Music Therapy Today - World Federation of Music Therapy

Music Therapy Today 

a quarterly journal of studies in music and 

music therapy from the Chair of Qualitative 

Research in Medicine 

Volume VII, Issue 2 (July 2006) 

David Aldridge & Jörg Fachner (eds.) 

Chair of Qualitative Research in Medicine 

Published by MusicTherapyWorld.net 

UniversityWitten/Herdecke 

Witten, Germany 

ISSN 1610-191X

Editor in Chief/Publisher 

Prof. Dr. phil. David Aldridge 

Managing Editor 

Dr. Jörg Fachner, joergf@uni-wh.de 

Translation and editorial assistance 

Christina Wagner, cwagner@uni-wh.de 

Book review editor and dissertations archive 

Annemiek Vink, a.c.vink@capitolonline.nl 

“Odds and Ends, Themes and Trends” 

Tom Doch, t.doch@t-online.de 

International contacts 

Dr. Petra Kern, PETRAKERN@prodigy.net 

Scientific Advisory Board 

Prof. Dr. Jaakko Erkkilä, University of Jyväskylä, Finland 

Dr. Hanne Mette Ridder, University of Aalborg, Denmark 

Dr. Gudrun Aldridge, University Witten/Herdecke, Germany 

Marcos Vidret, University of Buenos Aires, Argentinia 

Dr. Cochavit Elefant, Bar-Ilan University, Israel 

Prof. Dr. Cheryl Dileo. Temple University in Philadelphia, USA 

Prof. Dr. Marlene Dobkin de Rios, University of California, Irvine, 

USA 

Dr. Alenka Barber-Kersovan University of Hamburg, Germany 

Prof. Dr. Tia DeNora, University of Exeter, UK 

Dr. Patricia L. Sabbatella, University of Cadiz, Spain 

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Table of contents 

Music Therapy Today i 

a quarterly journal of studies in music and music therapy from the 

Chair of Qualitative Research in Medicine i 

Volume VII, Issue 2 (July 2006) i 

Table of contents vii 

Editorial Music Therapy Today Vol. VII (2) (online 1st July 2006) 

282 

Aldridge, David & Fachner, Jörg 282 

LSD, Meditation and Music 286 

Verres, Rolf 286 

“Music is My Whole Life” - The many meanings of music in addicts’ 

lives 297 

Horesh, Tsvia 297 

The use of music therapy with substance abusers 318 

Abdollahnejad, Mohammad Reza 318 

‘Set and setting’ in an electrophysiological research paradigm on 

music perception under the influence of cannabis and correlated 

brain function 333 

Fachner, Jörg 333 

Glitzernd...pulsierend...eine endlose Zeit lang - Wie verändert sich 

Musik unter Drogeneinfluß? 375 

Holbein, Ulrich 375 

The pleasure of being “differently able”: Integration through music 

vii

therapy in primary schools 413 

Esperson, Paola Pecoraro 413 

Biomedical Music Therapy: Research-Based Foundation of the Effects 

of Music - An interview with Dale Taylor 430 

Kern, Petra 430 

Instituto Música, Arte Y Proceso - Music, Art and Process Institute 

436 

del Campo, Paxti 436 

Odds and ends - themes and trends 440 

Doch, Tom 440 

viii


Vol. VII (2) (July) 2006 

Editorial Music Therapy 

Today Vol. VII (2) (online 

1st 

July 2006) 

Aldridge, David & Fachner, Jörg 

Welcome to a new issue of „Music Therapy Today“ 

In our summer issue we focus partly on music and altered states. We have 

already published several works on healing rituals using music to induce 

altered states in other issues of Music Therapy Today to show that there 

are current approaches of practice using music and altered states in a safe 

and adequate manner for research and therapeutic purposes. This 

search has culminated in a recent book on music and altered states 

re- 

( Ald- 

ridge and Fachner 2006) and a seminar on this topic at the Witten/ 

Herdecke University as we have reported in March. 

The paper from Rolf Verres on LSD, Meditation and Music is based on 

the author’s presentation at the symposium „LSD – problem child and 

wonder drug“, 13-15th of January 2006 in Basle Switzerland. Rolf Verres 

is Professor and Head of the Institute of Medical Psychology at Heidel- 

berg University Clinic in Germany. He has been a staunch proponent of 

282


music therapy over the years, as well as being a musician himself. We are 

very pleased to have his contribution. 

Tsvia Horesh writes in her paper “Music is My Whole Life” - The many 

meanings of music in addicts’ lives that “The aim of my research process 

–is to describe, analyze and eventually – gain a better understanding of 

the relationships between addicts and their music”. Her paper is based on 

her presentation at a conference on dimensions of the unconscious in 

Canada 2005. 

Certain people become addicted to drugs. Music therapy is a possible 

intervention in terms of recovery and treatment. The paper from Reza 

Abdollahnejad on The use of music therapy with substance abusers is 

based on his presentation at the world congress of music therapy in Bris- 

bane, Australia back in 2005. 

When working with addicted clients in therapy, it is of interest to under- 

stand state-dependent music cognition of addicts. Jörg Fachner presents 

his research design on an adequate use of ‘set and setting’ for an electro- 

physiological research paradigm on music perception under the influence 

of cannabis and correlated brain function at the 2005 AAA conference in 

Washington, DC. 

The next article by Ulrich Holbein, Glitzernd...pulsierend...eine endlose 

Zeit lang - Wie verändert sich Musik unter Drogeneinfluß? a well-known 

German writer and author, is only in German. This is a german manu- 

script written for a radio feature together with the German radiostation 

WDR and was broadcast in 2004. 


283


There is a growing interest in the medical profession to use psychedelic 

medication like other remedies 

( Lancert 2006). The Multiple Association 

for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) research health institutions in the US, in 

Switzerland and Israel, have approved proposals, designed for the medi- 

cal use of psychedelic substances in treatment. Some of these research 

protocols integrate the appreciation of music for the participants 


( Mithoe- 

fer 2006) reminding us of the early days of GIM when Helen Bonny pre- 

pared the music program for psychotherapeutic purposes 

Pahnke 1972). 

( Bonny and 

In July 2006, a musicology conference on Music and Consciousness 

issues, to be held at the University of Sheffield, UK., will focus on music 

and altered states as well. 

Let us now turn to other features in this issue. 

The paper, The pleasure of being “differently able”: Integration through 

music therapy in primary schools from Paola Pecoraro Esperson, shows 

how group music therapy can help the integration, as well as the develop- 

ment of “differently able” children in regular schools. This paper is based 

on a presentation at the world conference of music therapy in Oxford 

back in 2002. Those regular readers of this magazine will be aware that 

Petra Kern has also published in this field and her contribution can be 

found in Music Therapy Today Vol 5(4) August 2004. 

When Petra Kern was teaching “Theories in Music Therapy” at the Uni- 

versity of Windsor in Canada, she had the idea of an interview with Dr. 

Dale Taylor. Her students became very excited about Dr. Taylor’s expla- 

nations of the functioning of music on the human brain. 

284

References 

The Instituto Música, Arte y Proceso (Music, Art and Process Institute) is 

celebrating an anniversary this year. This Institute has a lot of experience 

organizing courses, summer schools and congresses, among them the VII 

Music Therapy World Congress in Vitoria Gasteiz. 

Odds and ends themes and trends picked up by Tom Doch shows the 

variety of sciences related to music and music therapy issue and allows to 

surf the web for more information. 

Until we read again 

David Aldridge and Jörg Fachner 

References 

Aldridge, D. and Fachner, J. (Eds.). (2006). Music and altered states - 

Consciousness, transcendence, therapy and addictions. 

London: Jessica 

Kingsley. 

Bonny, Helen L. and Pahnke, Walter N. (1972) 'The use of music in psy- 

chedelic (LSD) psychotherapy.' Journal of Music Therapy IX, 

64-87. 


Summer, 

Lancet (2006) 'Editorial: Reviving research into psychedelic drugs.' Lan- 

cet 367, 1214. 

Mithoefer, M. (2006) MAPS FDA and IRB approved MDMA/PTSD pro- 

tocol. Retrieved 3. February from http://www.maps.org/mdma/proto- 

col/index.html 

285



LSD, Meditation and 

Music 

Verres, Rolf 

Editor’s note 

This paper is based on the author’s presentation at the symposium „LSD 

– problem child and wonder drug“, 13-15th of January, 2006 in Basel 

Switzerland. It was presented on January 15th as a keynote at the interna- 

tional symposium for the celebration of the 100th birthday of Albert Hof- 

mann, the discoverer of LSD. Over 1500 people joined this symposium 

from all over the world and new research on the medical use of psyche- 

delics, reflections on cultural issues and problems, influence on artists 

and political issues has been presented by a variety of researchers. 

Background 

My personal experience: 

• First contacts with LSD as a student in Muenster, monitored by Hans- 

Hinrich Taeger who was preparing a philosophical dissertation on 

texts for psychedelic music (Taeger, 1988). Thorough preparation 

involving the text by Timothy Leary and Ralph Metzner „on how to 

plan psychedelic experiences“ (Leary et al., 1964) and extensive introduction 

by the trip master . 

• Further personal experience as a member of SÄPT (Schweizer 

Äırztegesellschaft für Psycholytische Therapie/Swiss physicians asso- 

286

Verres, R. (2006) LSD, Meditation and Music. Music Therapy Today (Online) Vol.VII (2) 286-296. available at http:// 

musictherapyworld.net 

ciation for psycholytic therapy): encounter groups with psychoactive 

substances with, e.g. Ralph Metzner and Peter Hess.. 

• Two-week shaman excursion to Peru with San Pedro and Ayahuasca 

rituals (see also De Rios, 2006) under the guidance of Don Eduardo 

Cameron. 

