Daniel J. Levitin was the first researcher to investigate the latent absolute memory for musical pitch. His assumption is that the ability to maintain absolute information about musical pitch is widespread. The aim of this contribution was to test the hypotheses declared by him using the reproduction test. The experiment was conducted on 50 Slovak subjects with stimuli in Slovak language, chosen on the basis of an internet survey. Apart from evaluating the general performance of subjects we also examined the relationship between the absolute memory and other factors (age, gender, musical expertise, etc). The results of our experiment were less successful than those of professor Levitin, however, they do indicate the validity of his theses. Interesting correlations emerged between the latent absolute memory for musical pitch and the duration of formal musical education. Our research contributed to the confirmation of hypotheses concerning this phenomenon, which has not been sufficiently tested yet.

The study surveys the possibilities of background music to stimulate positive emotional balance of pupils, to contribute to their wellbeing and to reduce stress during the educational transition period.

After the introduction to the problems of educational transition period the authoress deals with the potency of background music to ease the transition to middle school. She briefly informs about the results of the research within Anglo-American socio-cultural environment aimed at the stimulation by background music within the scope of behaviour, study results and wellbeing of the pupils. In the second chapter the authoress mentions the possibility to interconnect two kinds or art – fine arts and music. Its purpose is to encourage an overall artistic and aesthetic experience of pupils sharing various meanings through their distinctive response to the reality of everyday life.

The third chapter depicts the utilization of background music at the school subject Fine Arts Education. The last chapter considers the process during which background music was applied at fine arts lessons. It describes the aim, criteria for the creation of sound recording collection and a methodical approach. The study is concluded with the demonstration of background music applied as a means for the stimulation of positive emotional balance of pupils and guiding them to selfrealization via the emotional aspect of experiential learning.

New forms of education require innovations in teachers’ training. They are reflected in the Master Degree Programme – this new subject synthesizes pedagogical and musical training and is oriented on the self-directed work of students. The form and content of the state exam were also adapted to current requirements for the work of teachers and have met with positive responses from students.

The contribution describes hymnals, scores and liturgy used in Slovak Lutheran Church since The Reformation until now. Church service was influenced by Luther’s Formula Missae from 1523. In the 16^th century Lutherans followed the instructions from Articles issued by Local Church congregations. In the 17^th century the most important hymnal was Cithara Sanctorumby Juraj Tranovský. In the 18^th century Krman tried to prepare a ritual for the whole Lutheran Church, but it was not accepted by every congregation. There are other important hymnals: Lutheran Hymnal1842, Zion Songs, Lutheran Hymnal 1992. There are also liturgical books written in 19^th and 20^th century: Baltik Ritual1904, Pukanec Instructions, Church Ritual1952 and Ritual1992.

The history of the concert hall of the Region House in Nitra began in 1908 when it was built as a part of extensive Art Nouveau rebuilding of the Region House. Since 1919 various concerts took place in it, and names as Emmy Destinn, Anna My Bruni or Sviatoslav Richter may be found among the performers. Opinions have passed on for decades that the concert hall possesses an excellent acoustic quality. On the basis of these assumptions an extensive acoustic research took place in 2012. The submitted study brings the results of the research, the goal of which was the measurement of the basic acoustic parameters of the space realized on the basis of the norm STN EN ISO 3382 Measurement of room acoustic parameters. Part 1: Performance spaces. From the measured parameters the following ones are significant for the acoustic and musical attributes: reverberation time (T30, T20), time of the centre of gravity of the squared impulse response (Ts), early decay time (EDT), index of early/late energy ratios (C80) and inter aural cross correlation (IACC). These are statistically elaborated and transparently presented in charts and tables. A description of the method is commonplace. The study brings also the comparison of selected acoustic parameters of significant concert halls of the world, entitling us to proclaim the concert hall of the Region House in Nitra as an acoustically excellent space for concert performances.

[The contribution is available only in Slovak language in the printed version of the revue.]