Spanish Tin Ear

"The norm is for 30 decibels as a nighttime limit inside a house, but some authorities are widening it to daytime, which is surprising.
"Protection against noise and environmental quality is considered a human right."
Fernando Simon Yarza, constitutional law professor, Navarra University, Pamplona, southeastern Spain

Nuria Blanes, an environmental scientists from the Autonomous University of Barcelona, judges sound that comes in around 40 decibels "is not very much." Considering that normal conversation produces 55 - 60 decibels, and undoubtedly can go much higher with a really animated, passionate conversation, revolving around, for example, politics, family disputes, religion or sexual mores...? And aren't Latins known for their penchant for animated conversation?

Sound levels emanating from a neighbourhood bar reaches roughly 65 - 70 decibels. People living on streets where bars are nearby, often complain about the noise coming from them; presumably they don't tend to frequent the bars themselves and take umbrage over those that do expressing themselves. An airplane in flight produces 110 - 120 decibels on the ground, sound taking its time and becoming somewhat muted by the time it reaches ground level.

Spain accustoms itself to sound resulting from public exuberance. But there have been push-backs. One such was when Sonia Bosom, an apartment dweller from Puigcerda in the northeast of the country has raised a court case against a family of three: parents in their 50s and their 27-year-old professional-pianist daughter. Ms. Bosom claims to have suffered 'noise pollution' caused by the young woman's practise.

Pianist Laia Martin reacts in a court in Girona, Spain, Friday, Nov.15, 2013 . To most people, noise pollution is a jet engine roaring over their head. Photo By Manu Fernandez -- AP

The young woman pianist, Laia Martin, took her career and her love of the piano seriously indeed. But no more so than most professional concert pianists. Ms. Bosom claimed that her neighbour practised piano eight hours daily, five days a week, in the apartment directly below her own. Ms. Martin, on the other hand, claims she took regular classes elsewhere, practising in the apartment on weekends.

As a result of the complaints lodged against the Martin family, local authorities conducted sound tests revealing that the piano produced sound levels up to 10 decibels higher than the 30-decibel limit for musical instruments permitted by municipal by-law, in the town. The family was asked to either stop the piano playing or to sound-proof the room containing the piano.

And in fact, father Luis Martin and mother Isabel Hernandez informed the court that they had soundproofed the room on two occasions, to little avail, since the complaints failed to cease. Nuria Blanes, an environmental scientist, while stating ambient sound at the level of 40 decibels is fairly negligible, mentioned studies establishing links to health problems with constant disturbing noise levels of over 40 decibels -- during the night.

Ms. Martin did not play her piano during the night, nor did she play loudly; the sound that she raised was softer than a spoken conversation would be. But at the trial taking place in Gerona, the prosecution claims that "psychological injury" has been caused to the complainant over years of hearing constant piano sound. To many it might seem melodiously delightful.

Medical reports attest she suffers from a variety of health problems. Her health condition, according to those reports list insomnia, anxiety, panic attacks and gynecological problems. There has been no word yet whether those conditions might have been present well before her exposure to the sound of piano playing, and whether she just might have focused on her neighbour's piano playing to find fault and blame for her medical  history.

The trial, however, is yet in its early stages. And in a situation as has been reported by the El Pais newspaper, leaving the reader wondering at peoples' absurdities in their claims of vulnerability and harassment that others impose upon them, the trial prosecutors have taken steps to ask that the three defendants - the entire family; father, mother, daughter be sent to jail for six years for causing noise pollution.

And oh, another eighteen months for causing psychological damage. Additionally, all three must be prohibited by the court from playing the piano professionally for four years. This case certainly breaks new litigation grounds. Playing well to cultural ignoramuses and chronic complainers alike.

Spain, the country that gave the world the panoply of loud, dramatic music and accompanying dance steps. The country of flamboyant writers, musical composers, artists, has now succumbed to the trivia of sacred 'human rights' protection at the sound level when the rights of animals to be protected from the brutality of the bullfight cannot be considered other than a heritage cultural practise of huge esteem.

Photo By Manu Fernandez  -- AP