Altered states of consciousness play an important role in music therapy 

research where I have been active together with music therapists since 

1987 . As an active musician I stopped taking psychoactive substances 

years ago, in accordance with Albert Hofmann who said: 

„As soon as the doors of perception are open, you won’t need any 

psychoactive substances.“ 

Another background for my paper is our Heidelberg research project 

„Ritual dynamics and salutogenesis in the use and abuse of psychoactive 

substances“ (RISA): it covers interviews with adolescents, members of 

the Santo Daime movement, and with physicians and psychotherapists on 

personal experience with psychoactive substances. 

Over several years I held seminars on criteria of good mediational music 

at the psychotherapy weeks in Lindau; you find a discography with com- 

ments on my website www.rolf-verres.de. 

Which kind of music to choose for therapeutical use of 

LSD? 

In his book entitled „LSD-Psychotherapie“ Stanislav Grof (1994) 1 writes 

that music is an indispensible part of LSD psychotherapy: 

„It stimulates strong emotions in many cases and promotes deeper 

involvement in the psychedelic process. It provides a meaningful 

1. Information on a new edition (2006) of this book is available from http:// 

www.maps.org; the cited and retranslated extract comes from the German edition 

of Grof’s book, which was published in 1983 

Which kind of music to choose for therapeutical use of LSD? 287



structure for the experience and creates a powerful current that 

helps the patient to overcome difficult moments in sessions and 

dead ends. Patients often report that the current of music enabled 

them to give up their mental defense mechanisms and to abandon 

themselves in their experience without inhibition. Another purpose 

of music is to provide continuity and relation in the sequence 

of unusual states of consciousness. (…) A certain choice of music 

may often support certain emotional qualities like aggressivity, 

sexuality, the „psychedelic breakthrough“ or a transcendental 

experience“. 

For the selection of music, Grof lists the following criteria, in accordance 

with Helen Bonny and Walter Pahnke (Bonny & Pahnke, 1972 p. 6): 

• The experience should not be governed by any definite pattern. Pieces 

of highest artistic quality but with little „defined“ content should be 

preferred. 

• Songs or vocal music where the text addresses a certain subject should 

be avoided, unless the song is in a language unknown to the person in 

question, so that the human voice may become an unspecific stimulus. 

• Grof points out that there is not much danger of manipulation by a certain 

kind of music since patients’ unconscious tendencies would be 

more effective than external stimuli. 

In my opinion, this statement by Grof applies only to carefully monitored 

sessions in a therapeutic context and not to any uncontrolled drug con- 

sumption. 

Grof also discusses the choice of music under process-related aspects: in 

the latent period before the drug becomes effective, he finds soft, flowing 

and calming music appropriate. After the experience starts, he recom- 

mends music of a stimulating and supportive nature. When after about 

one hour and a half the drug reaches its full effect, he believes the time 

has come for powerful music that raises emotions. In Spring Grove, they 

played mainly classical music, e.g. by Skriabin, Brahms, Schumann or 

Grieg during this phase. When in the fourth hour LSD had reached its 

strongest influence, this was the opportunity for a strong emotional or 




CULTURE OF 

ADDICTION AND MUSIC 

spiritual breakthrough (powerful music of a transcendental nature was 

particularly suited, e.g. spiritual music by Mozart, Bach or Berlioz). The 

final phase required soft, relaxed and flowing music of a certain timeless 

character, e.g. classical guitar and harpsichord compositions, or music by 

modern composers like Georg Deuter, Paul Horn, Ravi Shankar, and 

meditational zen music – Grof recommends a whole range of trance- 

inducing music from a variety of different cultures (see Grof, 1975, 

1994). 

A completely different aspect, that is, some risks and side effects of cer- 

tain types of music in the use and abuse of psychoactive substances, was 

addressed at the 10th World Congress of Music Therapy 2002 in Oxford 

by the Israelian music therapist Tsvia Horesh. Her paper was entitled 

„Dangerous Music“. Tsvia Horesh (2006) works with severely drug- 

addicted and drug-damaged persons in a therapy community in Israel, 

and she explored destructive and healing forces of popular music in the 

treatment of people who were considerably damaged by drug abuse. On 

the basis of the story in Homer’s Odyssey about the sirens’ songs she 

underlines the captivating power of some types of music where the 

attraction is stronger than any concept of danger. Drug related music can 

be extremely suggestive and become an element of addiction; she agrees 

with William White (1996) and points out that excessive drug abuse may 

be increased by a „culture of addiction“. 

We know that the addictive potential of LSD is very small; but in this 

context I refer to persons who take a host of drugs indiscriminately, one 

of which may also be LSD. Against this culture of addiction Tsvia Horesh 

sets a culture of healing where the challenge is to cope with cues and 

craving. Musical preferences that were intensified under the influence of 

drugs may serve to maintain unfavourable patterns of abuse – Horesh 

reports of obsessive music listening even in abstinent periods when an 




emotional vacuum is often filled by music. Horesh asked her clients to 

describe the type of music they felt to be dangerous, and she elicited 

associations triggered by the music in question. She found heavy metal 

music associated with the following visions: street fighting, excessive 

drinking, but also reassurance and release from rage. She also heard of 

chaotic emotions intensified by an integration of psychedelic experience 

in the altered state of mind. Even Israeli music coloured by Arab sounds 

was described as dangerous whenever it expressed melancholy and hope- 

lessness. Tsvia Horesh describes her own part in the withdrawal treat- 

ment like that of Circe who helped Odysseus to cope with the sirens as 

she knew about the mysteries and dangers of the subconscious mind. 

Those who want to offer a certain type of music to others for the purposes 

of psychedelic experience often follow their own preferences. However, 

it is important to discuss in advance the suitability of the music for the 

perceptive powers of the person in question. There are music recordings 

(Cd.s, LPs, etc.) dedicated to Albert Hofmann that are almost heavy 

metal – although he loves classical music, e.g. the quintett in C major by 

Franz Schubert (see Verres 2006). And to my knowledge Albert Hofmann 

has not taken LSD for a long time since his doors of perception are wide 

open anyway. 

Using music and LSD for therapeutic purposes 

Going beyond the criteria mentioned by Stanislav Grof, I would like to 

differentiate between the following aspects that might be important in 

using LSD: 

1. Is the motivation for the LSD experience rather hedonistic, i.e. oriented 

towards general enjoyment, or directed to a dilatation of consciousness? 

I believe that a primarily hedonistic motivation should not 

be generally dismissed. When I was a member of SÄPT, at a time 

Using music and LSD for therapeutic purposes 290



when it was still legal to use LSD in SÄPT, I took part in a group 

experiment supervised by today’s president of SÄPT, Dr. Peter Gasser. 

He used nothing but serene, harmonic and pleasant music, e.g. live 

guitar music by Dr. Otto Silber from Konstanz, Germany whose CDs I 

would like to recommend. 

2. Is the LSD trip intended for one person, for two, in a secluded room or 

as a group experience? For a single experience I recommend the 

above-mentioned criteria by Stanislav Grof; an erotic experience for 

two should rather be accompanied by flowing sounds, e.g. the music 

by Otto Silber or Sufi music by Oruc Güvenc or unobtrusive pulsing 

percussion sounds from various continents; prior to any group experiments 

it should be clear whether the psychedelic trip should have a 

common theme. In a group of men, for example, the song by Marie 

Boine on howling wolves would be as pertinent as music dedicated to 

the opposite pole of the male principle, i.e. the anima according to CG 

Jung. Obviously, an abrupt change in thematic focus should be 

avoided in an encounter group in view of the slow processes in a psychedelic 

LSD trip; instead, a carefully staged production should correspond 

to the previously agreed themes for the planned self-experience. 

3. For the careful staging of a group experience it might be useful to follow 

the criteria for so-called movie sound tracks. I think it is not necessary 

to enlarge upon this aspect as it is self-evident. 

4. In contrast to what Stanislav Grof writes about the possible suggestive 

meaning of texts, I would expressly encourage the quotation of texts 

or the use of music oriented towards lyrical texts for theme-related 

LSD experiences. Some people wishing to have an LSD experience 

simply select music that is termed „meditative“ or „psychedelic“ and 

do not take into account that verbal content may have a very intensive 

effect. The text on the record „Schwingungen“ by Ash Ra Tempel 

from the 1970s contains passages saying that in making music you can 

swim in the vibrations of the music of the stars and can drink light that 

hurries through cosmis spaces. „That which lives in you and in us, our 

vibration is in everything: the paradise that is life“. But the record also 

contains a title „Flowers must die“ that starts with unstructured flowing 

sounds and gradually assumes a violently stirring rhythm with a 

text that is by no means hedonistic or harmonizing but fundamentally 

political. I use this example to demonstrate that texts may have the 

same effect as pure music and therefore have to be chosen with care in 

view of the increased suggestibility in LSD trips. 

5. Psychedelic experiences do not require a sound in the sense of the 

style of so-called psychedelic music. Basically, almost any kind of 

music may support psychedelic experience. Sound and stereoscopic 

effects play an important role and deserve much attention in the choice 

of musical instruments or amplifiers. 




6. Differences between art and kitsch are particularly important in socalled 

meditative music. The composer Hans Zender (in Fischer, 1998 

p. 107-108) speaks of a 

„monstrous soulful trash that appeared recently as so-called 

‚medidative music’ (…); the perfumed and cheaply euphorizing 

atmosphere of a ‚new age mentality’ suffocates any creative 

impulse“. 

If and insofar regression takes place within a psychedelic trip it can be 

uncritical to some extent; but it may also be felt and shaped quite literally 

as a return to the roots. 

