you do a show investigating the phenomenon of synesthesia. Bob Milne appears to have this ability. Interesting show!

Fabulous program this week. Fascinating.

Great piece on Bob Milne. However, I was bothered by everyone's wayward use of the term "symphony." The Beethoven you played was not a symphony, but a piano concerto (the "Emperor" concerto). The Mendelssohn wasn't even orchestral! I understand that the genre of the musical work doesn't ultimately matter in order to demonstrate Milne's extraordinary cognitive multitasking, but hearing this kind of simple blunder on public radio is depressing. What's next, someone who can memorize Shakespeare's "novel" Romeo and Juliet?

This sounds very much like synesthesia to me.