---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is not surprising that music can…"
description: "\"“It is not surprising that music can incite a broad range of emotions, including passion, serenity, and fear. Most of us can recall instances when musi..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74d/patricia-wolfe-90489_background-music_it-is-not-surprising-that-music-can-inci_690227.jpg"
---

#  It is not surprising that music can incite a broad range…

![“It is not surprising that music can incite a broad range of emotions, including passion, serenity, and fear. Most of us can recall instances when music caused changes in our own emotional levels, perhaps when we listened to Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus or the background music in a movie thriller…” quote by Patricia Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74d/patricia-wolfe-90489_background-music_it-is-not-surprising-that-music-can-inci_690227.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74d/patricia-wolfe-90489_background-music_it-is-not-surprising-that-music-can-inci_690227.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74d/patricia-wolfe-90489_background-music_it-is-not-surprising-that-music-can-inci_690227.jpg)

> ““It is not surprising that music can incite a broad range of emotions, including passion, serenity, and fear. Most of us can recall instances when music caused changes in our own emotional levels, perhaps when we listened to Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus or the background music in a movie thriller. The reason for the emotional arousal appears to be that music affects levels of several brain chemicals, including epinephrine, endorphins, and cortisol, the hormone involved in the “fight-or-flight” response. In Chapter 9, we saw that one of the links between emotion and memory involves these same neurotransmitters and hormones. Perhaps this is why a mere snippet of a song from our past can trigger highly vivid memories.””

Patricia Wolfe

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Music triggers emotional responses by influencing brain chemicals, linking emotions, memory, and physiological arousal.

**In simple terms:** Music changes emotions and memories via brain chemistry.

Key Takeaway

Use music mind to mood and recall.

Themes

music emotion memory neurochemistry psychology

Mood

inquisitive analytical

Type

Arousal:1 Background music:1 Memory:1 Music:1 Song:1 Vivid memories:1 Music Affects:1 Emotional Levels:1 Emotional Arousal:1 Music Caused:1

When to use this quote

- study playlists
- therapy
- film scoring
- personal reflection

Key Concepts

dopamine endorphins cortisol epinephrine brain response

Questions to Reflect On

- How does music affect your mood?
- What songs trigger strong memories for you?

A Different Perspective

Emotional impact varies by individual and context.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Background music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/background-music/) [Memory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memory/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Vivid memories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vivid-memories/)

## Related quotes

> [“Producers increasingly insert overblown, hyper-emotional scenes even when the underlying conflict could be portrayed with calm or rational dialogue. The intent is not to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-ravago/producers-increasingly-insert-overblown-hyper-emotional-scenes-even/)

[E. Ravago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-ravago/)

> [“How High Emotional Arousal Affects Your Relationship There are many ways that negative emotional arousal affects your relationship, both directly and indirectly. For example,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-e-fruzzetti/how-high-emotional-arousal-affects-your-relationship-there-are-many/)

Alan E. Fruzzetti

> [“how “intense mental activity hinders perception.” They found that it wasn’t just emotional arousal that altered the size of the pupil: Mental effort had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-lewis/how-intense-mental-activity-hinders-perception-they-found-that-it/)

[Michael Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-lewis/)

> [Characters in TV and theatre tend to experience a lot of conflict, so I push myself through sport to physical and emotional levels that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliot-cowan/characters-in-tv-and-theatre-tend-to-experience-a-lot-of-conflict-so/)

[Elliot Cowan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliot-cowan/)

> [I'm easily destroyed and I operate on emotional levels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rickie-lee-jones/i-m-easily-destroyed-and-i-operate-on-emotional-levels/)

[Rickie Lee Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rickie-lee-jones/)

> [People have different emotional levels. Especially when you're young.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/people-have-different-emotional-levels-especially-when-you-re-young/)

[Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/)

> [People have different emotional levels. Especially when you're young. Back then I guess most of my influences could be thought of as eccentric. Mass…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/people-have-different-emotional-levels-especially-when-you-re-young-2/)

[Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/)

> [“People worry about kids playing with guns, and teenagers watching violent videos; we are scared that some sort of culture of violence will take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/people-worry-about-kids-playing-with-guns-and-teenagers-watching-2/)

[Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/)

> [“Nobody worries about kids listening to thousands, literally thousands, of songs about broken hearts and rejection and pain and misery and loss. The unhappiest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/nobody-worries-about-kids-listening-to-thousands-literally-thousands/)

[Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/)

> [Movies affecting music has caused me to collaborate a little bit better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-geiger/movies-affecting-music-has-caused-me-to-collaborate-a-little-bit/)

[Teddy Geiger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-geiger/)

> [“What came first, the music or the misery? Did I listen to music because I was miserable? Or was I miserable because I listened…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/what-came-first-the-music-or-the-misery-did-i-listen-to-music-because-2/)

[Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/)

> [Venues had segregated seating - but when Chuck Berry fused together blues, boogie-woogie and country music, it caused people not to be able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/venues-had-segregated-seating-but-when-chuck-berry-fused-together/)

[Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/)

> [Music affects people in a way that bare facts can't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhiannon-giddens/music-affects-people-in-a-way-that-bare-facts-can-t/)

[Rhiannon Giddens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhiannon-giddens/)

> [What Ive learned is that music affects the way you feel. A song can change someones life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-archuleta/what-ive-learned-is-that-music-affects-the-way-you-feel-a-song-can/)

[David Archuleta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-archuleta/)

> [I don't think music affects what words I choose to type in what order, within what punctuation, at this point, because I'm rereading and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tao-lin/i-don-t-think-music-affects-what-words-i-choose-to-type-in-what-order/)