7. I refer to Adolf Dittrich (1996, 1998) and his basic categories of 

altered states of waking consciousness, specifically his differentiation 

between Oceanic Boundlessnes and Dread of Ego Dissolution. In LSD 

psychotherapy as conceived by Stanislav Grof, so-called horror trips 

in the sense of dread of ego dissolution are expressly approved provided 

these experiences are monitored by a professional psychotherapist 

so that they may be integrated in one’s self-concept and personal 

biography. If we strive for oceanic feelings of security without professional 

supervision, and originally controlling ego functions dissolve in 

ecstasy, then it will be important to explore the deeper meanings of the 

term „regression“. States of blissful infantility, harmony and relaxation 

may be pleasant. But according to Martin Mumelter (in Fischer, 

1998 p. 110), the way in which ‚meditative music’ is marketed can 

exploit the need for regression in such a way that this ‚transcendental 

trash’ as he calls it will not support, but ruin our spiritual potential. 

8. Are there specific characteristics of ‚spiritual music’? The logotherapist 

Otto Zsok writes in his book „Musik und Transzendenz“ (1998): 

„Abandoning oneself to a great piece of music is more than 

delight. It is a liberating, cathartic experience. It is a densely sensual 

experiense (…) This type of experience brings a wealth of 

light, beauty, truth and a brightening of our reality which we 

could never reach otherwise.“ 

In music we feel that our existence on earth is worthwhile. 

„While the melody is filling me completely, I perceive how wide 

the spaces within me really are, how wide and broad my inner 

emptiness is, how deep and at the same time high the spaces of 

soul to be conquered.“ 

And Otto Zsok quotes the theologian Hans Küng as follows: 

„You feel that you are completely turned inwards with eyes and 

ears, body and spirit, and that everything external, all opposition, 

all division between subject and object, have been overcome. 




Music is no longer opposite but is what comprises, penetrates and 

entirely fulfils us with delight.“ (Zsok, 1998 p. 132). 

A Rumanian professor of musical aesthetics, George Balan, used 

words that appear very solemn but nevertheless may be understood 

properly in the context of this congress: 

„Entering the holy shrine of music means entering the holy shrine 

of our own inner life.“ (Zsok, 1998 p. 210). 

Conclusion 

In conclusion, let me invite you to a very short joint musical experience 

of about three minutes only where I try with many floating sounds and 

much air in between, to express some of my thoughts through music. 

Download music examples from CD Lichtungen recorded by Rolf Verres 

Track 2.mp3 (7,9 MB) 

Track 5.mp3 (7,9 MB) 

(Music by Rolf Verres (piano solo) is available at www.sound-file.de; 

more information: www.rolf-verres.de) 

References 

Bonny, H. L., & Pahnke, W. N. (1972). The use of music in psychedelic 

(LSD) psychotherapy. Journal of Music Therapy, IX(Summer), 64- 

87. 

De Rios, M. D. (2006). The Role of Music in Healing with Hallucino- 

gens: Tribal and Western Studies. In D. Aldridge & J. Fachner 

(Eds.), Music and Altered States - Consciousness, Transcendence, 

Therapy and Addictions (pp. 97-101). London: Jessica Kingsley. 

Conclusion 293



Dittrich, A. (1996). Ätiologie-unabhängige Strukturen veränderter Wach- 

bewusstseinszustände. Ergebnisse empirischer Untersuchungen 

über Halluzinogene I. und II. Ordnung, sensorische Deprivation, 

hypnagoge Zustände, hypnotische Verfahren sowie Reizüberflutung 

(2 ed.). Berlin: Verlag für Wissenschaft und Bildung. 

Dittrich, A. (1998). The standardized psychometric assessment of altered 

states of consciousness (ASCs) in humans. Pharmacopsychiatry, 31 

Suppl 2, 80-84. 

Fischer, M. (1998). Da berühren sich Himmel und Erde – Musik und 

Spiritualität. Eine Anthologie. Zürich & Düsseldorf: Benzinger. 

Grof, S. (1975). Realms of the human unconscious: observations from 

LSD research. New York: Viking Press. 

Grof, S. (1994). LSD psychotherapy (2nd ed.). Alameda, CA: Hunter 

House. 

Horesh, T. (2006). Dangerous Music -Working with the Destructive and 

Healing Powers of Popular Music in the Treatment of Substance 

Abusers. In D. Aldridge & J. Fachner (Eds.), Music and Altered 

States - Consciousness, Transcendence, Therapy and Addiction (pp. 

125-139). London: Jessica Kingsley. 

Leary, T., Metzner, R., & Alpert, R. (1964). The Psychedelic Experience. 

A Manual based on the Tibetan Book of Death: Oxford University 

Press. 

Taeger, H.-H. (1988). Spiritualität und Drogen - Interpersonelle Zusam- 

menhänge von Psychedelika und religiös-mystischen Aspekten in 

References 294



AUTHOR CONTACT 

der Gegenkultur der 70er Jahre (1 ed.). Markt Erlbach: Raymond 

Martin. 

Verres, R. (2006) From natural science to philosophy. A man with the 

capacity for insight and wonder. In: Engel, G. & Herrling, P. (eds): 

Exploring the frontiers - In celebration of Albert Hoffmann’s 100th 

Birthday. (pp. 94-121) Basel: Schwabe 

White, W. (1996). Pathways from the Culture of Addiction to the Culture 

of Recovery. Center City, Minnesota: Hazeldon Pub. 

Zsok, O. (1998). Musik und Transzendenz. St. Ottilien: EOS-Verlag. 

This article can be cited as: 

Verres, R. (2006) LSD, Meditation and Music. Music Therapy Today 

(Online) Vol.VII (2) 286-296. available at http://musictherapyworld.net 

Prof. Dr. Rolf Verres 

Institute for Medical Psychology 

University Klinik Heidelberg 

This article can be cited as: 295



Bergheimer Str. 50 

69115 Heidelberg 




“Music is My Whole Life” 

- The many meanings of 

music in addicts’ lives 

Horesh, Tsvia 

This article is based upon a paper given at the INTERNATIONAL 

SYMPOSIUM 

sponsored by the Laurier Centre for Music Therapy Research 

(LCMTR) 

"MUSIC:The Royal Road to the Unconscious: Researching Unconscious 

Dimensions in Music Therapy" 

Introduction 

May 13-15, 2005, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada 

http://www.wlu.ca/soundeffects/symposium/2005/ 

I would like to introduce the people who contributed to my research and 

who’s personal stories of the music in their lives are interwoven in the 

following paper. All my interviewees agreed to be presented in my 

research, using pseudonyms, so as to protect their identity. 

297

Horesh, T. (2006) “Music is My Whole Life” - The many meanings of music in addicts’ lives. Music Therapy Today 


Here are some of their comments on the importance of music in their 

lives: 

• Sasha (age 25) “... the music never leaves me. Music is always with 

me” 

• Dima (age 24) “ I can’t imagine my life without music. I see my life 

and my music always together” 

• Yelena (age 28) “ I’m always with music. I live in it” 

• Nahum (age 43) “I have a relationship with that word – music” 

• Ella (age 29) “Music was like drugs” 

• Zohar (age 20) “If I had to go stay on a desert island , and I could take 

either my music or my girlfriend – I would take my music. 

• Boris (28) “I grew up with those songs” 

• Yonatan (32) “It’s amazing how the music is half and half – with some 

of the experiences, like milestones …on my way down, with the 

drugs. 

PREFACE When I first started to work with addicts, 10 years ago, in various rehab. 

centers, my thoughts on addicts and the kinds of music they listen to – 

were quite stereotypical. But as time went by, I learned that above and 

beyond the kind of music addicts may listen to, it’s important to investi- 

gate the quality of the relationship many of them form with their music – 

whether it’s electronic music, Russian criminal songs or Janis Joplin. I 

have come to the conclusion that music therapy with addicts should 

include, among other things, working with the music in their lives. The 

music, in therapy, then changes from being a means – to becoming the 

goal. In our music therapy groups we listen to, discuss, negotiate and re- 

evaluate the music the addicts listened to in their drug-using past, and 

their present period of therapy and rehab. For many of the people these 

sessions enable a first time opportunity to examine their relationship 

with music, in the secure and containing environment of the group; what 

emotions it evokes, what memories and life-stories it awakens. How it 

defines their personal, social and ethnic identity; how they use music in 

their daily life; how their music relates to their drug abuse and what dan- 

Introduction 298



gers or risks it holds for them; how music can function as a source of 

relaxation, joy and well being. 

Drug addicts, addiction and rehabilitation treatment 

I want to stress that this paper relates specifically to drug addicts, who 

have undergone treatment in the therapeutic community treatment model. 

The phenomenon of addiction to a variety of substances and behaviors is 

widespread; and there are numerous methods of treatment for addicts. 

Both are beyond the scope of this paper. 

My clients are chronic substance abusers, undergoing a yearlong, inpa- 

tient treatment program in the Ramot-Yehuda - Zoharim therapeutic com- 

munity, in Israel. Men and women, aged 19-50, with a history of drug 

abuse lasting between 2 to 30 or 40 years. The majority have lived a life 

of crime and spent time in prison, usually as a result of drug abuse, sell- 

ing drugs, thefts, violence and prostitution. Many come from multi-prob- 

lem families, with a history of various addictions, life in crime ridden 

neighborhoods and easily accessible drugs. 

Our clients have abused a wide variety of addictive substances - euphoric 

(cocaine and amphetamines); sedative (heroin, methadone, alcohol, ), 

psychedelic (L.S.D., ecstasy, cannabis); psychiatric medications. The 

factors directing ones' choice of drugs are dependent upon age and popu- 

larity among peer group, geographical and ethnic background, and per- 

sonality and biochemical makeup (Knipe, E. 1995). 

