Final answer:
Music during the Baroque period was not directly part of medical practice but was thought to have healing properties. Increased demand for music and its widespread distribution were significant, with the invention of the Gutenberg press playing a crucial role in this. The Baroque period was known for the great flourishing of the arts, including music and opera.
Step-by-step explanation:
The idea that music was linked to medical practice during the Baroque period (1580 - 1750) can be considered partly true. While music was not formally a part of medical practice as we understand it today, the Baroque era saw an increased interest in the psychological and emotional influences of music on the human body. The period was marked by the flourishing of the arts, where music was integral to cultural and social functions, and there was a belief in its healing and therapeutic properties. Furthermore, the Renaissance era, which predated the Baroque period, had established a concept of the harmony of the spheres, where music was thought to have cosmic and healing implications. However, it is important to note that these ideas were generally more philosophical and allegorical rather than indicative of a direct, systematic application of music in medical therapy or practice.
During the Baroque period, there was a significant demand for music, and its distribution was greatly enhanced by the invention of the Gutenberg press. Music served as entertainment and was an activity for educated amateurs. The social and political contexts also supported a burgeoning interest in the arts. Countries like Italy saw a reversal of musical influence as the demand for northern musicians and their styles became more pronounced in Italian circles. Opera also emerged as a new form of artistic expression meant to recreate the music of ancient Greece.