[Tao Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tao-lin/)

## More by Patricia Wolfe

> [“People who have lost their memories have lost much of what makes them who they are. Memory is what enables us to learn by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-wolfe/people-who-have-lost-their-memories-have-lost-much-of-what-makes-them/)

Patricia Wolfe

Explore all 2 Patricia Wolfe quotes

## More Arousal quotes

> [You can't fake competence, creativity, or sexual arousal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/you-can-t-fake-competence-creativity-or-sexual-arousal/)

[Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/)

> [“Arousal is a fairly complex thing. Many people masturabate when they're bored, not because they're aroused." (Dima)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleksandr-voinov/arousal-is-a-fairly-complex-thing-many-people-masturabate-when-they/)

[Aleksandr Voinov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleksandr-voinov/)

> [“Her body clenched with hot desire, and without thinking she bathed Jacques’ mind in her heat. She saw his body hunch, as if someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-feehan/her-body-clenched-with-hot-desire-and-without-thinking-she-bathed/)

[Christine Feehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-feehan/)

> [Yes, Elizabeth.” Dash kept his voice low, but let it rumble with his arousal. “I lived for you and Cassie. But while I fought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lora-leigh/yes-elizabeth-dash-kept-his-voice-low-but-let-it-rumble-with-his/)

[Lora Leigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lora-leigh/)

> [“A dangerous flicker of energy passes between us, and I see his pupils dilate as arousal floods his body. His mouth finds me aggressively,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felicity-brandon/a-dangerous-flicker-of-energy-passes-between-us-and-i-see-his-pupils/)

[Felicity Brandon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felicity-brandon/)

> [Mercedes Benz : A mechanical device that increases sexual arousal in women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/mercedes-benz-a-mechanical-device-that-increases-sexual-arousal-in/)

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

> [“teasing is arousal without the promise of release!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-vali/teasing-is-arousal-without-the-promise-of-release/)

[Ali Vali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-vali/)

> [“Oh, Rob, ye're alive!" Elspeth put both arms around his neck and hugged him close. "I was afeard ye were gone, but ye're alive!"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connie-mason/oh-rob-ye-re-alive-elspeth-put-both-arms-around-his-neck-and-hugged/)

[Connie Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connie-mason/)

> [“I could feel his whole body trying to claim me, want me, own me in lust, and it made me feel so valuable and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-thrust/i-could-feel-his-whole-body-trying-to-claim-me-want-me-own-me-in-lust/)

[Fiona Thrust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-thrust/)

> [“He opened her door, helped her to the ground, and held her before him. “You’re cold.” Unable to meet his gaze, Kara spoke without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-clare/he-opened-her-door-helped-her-to-the-ground-and-held-her-before-him/)

[Pamela Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-clare/)

> [As a feminine cocreator, having lived through the arc of evolution from 1929 to the present, I offer encouragement and vocational arousal to all!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-marx-hubbard/as-a-feminine-cocreator-having-lived-through-the-arc-of-evolution/)

[Barbara Marx Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-marx-hubbard/)

> [“To feel aroused is to feel alive. Having great sex is like taking in huge lungfuls of fresh air, essential to your body, essential…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-thrust/to-feel-aroused-is-to-feel-alive-having-great-sex-is-like-taking-in/)

[Fiona Thrust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-thrust/)

> [“Excitement is a crossroad which runs in all directions. No man lacks personality; he just never connected with you at the intersection.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/excitement-is-a-crossroad-which-runs-in-all-directions-no-man-lacks/)

[Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/)

> [“Patience's breath caught. Her lids fell. Wordlessly, she lifted her face, offering her lips. He took them, took her- as their lips fused, Patience…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-laurens/patience-s-breath-caught-her-lids-fell-wordlessly-she-lifted-her-face/)

[Stephanie Laurens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-laurens/)

> [“Time seemed to stop; the world around them stilled. There was only her. His thumb caressed at her lips, the lips he wanted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talon-p-s/time-seemed-to-stop-the-world-around-them-stilled-there-was-only-her/)

[Talon P.S](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/talon-p-s/)

Browse all 110 Arousal quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“It is not surprising that music can incite a broad range of emotions, including passion, serenity, and fear. Most of us can recall instances when music caused changes in our own emotional levels, perhaps when we listened to Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus or the background music in a movie thriller. The reason for the emotional arousal appears to be that music affects levels of several brain chemicals, including epinephrine, endorphins, and cortisol, the hormone involved in the “fight-or-flight” response. In Chapter 9, we saw that one of the links between emotion and memory involves these same neurotransmitters and hormones. Perhaps this is why a mere snippet of a song from our past can trigger highly vivid memories.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Patricia Wolfe"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-wolfe/it-is-not-surprising-that-music-can-incite-a-broad-range-of-emotions/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Arousal"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-wolfe/it-is-not-surprising-that-music-can-incite-a-broad-range-of-emotions/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74d/patricia-wolfe-90489_background-music_it-is-not-surprising-that-music-can-inci_690227.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74d/patricia-wolfe-90489_background-music_it-is-not-surprising-that-music-can-inci_690227.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74d/patricia-wolfe-90489_background-music_it-is-not-surprising-that-music-can-inci_690227.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“It is not surprising that music can incite a broad range of emotions, including passion, serenity, and fear…” — Patricia Wolfe",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Patricia Wolfe",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-wolfe/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“It is not surprising that music...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-wolfe/it-is-not-surprising-that-music-can-incite-a-broad-range-of-emotions/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-wolfe/it-is-not-surprising-that-music-can-incite-a-broad-range-of-emotions/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