40% of our clients are immigrants from the former Soviet Union, living 

in Israel for 15 years or less. The rest are Israeli born with a majority of 

Jews, and usually 5-10% Christian and Moslem Arabs. 

Drug addicts, addiction and rehabilitation treatment 299



THERAPEUTIC 

COMMUNITY 

CULTURE OF 

ADDICTION 

The basic ideology of the therapeutic community is one of inclusive, 

drug free, therapeutic care for the addict, as an individual and as a mem- 

ber of society. This ideology is based on the assumption that drug depen- 

dency is a mix of educational, psycho social, medical, emotional, 

spiritual and psychological factors, all of which must be addressed by 

treatment. It incorporates both psychodynamic and behavior-modifica- 

tion methods in an effort to relate to the complexity of the issues of 

addiction. 

Addiction can be looked upon as a psychological or medical pathology, 

but it is also a cultural phenomenon and a culture in itself. The aim of 

treatment is to assist the addicts in leaving this culture and entering the 

culture of recovery. It is a long and difficult journey. 

In his book "Pathways from the Culture of Addiction to the Culture of 

Recovery", William White (1996) writes about the role the culture of 

addiction plays in sustaining addiction, regardless of the etiology that led 

to the initiation of the person-drug relationship. And, in the late stages of 

addiction, the culture of addiction can pose the largest obstacle for clients 

entering the recovery process. 

The culture of addiction is a way of life: a way of talking, thinking, 

behaving and relating to others, that separates substance abusers from 

those who are not. The culture encompasses values, places, rituals, sym- 

bols and music - all of which reinforce one's involvement in excessive 

drug consumption. A particular client may have initially started to abuse 

drugs in order to deal with emotional trauma, but it is clear that his addic- 

tion has shaped every aspect of his lifestyle, and that all these aspects 

must be examined in the recovery process. Many addicts have found it 

easier to break the physiological relationship with their drug than to 

Drug addicts, addiction and rehabilitation treatment 300



break their relationship with the culture in which the drug was used. The 

failure to break the cultural relationship often precedes relapse. 

Some of our younger clients cannot perceive their social life without 

pubs, clubs and rave parties - all sites where drugs and alcohol are con- 

sumed, all `danger zones' for the recovering addict. They cannot imagine 

going to a rock concert or party without taking - or drinking - something 

that will enhance their enjoyment of the music and enable them to feel 

part of the crowd. 

Contemporary psychodynamic theories also recognize that much of the 

psychological dysfunction displayed by addicts is the result of drug abuse 

rather than the cause. It seems that some aspects of personality disorders 

apparent in addicts' behavior have developed secondarily as a conse- 

quence of substance abuse, whereas others are primary and stem from the 

interaction of early developmental wounds and experiences, with biolog- 

ical predisposition (Kaufman, 1994). The addict is a person with an 

unstable personality without inner sources to deal with daily pressures. 

The drugs enable him to deal with frustration, to disassociate from an 

oppressive and demanding reality. 

Experiences with clients and my step into research 

My clients relationships with music were a well kept secret – something 

they all knew about, discussed among themselves but rarely brought to 

the music therapy groups. The fact is that this subject didn’t come up (or 

at least I wasn’t aware that it came up) in the first few years of working 

with addicts. I knew that they listened to music a lot, in their free time. 

My impression ( based on hearsay and the sounds coming from their 

rooms) was that “they” listened to a lot a rave music, Russian rock and 

popular music, and Israel Mediterranean music, particularly songs whose 

Experiences with clients and my step into research 301



lyrics and music evoke feelings of melancholy and despair. All music 

that I personally wasn’t acquainted with, and truthfully – at that time – 

wasn’t very interested to be acquainted with. I also felt that their music 

listening was a very passive activity, something that connected to the pas- 

sivity of drug using. It wasn’t something I wished to introduce to the 

music therapy groups. 

I felt it was more appropriate to enable opportunities for creative music 

making – singing and instrumental improvisation, vocal work – activities 

which could awaken hidden strengths, enhance body-emotion connec- 

tion, non-verbal expression and social interactions. I felt that the groups 

were beneficial for my clients, and preferred to “let sleeping lions lie” – 

as it later turned out. 

A chance conversation with a small group of clients – changed every- 

thing. To my supposedly naive question: what kinds of music do they like 

to listen to, they each spoke about music-related relapses – returning to 

drug use after periods of abstinence, or increased use , which they related 

to the specific music they listened to. One of the women characterised the 

music of her favorite rock band as “dangerous music”. I felt that this 

conversation was a turning point, almost an initiation into a secluded 

group that held important information, unrevealed until now. My clients 

also felt that this was a special moment, and expressed relief that some- 

one was interested in this acute problem, which had never been addressed 

in therapy programs they had attended in the past. 

This conversation began a process which started with my delving into the 

different genres of music, the very ones I had tried to avoid. I began lis- 

tening to heavy metal, Russian rock and criminal songs, trance and elec- 

tronic music, Israeli Mediterreanean songs – much to the joy and 

consternation of my own teenagers, who, together with their music 

Experiences with clients and my step into research 302



minded friends, immediately stepped in to help. My interest in ethnomu- 

sicology was rekindled upon discovering that popular music of all kinds 

is researched by this field. I discovered fascinating musical, cultural, his- 

torical and personal realms that were new to me. 

The process continued with my introducing the subject to the music ther- 

apy groups. My first impressions were that while some of my clients 

enjoyed listening to their music in the groups and saw it as a pleasant 

pastime, others presented their relationship with music as one of their life 

obsessions, and spoke about it with the same passion or embarrassment 

usually used when speaking about their drug use. 

Choosing methodology 

This was my incentive to research – I myself began to feel overwhelmed 

by the many faceted meanings of music that I was beginning to detect in 

my clients lives. I was driven to understand the many different forces I 

felt were lurking behind this phenomena. I decided to conduct formal 

research, as a M.A. research student in the Hebrew University, in order to 

understand the many meanings music has in the lives of drug addicts. 

After deciding upon qualitative research, with analysis of narrative inter- 

views, I thought it would be interesting to interview addicts I didn’t per- 

sonally know. So I phoned all the social workers I knew who worked in 

the field, hoping for referrals. I told them I was looking for those clients 

who had a passion for music. Not one social worker could think of any 

appropriate clients, apart from one who had played in a band… 

I began to think that maybe the whole idea was in my imagination. I 

knew that my clients could be manipulative and compliant – were these 

stories of the music in their lives something they told me to fulfill my 

Choosing methodology 303



NARRATIVE 

INTERVIEWS 

needs, telling me what they felt I wanted to hear? Or was I the first thera- 

pist actually interested in this aspect of their lives, which was, until now, 

just one more of their underground activities, not something one tended 

to share with their social worker? I put the question to one of my inter- 

viewees, who said : when you have one hour a week with your social 

worker, and your life is falling apart, you want to use drugs – you’re not 

going to talk to her about music. But that doesn’t mean its not a very 

important part of my life. 

I then decided to interview addicts that I personally knew, that had partic- 

ipated in my groups in the 2 therapeutic communities I worked in. It 

wasn’t difficult to choose: those clients that lingered in the room, after 

the group was over, to tell me about their passion for certain kinds of 

music; or expressed strong disinterest in any music but their own. 

All the people I approached in my request to interview them, agreed on 

the spot, even though I suggested that they take time to think about it. My 

feeling, strengthened by things said in the interviews, was that they saw 

the interview as a chance for personal attention from me (all our thera- 

peutic work had been in groups), a chance to talk about, and gain deeper 

understanding of their relationship with music, and contribute to the 

understanding of people like them (many of them expressed surprise that 

the “university professors” were at all interested in this subject) 

My relationship with all interviewees, and knowledge of the culture of 

addiction and recovery, enabled a natural introduction into the data col- 

lecting stage of the research. I felt that our former mutual experiences, in 

the music therapy groups and other common activities in the therapeutic 

community’s life, made for a common language and relaxed atmosphere 

in all the interviews. Most of them, unavoidably, included discussions 

Choosing methodology 304



MUSIC LISTENING 

DURING DRUG USE 

which were beyond the scope of the interview’s objective, such as per- 

sonal therapeutic and rehabilitation themes . 

My research orientation is situated on a junction where music therapy, 

popular music studies, sociology of music and psychology of music – 

and theories related to addiction - converge. 

I am presently analyzing the material gleaned from the 8 interviews. I 

would like to present some of my preliminary findings, according to the 

main categories I have found, with the relevant theoretical context. 

All the interviews were held in Hebrew. In translating the quotations 

from the interviews, some of the cultural aspects of slang and addiction 

jargon – were lost. I didn’t try to use the English equivalents of addiction 

jargon, which is so very typical of social class, geography and ethnicity. I 

hope that the authenticity of the quotations will be preserved even so. 

In order to better understand the context of the following quotations, I 

will again introduce my research subjects, this time through the prism of 

the substances they abused. 

• Nahum: alcohol, cannabis and heroin 

• Yonatan: ecstasy, L.S.D., cannabis, heroin and crack-cocaine 

• Ruth: alcohol, ecstasy, L.S.D., cannabis, heroin and crack-cocaine 

• Zohar: ecstasy, L.S.D. 

• Yelena: alcohol, cannabis, heroin 

• Sasha: heroin 

• Dima: ecstasy, L.S.D., heroin 

• Boris: occasional alcohol and ecstasy, heroin 

Results and Discussion 

From the narratives we can discern 3 general stages: 

Results and Discussion 305



1. “falling in love” - the first years of drug use, during which music and 

drugs enhance each other , and their joining enables experiences of 

wholeness, joy and transcendence. 

