under the spell

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thx0110

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Which sentence is okay? Neither or both?

A) Under the spell of music.
B) Under the spell of the music.
 

2006

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Which sentence is okay? Neither or both?

A) Under the spell of music.
B) Under the spell of the music.
They are not sentences. They are just phrases, so don't need capitalization and periods.

Both are correct, but B is more likely to be used.
 

thx0110

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They are not sentences. They are just phrases, so don't need capitalization and periods.

Both are correct, but B is more likely to be used.

Why is B better to use? Could you explain it in more details, please. Articles are the most mysterious thing in English and for me most definitely.:-?

For example, what I have found using Google:

1) for the phrase -> under the spell of music (btw. 454 000 search results for "under the spell of music")

http://www.last.fm/music/The+Potbelleez/+wiki (full article)
Perhaps it was etched in stone from an early age. A tradition amongst Irish households, both youngsters were immersed in music throughout their childhood. Jonny embraced everything from hip hop, house, funk and rock from an early age, revelling in the talents of Michael Jackson, NWA and Chaka Khan. Whilst Dave fell under the spell of music as a 13 year old, when his brother gave him a mixtape of hardcore legend DJ Slipmatt – it was then the lad knew he was destined to devote his life to music. A die-hard buff of all things drum ‘n’ bass and breakbeat hardcore throughout the 90s, Dave eventually grew tired of the rough stuff and fell in love with the feel-good vibe of house music.

http://www.themusicmagazine.com/rolfebook1.html (full article)
Nevertheless, it was a good reunion. I heard the story of how my mother Yaltah used to put me in a baby basket underneath the piano as she practised and played. The thought startled me. It was as if I had been raised from the womb surrounded by music. I realized how truly I had been under the spell of music from the first, as it thundered out glorious melodies from the heavenly keyboard. Lilly related to this story. Her mother, like mine, was also a pianist. And she also used to lay her in a baby basket. Only, in her case, she said she was put near the piano, not directly under it as I was.

http://openlibrary.org/b/OL2900835M/Under_the_spell_of_music
Under the spell of music
by Vámos, László
Published in 1983, L. Vámos (Budapest)

http://angel2bright.multiply.com/reviews/item/70 (full article)
Steve Barakatt was born on May 17, 1973 into a family of music lovers. When he was only four, Steve fell under the spell of music and began piano lessons. Over the next 10 years he studied classical music, and then switched to jazz.

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/lilypondorchestra2 (full article)
The Lily Pond Orchestra is Douglas J. P. Lee... that's it... everyone else is either trans-dimensional or silicon based... Born in Lawrence, Massachusetts in February, 1953... I fell under the spell of music at a very early age - at 9 years old I wanted to join the Beatles... Played my guitar in many Rock and Roll bands during the 60's, 70's, 80's and wisely kept my day job...

2) for the phrase -> under the spell of the music (btw. 463 000 search results for "under the spell of the music")

http://www.artsvivants.ca/collections/nacmusicbox/en/index.php?pageid=essays/essaytransfigurednight (full article)
Violins in their high range attempt to evoke restlessness while violas seem to be almost serious and devoid of emotion. Cellos would appear to be witnesses to the unfolding storyline. Dehmel himself, after hearing Schoenberg’s music, declared: “I had intended to follow motifs of my text in your composition, but I soon forgot all about that, so much was I under the spell of the music.”

http://www.whoosh.org/epguide/yherk/y119_lure.html (full article)
Bacchus tries to seduce Hercules to joining him. Orpheus plays a hypnotic song as the Bacchae encircle Hercules & Eurydice. Herc tries not to fall under the spell of the music and the voice of Eurydice. He says he has to go. Bacchus tells him to consider this place his home away from home and to come back. Herc says he will. Bacchus tells him to bring his friends.

http://designldg.wordpress.com/2009/02/19/a-cellist-in-the-street/ (full article)
I believe that it was an unusal situtation, maybe I should have asked her an Email to send her the pictures, it didn’t come to my mind I was still under the spell of the music and therefore in a kind of daydream.

http://www.nytimes.com/learning/general/onthisday/bday/0325.html (full article)
In 1899 Bartok entered the Royal Academy of Music in Budapest, remaining there until 1903 as a pupil of Janos Koessler in composition and Istvan Thoman in piano. While at the academy he came under the spell of the music of Liszt, Wagner and Richard Strauss, but his "Kossuth" symphony, written the year he left the school, was Hungarian in essence.

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,864518,00.html (full article)
In the midst of Beethoven's biggest score was a commercial with slick, whiny music (written by a freelance arranger named Mitch Lee). And immediately after the triumphant choral movement, while the timpani had scarcely stopped vibrating and the listener was still under the spell of the music, an oily announcer's voice heralded a "visit with Mrs. Igor Cassini," who then proceeded, on film, to demonstrate the charms of the new Lincoln Continental.


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So, there are different possibilities and I don't know what is the difference and when to use which form. According to Google, more search results belongs to "under the spell of the music". Anyway, it's just 10 000 +- results, so, it's not so
unambiguous. What do you think?​
 
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2006

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Why is B better to use? It's not necessarily better, but it probably is more commonly used.

"under the spell of the music" refers to specific music, the music he is listening to at that time.
He won't talk to you now; he is under the spell of the music.

"under the spell of music" refers to music in general.
He spends a lot of his time under the spell of music.

:-?
2006
 

thx0110

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Thanks. So, if it is music in general it is without "the" and if it is refering to some music e.g. he/she is listening to, we should write the definite article "the". Right?
 

2006

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Thanks. So, if it is music in general it is without "the" and if it is some specific music e.g. he/she is listening to, we should write the definite article "the".
yes
 
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