For .99 you can buy this track from iTunes. You should do this.

I was reading about this rare brain disease (Frontotemporal Dementia) that causes an increase in creativity. It was about a scientist that started losing her left brain abilities and started spending all of her time in the art studio. She created a piece called “Unraveling Bolero.”

http://www.boingboing.net/2008/04/08/rare-brain-disease-g.html

I followed another link from there about a guy that was partially deaf and used Bolero (since he was young) to test out hearing aid products. Then, one day, became completely deaf. He went through a procedure to get his hearing back by connecting the hearing hardware straight to the nerves in his brain. He learned to understand the human voice again, but the technology was lacking and Bolero “sounded” muddled. Through technology upgrades, the music started sounding more defined to him, but still lacked.

I didn’t have time to read the rest…But imaging what that was like…

I first heard Bolero a few years ago when I worked at the newspaper. My boss loved classical music so it played all the time. The way I became aware of Bolero is a bit like it is composed: in redundant rounds slowly strengthening and demanding to be noticed. I’m guessing that it took about 3 or 4 subconscious listens before I finally realized that I was listening to something good. I asked what it was…and it was Bolero.

I hadn’t heard it since I left and while I was reading the article regarding the man who was deaf, I thought about what an amazing experience it will be for him when Bolero sounds like Bolero again…or if he hears it better than before. I would think it would be like Heaven shining down on him.

I promptly fired up iTunes and found that there were tons of different versions. I took my best guess and downloaded the one that looked like it would be closest to the actual version. I didn’t want to accidentally download some slick synthesized pop version of it…refreshing the melody in my head in some sick mutated fashion. I wanted to hear it in the way that guy heard it (even if the experience is 1 percent the experience he felt). The flute and snare quietly approaching.

Dah…duga diga duga daht diga dah… excellent.