2. the “dark shadow-guide” – when music plays a part in the downhill 

path to depression and intense drug abuse. 

3. indifference to music - when the addict looses interest in music. 

1 st stage:“falling in love”. 

Nahum: “ Pink Floyd is something I would listen to only when I 

was under the influence of drugs…to be high, to connect better to 

the music” 

Yonatan: “ …the first time I took ecstasy, we were listening to 

some c.d….. it was so connected to the music. My attention was 

half on the “exta”, and without noticing – half on the music and 

my imagination…it was half the drug and half the music. I think 

that if I was in the same situation, but without the music, it would 

be something totally different…I don’t think I would have 

enjoyed it as much…all the psychedelic drugs – they need music. 

" 

Research on the effects of psychedelic drugs on music perception con- 

firm Nahum’s and Yonatan’s experiences. Cannabis, for example, can act 

as a mild psychedelic drug. Joerg Fachner (2002) has found that cannabis 

induces a subjective time expansion, enabling a temporary increased 

insight into the “space between the notes”. High frequencies and over- 

tones are perceived more consciously. Fachner suggests that perhaps can- 

nabis acts as a psycho-acoustic enhancer, enabling a intensified and 

broadened experience of the musical time space. 

DeRios (2003) wrote about shamanic rituals using music in combination 

with hallucinogenic substances – different, but still similar, to our sub- 

ject. She suggests that once the biochemical effects of the hallucinogenic 

drug alter the user's perception, the music operates as a "jungle gym" for 

the person's consciousness during the drug state and provides a series of 

pathways and banisters through which the drug user negotiates his way. 

So it seems that not only does the music enhance the drug experience, it 




also provides a necessary anchor for those traveling through the “doors of 

perception” (borrowing Huxley’s title, 1954) 

So far I have described experiences recognized by all who have listened 

to music under the influence of psychedelic substances. This is the stage 

I called “falling in love”, which many of our clients talk about with a 

yearning for the times their drug use was an enjoying pastime. 

2 nd stage: The dark shadow guide. As the drug abuse intensifies, cer- 

tain types of music may become a kind of guide to the fall into uncon- 

trolled drug use and self abuse. 

Yelena:” There were situations where the music of Grazhdanskaya 

Abarona 1 seemed to attack me…all the harm I did to 

myself – was with the music. It was during drugs, and depression 

and alcohol…I listened to that music and it was as if somebody 

was sitting and talking to me…and saying that everything is 

wrong and bad and there’s no point in living..there are lots of 

songs like that….. So many of those songs that I listened to. I 

myself couldn’t see any reason to live, and someone, in the song, 

who justifies me…I don’t think that I would have had the guts to 

hurt myself the way I did, without that music…” 

Yonatan: ” the music and drugs were inseparable. Without the 

music, I don’t think I would have done what I did. Let’s say that 

of my really bad fall into the shit of heroin and cocaine – the 

music I listened to was like a tool in the hands of this…dark inner 

guide, that took me to tear myself apart…” 

The 3 rd stage – indifference to music. When the drug abuse becomes 

intense and the addiction overshadows all aspects of ones life, music 

looses its place beside the drugs and indifference sets in. 

1. “Grazhdanskaya Abarona” is a contemporary Russian punk and anti-establishment 

rock group. 




MUSIC AS DRUG- 

SUBSTITUTE – OR- 

TRANSITIONAL 

PHENOMENA 

(WINNICOT,1953) 

Ella:” In the last years of my drug abuse, when drugs where the 

only thing that I got out of bed for, and couldn’t fall asleep without 

– music wasn’t important anymore. I didn’t care anymore, 

there was nothing nostalgic about the music, there was nothing in 

it... the first few years, I could get excited or emotional about 

some song, but later on…I lost interest in music. I needed my 

quiet space, I used at home, didn’t go out and wasn’t interested in 

anything.” 

Zohar: ”When you start using a lot you’re less interested in 

music. The drugs are whats important….it used to be like – 

there’s a rave party, so you take some pills. Later on it became : 

there’s pills, it would be nice if there’s some music but it’s not 

really important.” 

Functions of music in addiction 

We will now look at some of the psychological functions music has. 

Yelena:” When I was in treatment at the therapeutic community, I 

hadn’t brought a Discman with me. So I wrote my mom a letter 

and she sent me one. That’s when the problems started – it was 

like she had sent me drugs…sometimes when I just couldn’t take 

any more, I would ask permission to go to the bathroom but went 

off to my room…I would feel like I was in withdrawal and there 

was what I needed in my room…something was missing, I 

needed something…so I would go, listen to a song, and go back 

to work as if nothing happened, feeling better. Because I’m 

addicted – to music too. Whats interesting is that I didn’t have my 

own music, I had to listen to c.d.’s that belonged to the other 

girls…love songs, happy songs…not the stuff I listen to. But – 

when there’s no heroin you take pills…” 

Yelena recognized the fact that she used the music as a drug substitute , 

during abstinence and treatment. Lacking the ego capabilities to deal 

with external pressure, she could enter the transitional space of music-lis- 

tening, almost “cuddling up” with the sounds.She could draw strength by 

absorbing the external, benificing object into herself. 

Zohar:” When I was in the army jail 1 , they didn’t let us hear 

music. I remember, I was so desperate…I would call up a friend 

Functions of music in addiction 308



on the phone and tell him to put a song on…I would listen to the 

song over the phone…” 

In Zohar’s case, the music wasn’t a drug substitute – because he had 

access to drugs in jail. But, as he said of himself: ”it doesn’t always mat- 

ter what music – but I need it . Music is one of the obsessions I haven’t 

overcome”. It seems that the music fulfilled needs over and beyond what 

the drugs could do – perhaps distraction, filling an emotional void, calm- 

ing…LikeYelena, he manipulated his way to get what he needed – char- 

acteristic behavior of addicts 

Nahum:”You're asking how music and drugs are connected? Why 

you need the music? So as not to be alone. I want to be alone, but 

my soul is crying out, I can’t understand whats going on with me, 

I don’t want to be like this. At first the drugs were for fun, but 

then they became a need, a very very deep physical and spiritual 

need. An almost total lack of ability to function in all parts of my 

life…but I didn’t want to see it. So...the music comes, doesn’t 

matter what you listen to….it was a very strong dependence” 

Lehtonan (2002) suggests that music seems to create a symbolic distance 

between the individual and his traumatic experiences… probably because 

of music's "ability" to act as a transitional phenomenon, where by listen- 

ing to music one can safely and without anguish work through his feel- 

ings. He quotes Racker (1951) who described the qualities of music as a 

transitional phenomenon. Music can protect an individual against 

unpleasant feelings and yet, at the same time, give psychic strength to 

face and overcome them. Music can also be used in frightening and 

unpleasant situations, for instance, against silence representing loneli- 

ness. Music can function like a "mirror" where the listener sees himself 

and his inner, incoherent feelings and experiences – in an integrated state. 

As Nahum concludes:” I would sit and really listen to the music, 

and try to see where I was and what I was doing with my life” 

1. for drug abuse during service. 




LISTENING TO MUSIC 

AS AN ESCAPE - AS A 

SUBSTITUTE FOR 

COPING WITH REALITY 

Almost all my interviewees spoke about listening to music as a means of 

avoiding thoughts and emotions and coping with difficult situations. 

Sasha:” I think I can say that I avoid my thoughts, by listening to 

music…when things are rough, and I want to be alone……..but 

then it’s hard to sit all by myself and concentrate on whats going 

on in my life, so I put on my music, and that’s it. I run away……I 

sort of sit by myself, with my music, don’t have to explain anything 

to anybody. I got my music. That’s it. “ 

Music fills the void. 

HIGH RISK SITUATIONS These are any life situations which may endanger a recovering addict’s 

obligation to recovery. All emotional and environmental cues and trig- 

gers which bring about memories of use or weaken one’s self efficacy, 

which may bring about relapse to substance abuse. 

Many of my clients, Israelis of middle eastern background, listen to a 

local genre of popular music. This Israeli Mediterranean music is a 

hybrid genre created in Israel by Jews from Arabic speaking countries. 

The music was, in the 1970's, thought to be culturally inferior by the 

mainstream, European-orientated culture and media. The music devel- 

oped as an "underground" alternative, giving voice to the themes and 

musical heritage of the lower and working classes. The music is essen- 

tially either western music overlaid with middle-eastern "colors", and the 

Arabic mellismatic form of singing, or authentic Turkish, Yemenite or 

Iraqi music with Hebrew texts (Horowitz 1999). 

The strongest connection the addicts have is with the sub-genre nick- 

named "crying songs". The lyrics and music of these songs evoke feel- 

ings of melancholy and despair. My clients relate that in times of 

depression, they are drawn to choose music that mirrors their mood, and 

while identifying with the words, and the memories the song evokes, 

sinking into feelings of self-pity and worthlessness (Horesh, 2006). 




Zohar Argov is one of the idolized singers of Israeli Mediterranean 

songs. He himself was addicted to heroin and committed suicide in jail. 

My interviewee Zohar chose his pseudonym because of his admiration to 

Zohar Argov. 

Zohar:” Not too long ago, my girlfriend and I broke up. I found 

myself listening again to all those depressing songs of Zohar 

Argov, it really drew me in, the words – exactly how I felt. And I 

could see myself going down hill, I would listen to the songs, go 

to sleep sad and wake up sad. so I took all of those c.d.s, brought 

them to a friend and said – listen, don’t give them back to me till 

you see that I’m all right. And he said – I’m proud of you. He 

knew that I never gave my Zohar c.d. to anyone.” 

Music, as a cue that can bring about memories of drug abuse, can also 

function as a warning signal before relapse. Like in the above example, 

an addict going through a crises might, unawares, find himself listening 

to drug-related music, which he may have stopped listening to as a result 

of his abstinence and changed life style. The music is not the cause of his 

emotional upheaval but reflects it. The music may heighten his emotional 

unstableness. But, if he has acquired awareness of the connection 

between certain kinds of music and negative emotions such as loss of 

control, depression or anxiety – the actual act of listening to the music 

may become a warning sign, or red light – a signal to stop, evaluate his 

situation and seek help. 

Nahum:” Even now, I can listen to Pink Floyd, and straight away 

it takes me to…places of chaos, drugs, grass, alcohol…” 

Research in music cognition supports Nahum’s experience. Music can 

evoke emotional and physical responses not just because of the music's 

properties, but because music recreates a mental and emotional represen- 

tation of the essence of the moment when it was first heard (Ortiz 1997). 

The memory evoked can be of negative experiences or emotions, or of 

actual drug use. The established links between certain types of music and 




the euphoric recall of drug intoxication, reinforced through thousands of 

repetitions, serve as powerful connections to the culture of addiction 

(White 1996). 

But music isn’t just a perceptual stimulus, something that reminds us of 

something else. Most of my interviewees spoke of the importance of the 

texts of the music they listened to, and preferred songs sung in languages 

they understood. 

Dima:” I really pay attention to the words, they mean a lot to me. 

Maybe because I want my life to have some meaning, like the 

words of the songs do.” 

Identification with song texts could be seen as a means of amplifying 

unbearable emotions, as a mirror for those emotions, and a search for val- 

idation -which is usually lacking in the addict's social milieu. 

Sasha:” There’s this song, where he sings about how hard everything 

is, how it hurts so much but nobody can talk about it. How 

he sits with his friends all day but when he’s alone, at night, he 

cries his heart out. How he’s sick and tired of it all. ….maybe I 

use the music to cry about my pain, maybe that’s how I get it 

out.” 

Addicts may choose to listen to certain kinds of music as an attempt at 

self-healing, as a quest for integration of past pains and experiences with 

their present life, or as a search for emotional and spiritual catharsis. 

They are used to turning to external factors to manipulate their mood and 

emotional state, using drugs and music, to this purpose, interchangeably. 

The drugs they used blocked out almost all emotional activity, bringing 

them to a state of, what they call “living dead”. Listening to music, they 

feel alive, connected to their past and present emotional repertoire. 

Nahum:”…now I’m depressed, and I want something that will 

deepen my depression, so I take this thing from the outside that’s 

called music” 




MUSIC AS PART OF 

CHANGE – LISTENING 

WITHOUT DRUGS 

Yelena:” I feel bad, listen to bad music, go on feeling bad” 

By listening to music under such circumstances, instead of it being a pos- 

itive experience - something goes wrong. The addicts' weak ego structure 

cannot deal with the overwhelming flood of emotional memories of pain, 

abuse and rejection. They figuratively “drown” in the oceanic feeling of 

regression, and reach out to the kind of acting they know best - substance 

abuse or risk seeking behavior. 

Identification with the song is not limited to the texts only, but also with 

the social context of the song. Four of my interviewees were born in the 

former Soviet Union, and were all avid listeners to the local genre called 

“blatniye pesni” – criminal songs. Their identification with these songs 

cannot be disconnected from their identification with the criminal society 

and life style that gave birth to these songs. Boris was born in a small 

town in the Soviet Union, where, he said, crime was the common way of 

life. When he was 6 years old, he saw his father being arrested during an 

armed battle with policeman that broke into their house. As a child, 

Boris, like his father, loved to listen to the blatniye songs. 

His dream was:” to go to jail, I wanted to see what it was like, 

maybe I just wanted to feel what my father was feeling out there, 

in jail. I missed him so much.” 

These songs play an important role in the lives of addicts and criminals 

of Russian culture. More research should be done to understand the cul- 

tural and emotional meanings these songs have for them. 

Addicts have to go through fundamental transformations during therapy 

and rehab, in order to insure (as much as possible) their commitment to 

change. All areas of their lives – past traumas, secrets, emotions, behav- 

ior patterns, occupation, relationships – are examined and re-evaluated. 

Clients often are uncomfortable and express mis-belief regarding the pos- 




itive changes they themselves, and others, detect in them. They don’t 

always recognize themselves, and find it difficult to accept themselves as 

calm, happy and functioning people. 

Boris:” I grew up with those songs, the blatniye, and now, I’m 

finishing my time at treatment, its like I understood all the things 

the songs were trying to tell me, I finished with them, I can say – 

goodbye, thanks, that’s it, I’m on my way. It’s really interesting, 

maybe that’s why I’m listening to them less and less…maybe 

that’s part of my change…I didn’t even decide, it just happened. 

But I’m afraid to stop listening to those songs. I can’t believe I’ll 

be without them. Every once in a while I’ll have to hear one or 

two songs. “ 

Boris seemed to be so enmeshed in his personal and cultural identity, 

symbolized by the blatniye songs, that separating from them seemed 

almost impossible. 

Yelena:” These days, I’ve been listening to, and enjoying – music 

that I couldn’t listen to in the past. Really happy music, like disco. 

I was surprised at myself….because, who would of thought that I 

would listen to that shit. I never liked it before. It disgusted me. I 

mean – just stupid people listened to it…this is a recent change, 

just the past few months…I hardly ever listen to rock anymore. 

When I stopped listening to rock, it sort of frightened me…..but 

music has stopped threatening me. I’ve changed my outlook on 

life, I’ve started to smile, I think this new music has a lot to do 

with it…I allowed myself to try something new. The truth is that 

the first time I really felt good – I couldn’t accept it. And I 

couldn’t accept the fact that I was listening to this music, even 

though I liked it. But I can smile now, I feel alive.” 

Zohar:” In therapy I learned to talk about my feelings so I don’t 

really need the songs anymore…its changed, a lot, the music I 

used to listen to, I was really stuck on one kind of music…but 

today I can choose, I have the power not to listen to that. It used 

to be, like, the songs didn’t ask me if I wanted to hear them, I 

would turn on the stereo and all the sad songs were there…I know 

that because I changed so much, things changed in my music. I 

don’t want to suffer anymore, don’t want to get depressed, those 

songs remind me of things…but if you ask me what music I really 

like –its that. Those sad songs. But today I don’t do what I 

want…it’s more – what I have to do.” 




Dima tells about using music as a guide, for self-healing. 

Dima:” When things are rough, I can put on some music, to push 

the feeling aside. I don’t wipe it out altogether, like I did with the 

drugs. I just put it off for a while, till I can find a way to deal with 

it. I sometimes act out on what I feel, if I’m angry I can act on the 

anger…so to be normal, its like a tool for me, the 

music……sometimes I get too much inside myself, and it frightens 

me. I get to thinking, and a lot comes up…the music helps me 

to connect better, helps me concentrate on what I want to think 

about…actually I’ve turned the music that was with me my whole 

life –into a tool to help me deal with my life without 

drugs…something to watch over me.” 

Conclusion 

The aim of my research process –is to describe, analyze and eventually – 

gain a better understanding of the relationships between addicts and their 

music. We have seen that for many addicts, music has powerful destruc- 

tive and healing potential. It can be abused, as drugs are. It can be mis- 

used and lead one into a vicious circle of dependency and self- 

destructiveness. But music has the potential to heal. 

Clearly, I have a vested interest in the process and outcomes of this 

research. I hope that the heightened understanding gained from my 

research will benefit my own work with addicts, and cause more aware- 

ness to the importance of music and other cultural aspects, in the treat- 

ment of addicts. 

I believe that by achieving a deeper understanding of the relationships 

addicts form with music, we can assist them in discovering more of their 

inner selves as manifested in their music. By rehabilitating their music- 

listening habits, they can begin to incorporate music into their lives as a 

source of enjoyment and enrichment. 

Conclusion 315



References 

de Rios, M. D. (2003). The Role of Music in Healing with Hallucino- 

gens: Tribal and Western Studies. Music Therapy Today (online) Vol. IV 

(3) June 2003, available at http://musictherapytoday.net 

Fachner, J. (2002). The space between the notes - Research on cannabis 

and music perception. In K. Karki, R. Leydon & H. Terho (Eds.), Look- 

ing Back, Looking Ahead - Popular Music Studies 20 Years Later (1 ed., 

pp. 308-319). Turku, Finland: IASPM-Norden. 

Forinash, M. (1995). Phenomenological Research. In Wheeler, B.(Ed). 

Music Therapy Research. Barcelona Pub. 

Horesh, T. (2006). Dangerous Music -Working with the Destructive and 

Healing Powers of Popular Music in the Treatment of Substance Abusers. 

In: Aldridge, D. & Fachner, J. (Eds.) Music and Altered States - Con- 

sciousness, Transcendence, Therapy and Addiction. (pp. 125-139) Lon- 

don: Jessica Kingsley 

Horowitz, A. (1999). Israeli Mediterranean Music. Journal of American 

Folklore 112(445):450-463 

Huxley, A (1959). The Doors of Perception and Heaven and Hell. Pen- 

guin Books, Middlesex, England 

Knipe, E. (1995) Culture, society and drugs. Prospect Heights, Ill.: 

Waveland Press 

Lehtonen K.(2002). Some Ideas About Music Therapy for the Elderly. 

[online] Voices: A World Forum for Music Therapy http:// 

www.voices.no/mainissues/Voices2(1)lehtonen.html 

References 316



Ortiz, J.M. (1997). The Tao of Music. Samuel Weiser, Maine U.S.A. 

White, W. (1996). Pathways from the Culture of Addiction to the Culture 

of Recovery. Center City, Minnesota Hazeldon Pub 

Winnicot, D. (1953). Transitional objects and transitional phenomena. 

International Journal of Psycho-Analysis, Vol. XXXIV 


AUTHOR INFORMATION Tsvia Horesh CMT 

Horesh, T. (2006) “Music is My Whole Life” - The many meanings of 

music in addicts’ lives. Music Therapy Today (Online) Vol.VII (2) 299- 

319. available at http://musictherapyworld.net 

Ramot Yehuda Zoharim Therapeutic Community 

Israel 

Tel.fax. 972-25346510 

Horesh.tsvia(at)gmail.com 




The use of music therapy 

with substance abusers 

Abdollahnejad, Mohammad Reza 

Abstract: 

This article is about music therapy activities in Tehran TC that involve 

the use of lyric analysis, song sharing and a self-designed questionnaire 

of the effects of music which substance abusers listened to during their 

addiction period. 

A total of 25 sessions of lyric analysis / song sharing were held. Clients 

were asked about their feelings at the end of each session. Also each session 

was recorded and analyzed. 

Conclusions showed the use of lyric analysis and song sharing was particularly 

useful for enabling residents to express their feelings and 

thoughts. Finally it was found that the music which substance abusers 

had listened to during their addiction had positively affected their 

relapse and aggressive consuming. 

318

Abdollahnejad, M.R. (2006) The use of music therapy with substance abusers. Music Therapy Today (Online) 

Vol.VII (2) 318-332. available at http://musictherapyworld.net 

Introduction 

Nowadays one of the major problems in societies is a phenomenon 

known as substance abuse which, on an annual basis, is imposing huge 

expenditures on governments all around the world. 

Hence, the issue of therapeutic interventions along with prevention is one 

of the approaches which is the center of attention of government, 

researchers, and therapists in order to solve the issue of addiction. 

In recent years, with regard to advancements in research, different reha- 

bilitation and treatment methods have been employed to improve sub- 

stance abusers’ recovery. Music therapy, in this regard, is an adjunctive 

and adoptable modality that can play a significant role in rehabilitation 

(James 1988). On the other hand, music therapy has been welcomed sub- 

stantially by substance abusers for its dynamic, open-ended nature of cre- 

ativity, and non-threatening nature. 

Therapists who deal with substance abusers usually regard their feelings 

and emotions as mysteries. Substance abusers, in accordance with their 

life style, apply such defense mechanisms as rationalizing, minimizing, 

manipulating, denying, and lying. Such defense mechanisms cause the 

substance abusers difficulties in recognizing and expressing their emo- 

tions and feelings (James 1988). Music therapy has proved to be a most 

effective method in dealing with such defenses. 

Teder Wolff (1990) discusses how such creative experiences can be 

applied to remove emotional conflicts and inner blocks which are known 

to be obstacles toward change and growth. 

Introduction 319



Treatment of addiction in Iran dates back to 50 years following a govern- 

mental ban on substance abuse when therapeutic centers were estab- 

lished. 

At that point of time, medical treatment was the only modality of treat- 

ment; however, in the course of time and as other treatment methods 

improved, different other rehabilitation methods were taken into account. 

Hence, in recent decades, therapies such as psychotherapy (individually 

and in groups), twelve-step groups and therapeutic communities became 

emergent. Out of the mentioned approaches, therapeutic community is 

the most recent and dates back to 5 years ago. 

Music therapy is also in its early stages and MAMPHA in Iran have 

started to scientifically look at music therapy in the past five years. 

In Iran, this research work is the first experience as far as the application 

of music therapy in therapeutic community and substance abusers is con- 

cerned. The objective of this research was to help the substance abusers 

residing at Tehran TC express their feelings and emotions by applying 

lyric analysis and song sharing taking into account the fact that the same 

techniques had been successfully used and experienced in other coun- 

tries. 

Music Application in Mental & Physical Health 

Association 

In 1996 a group of university students in the fields of Medical Sciences, 

Psychology, and Music at Tehran University started their studies in music 

therapy and continued their activity by holding work shops and doing 

research works based on the local culture with the assistance of univer- 

sity conductors. 

Music Application in Mental & Physical Health Association 320



In 1997, the first nation-wide congress was held in Iran and subsequent to 

the feed-back arising from the first congress reflecting such demand in 

the society, it was decided that an association be established with the mis- 

sion of extending and developing the overall aspects of music therapy 

both quantitatively and qualitatively including the training of experts in 

the field. 

Finally in the year 2001 the association was established. Since then, this 

association has succeeded in holding long term and short term training 

courses, work shops, in the field as well as creating a database as refer- 

ence for interested researchers. The association has also tried and applied 

music therapy in the treatment of children with mental and physical 

handicap besides substance abusers. 

On the other hand, this association has so far held five nation-wide con- 

gresses aiming at wider exchange of information with researchers and 

experts in the field. 

Last but not least, due to the efforts of the association, music therapy will 

soon become an academic field of study in Iranian universities. 

Tehran Therapeutic Community 

The therapeutic community (TC) for the treatment of drug abuse and 

addiction has existed for about 40 years. In general, TCs are drug-free 

residential settings that use a hierarchical model with treatment stages 

that reflect increased levels of personal and social responsibility. Peer 

influence, mediated through a variety of group processes, is used to help 

individuals learn and assimilate social norms and develop more effective 

social skills. 

Tehran Therapeutic Community 321



TCs differ from other treatment approaches principally in their use of the 

community, comprising treatment staff and those in recovery, as key 

agents of change. This approach is often referred to as "community as 

method." TC members interact in structured and unstructured ways to 

influence attitudes, perceptions, and behaviors associated with drug use. 

Many individuals admitted to TCs have a history of social functioning, 

education/vocational skills, and positive community and family ties that 

have been eroded by their substance abuse. For them, recovery involves 

rehabilitation - relearning or re-establishing healthy functioning, skills, 

and values as well as regaining physical and emotional health. Other TC 

residents have never acquired functional life-styles. For these people, the 

TC is usually their first exposure to orderly living. Recovery for them 

involves habilitation - learning for the first time the behavioral skills, atti- 

tudes, and values associated with socialized living. 

In addition to the importance of the community as a primary agent of 

change, a second fundamental TC principle is "self-help." Self-help 

implies that the individuals in treatment are the main contributors to the 

change process. "Mutual self-help" means that individuals also assume 

partial responsibility for the recovery of their peers - an important aspect 

of an individual's own treatment (NIDA 2005). 

Tehran TC is a six-month residential center which was established in the 

year 2000. In this center, substance abusers are admitted following a 

detoxification process, an initial interview by social workers as well as 

psychologists. 

Subsequent to admission, the clients have to go through four phases of 

treatment as follows: 

Tehran Therapeutic Community 322



CLIENTS AND THEIR 

MUSIC 

1. Orientation phase where the program plus rules and regulations are 

introduced to the client and the client decides whether or not they can 

finish the whole process. The client is not allowed to be visited by the 

family. This lasts one month. 

2. Treatment phase which lasts for three months where the client uses 

several therapeutic programs available at the center and, unlike the 

first phase, family visits are permitted. 

3. Re-entry phase where the client is gradually released from the center 

in the course of a two-month period. 

4. Follow-up phase where the clients attend the weekly group therapy 

sessions held at the center and the social workers follow up on the status 

of the client be it by phone or visiting the client at their place. 

In the first six months of therapy, the clients attend in different therapy 

applications conducted by expert social workers such as group therapy, 

individual counseling, occupational therapy, training classes, vocational 

rehabilitation and music therapy. 

Psychologists, social workers, psychiatrists, as well as the recovered staff 

of Tehran TC itself handle the therapeutic programs of Tehran TC. 

Music Therapy Program 

Music therapy program for the first time was practiced in the therapeutic 

communities of Iran. It was even the case that such program was very 

rarely practiced for substance abusers as a therapeutic method. Hence, it 

was necessary that the therapists and the people in charge were briefed so 

that they became aware of the aims and benefits of music therapy. The 

briefing took place in one session. 

Then, in line with a planned schedule with the therapists, the clients who 

had difficulty expressing their thoughts and feelings were referred to 

music therapists. 

Music Therapy Program 323



TABLE 1. Type of drug use 

There were a total of twenty participants. In the course of these 25 ses- 

sions, 7 clients left the TC. 

The participants had a history of 5 to 15 years of substance abuse. 80% 

of the participants had heroin intervenes injection abuse and the remain- 

ing 20% were addicted to opium and narcotics. The participants were all 

male in an age range of 22 to 50 years. Another point to note is that 60% 

of the people had been homeless for 2 to 5 years 

Type of drug 

dependency Heroin Alcohol Opium Cannabis Narcotics Total 

Frequency 

16 0 3 0 1 20 

On the other hand, 80% of the participants were sentenced to prison on 

charges of drug smuggling, substance abuse, robbery, and fighting. 

Last but not least, all clients took part in the program eagerly and volun- 

tarily. 

The first two sessions were allocated to familiarizing the group members 

with the aims and benefits of the program. 

At the beginning of the first session of therapy, the clients were given a 

self-designed questionnaire covering the areas below: 

Questions. 

1. their favorite music and singer 

2. duration of their addiction, type of the drug they were addicted to, and 

duration of their jail sentence 

3. the relationship between their favorite music and resuming abuse 

aggressively 




TABLE 2. Favorite song 

Favorite song 

Frequency 

Results question 1. 

Lively (happy) 

music 

The majority of clients are fans of singers that sing sad music. 

Results question 2. 

TABLE 3. Duration of jail sentence 

Calm (light) 

music Sad music Total 

6 3 11 20 

Duration of 

jail 

sentence/ 

year None 0-1 1-3 3-5 5-7 

Frequency 

Above 

7 Total 

5 8 5 1 1 0 20 

TABLE 4. Duration of dependency to drug 

Duration of 

dependency 

of drug/year 1 -5 5-10 10-15 

Frequency 

Above 

15 Total 

1 9 8 2 20 

Results question 3. In the last item, surveys showed the music the abus- 

ers listened to during their addiction period significantly tempted them to 

go back to drugs during their recovery period (see also Horesh 2006). 

About 12 clients mentioned that listening to some of the music motivated 

them to abuse aggressively and 8 individuals said that it didn't have any 

affect on them. The majority of clients who said that music had affected 

them referred to listening to songs of singers with sad music and they 




stated whenever and wherever they have listened they were motivated to 

abuse drug. 

Each session lasted for 45 minutes and at the end of each session, the cli- 

ents were asked about their opinion of the therapy. Also, all sessions were 

video taped and the remarks of the clients were analyzed. The therapists 

chose the songs for lyric analysis on the basis of clients’ problems, and 

clients themselves chose the songs for song-sharing. After each session I 

discussed with the therapists the things the clients had divulged about 

their ongoing feelings, and about their thoughts for solving their psycho- 

logical and family problems. These discussions suggested that the clients 

used the music and words of the lyric analysis and song-sharing sessions 

to indirectly express their thoughts and feelings (see also Hedigan 2005). 

Lyric Analysis 

In one of the lyric analysis, a song named Niloofaraneh by an Iranian tra- 

ditional singer was used. The content of the lyric is about one who 

claims to be a lover of Almighty God and requests God Almighty to 

become closer to him and that He makes His love to His subjects known 

to them all and frees them from all worldly kinds of love. 

Following the playing of the recorded music, some questions were posed 

to the group members as follows: 

• What the song was all about was one of the questions to which one of 

the members named BIDAR replies that the song is about human love 

to their creator as opposed to other types of love, that is to say, love of 

wealth, power, and the like. Another member named MEHRAYEEN 

considers the song to be about a desperate type who might be well to 

do but feels nil and that's why he seeks protection under his superior. 

One other member believes the lyric to be about longing and nostalgia 

addressed to Almighty God who is supposed to be the all knowing 

about human feelings and thoughts. 

Lyric Analysis 326



• Put yourselves in the shoes of the singer and guess how the singer had 

been feeling was another question brought forward to the members to 

which one member replies as the singer having been feeling unsatisfied 

about all things and looks at God as the solution to this problem. 

Another one points out that nobody can ever perceive the singer and 

so the singer has turned to God. 

• How and what you feel toward Almighty God was a third question 

asked. One says that he feels God never hears his voice and that there 

is no contact between him and the creator. Last remark by another 

member is that he loves God but he dislikes himself because whenever 

he has a problem he remembers God! 

In another lyric analysis sessions, we selected a song by an Iranian pop 

singer. The song name was Doll. The song was of a sad atmosphere and 

the content of the song is one who is in love with a pretty girl and after a 

while realizes that his beloved one has no feeling for him and it is like he 

has loved a doll all the while. 

In this lyric, we picked some questions to extract the thoughts of the 

group about the song. The first question was posed as what the subject of 

the song was. One of the members said thoughtfully that the song is 

about a person who has been perusing a goal without achieving it and 

now feels his time has gone to waste and has left no door open behind 

him to be able to go back! 

One other question was what the singer was complaining about. In reply, 

one member said that the singer is complaining about himself because he 

has been pursuing an untrue love and he is upset why he didn't realize the 

fact about his love earlier. The group members in reply to what their sug- 

gestion to solving the problem of the singer is, say that the singer must 

refer to himself and get his needs right, be hopeful about future, and start 

a new life. 

Lyric Analysis 327



Song Sharing 

In one of the song listening sessions a group member selects a song 

named TAK by an Iranian pop singer. The song was about a period of the 

singer's life which reminded this group member of his own past. He says 

in a sad tone that he was born and brought up in a poor family and due to 

this fact he has always felt inferior when going out with his friend who 

enjoyed a rich and educated upbringing. Further, he suffered from a leg 

handicap which again contributed to him having a low opinion of himself 

and inability to deal with the opposite sex! In the same phase of his life, 

he makes friend with a cannabis consumer. Consuming cannabis, he feels 

happy and relieved and this trend continued till he ended up consuming 

heroin. 

Then the group started analyzing his situation and the causes of his addic- 

tion to drugs and asks him what caused him to start with drugs. He rea- 

soned that his family neglected him and considered him to be less 

confident and efficient compared to his brother hence his brother got all 

the family attention and care. One group member concludes that he is 

seeking the attention and confirmation of others in all that he does and he 

is following the same practice even now that he is a resident at TC. 

He says in reply that his friend had nicknamed him a free-loader, due to 

him having financial limitations. Therefore, to compensate, he would do 

them services as car washing, house cleaning, etc. He further explains the 

cold relationship between his parents. When asked if he tried to have a 

girlfriend despite all his problems and shortcomings, he says that, at the 

beginning of his drug abuse he fell in love with a girl whom he did not 

succeed in marrying as her family objected to the marriage because he 

was handicapped and it could also be that the girl's family had learned 

Song Sharing 328



about his addiction. The girl has married someone else; however, they are 

still in love and have a romantic relationship. 

Discussion 

In the course of the 25 sessions of lyric analysis and song sharing, the 

participants discussed noble issues and subjects which were not at all dis- 

cussed in other types of therapy sessions. 

The participants proved to express their feelings and thoughts more 

freely and openly without any holding back. These feelings and thoughts 

included forbidden love affairs, and individual private matters which 

according to the participants themselves they had never discussed with 

their families and/or close friends. 

It is also interesting to note that the participants were actively taking part 

in the discussions which caused the others to involve themselves too so 

as to exchange opinions and experiences. 

There we noted a close interaction between the group members which 

resulted in them learning about each others' difficulties and feeling 

responsible and committed to solving each other's problems and this mat- 

ter played an important role in their recovery. 

In the end, we learned about the high interest of the participants in such 

therapy as they heavily insisted that I increase the duration of the discus- 

sions. 

To conclude, I would like to mention that according to my observations 

and considering the complexity of the participants' issues and problems 

in expressing their feelings and thoughts and their habitual holding back 

Discussion 329



in group therapies and counseling, music therapy proved to be one of the 

best therapeutic interventions at TC. 

References 

Hedigan, J. (2005) Music Therapy in a Therapeutic Community: Brin- 

ging the Music to the Players. Music Therapy Today (online) Vol. VI, 

Issue 1 (February), p.5-22. Available at http://musictherapyworld.net 

Horesh, T. (2006) Dangerous Music -Working with the Destructive and 

Healing Powers of Popular Music in the Treatment of Substance Abusers 

in Aldridge, D. & Fachner, J. (Eds.) Music and Altered States - Con- 

sciousness, Transcendence, Therapy and Addiction. (pp 125-139) Lon- 

don: Jessica Kingsley 

James, Mark R. (1988). Music therapy and alcoholism: I. An overview of 

the addiction. Music Therapy Perspectives, 5: 60-64. 

James, Mark R. (1988). Music therapy and alcoholism: II. Treatment ser- 

vices. Music Therapy Perspectives, 5: 65-68. 

Treder-Wolff, J. (1990) Music Therapy as Facilitator of Cratives Process 

in Addictions Treatment. The Arts in Psychotherapy, 17(4), 319-324. 

NIDA (2005) What is a therapeutic Community? Retrieved 15. May 

2005 from http://www.drugabuse.gov/ResearchReports/Therapeutic/ 

Therapeutic2.html 

References 330




Abdollahnejad, M. R. (2006) The Use of Music Therapy with Substance 

Abusers. Music Therapy Today (Online) Vol.VII (2) 318-332. available 

at http://musictherapyworld.net 

AUTHOR INFORMATION Mohammad Reza Abdollahnejad is psychologist and music therapist 

based in Tehran, Iran. He works as a researcher and therapist in the field 

of the music therapy, addiction and substance abuse and has established a 

music therapy program in the Tehran Therapeutic Community. Abdol- 

lahnejad is one of the founders of MAMPHA (Music Application in 

Mental and Physical Health Association) and is board member of this 

association. He is the director of Tehran Therapeutic Community and 

Persian therapeutic community that has been newly established. 

CONTACT M.R. Abdollahnejad (M.A. Psychology) 

Board / Founder Member - MAMPHA 




(Music Application In Mental And Physical Health Association) 

Director of Tehran (Hejrat) Therapeutic Community 

No. 66, Tabarestan Alley, Farhang St., 

Vahdat Esla mi Ave., Tehran, Iran 

Postal Code: 11939 

Mobile: 0098-912-113 4909 

E-mail: 

ar_nejad(at)yahoo.com 

mr_abdollahnejad(at)yahoo.com 




‘Set and setting’ in an 

electrophysiological 

research paradigm on 

music perception under the 

influence of cannabis and 

correlated brain function 

Fachner, Jörg 

Introduction 

Music and intoxication (“Rausch”) appear to have common forms of 

emotional processing, at least in regard to processing in the limbic sys- 

tem. Everybody has a particular musical style or styles he prefers to oth- 

ers. Some very special pieces of music may even send shivers down the 

spine; it is exactly these shivers or chills felt in listening to our favourite 

music that were used by Blood and Zatorre (2001) to demonstrate that 

musical information reaches even those brain structures that are involved 

in conveying emotion. 

Listening to our favourite melody, we register changes not only in the 

activity of the autonomous nerve system, changes in heart beat, muscle 

tension, skin resistance and depth of breathing but also in the blood flow 

in brain structures that according to recent findings are also involved in 

333

Fachner, J. (2006) ‘Set and setting’ in an electrophysiological research paradigm on music perception under the influence of cannabis 

and correlated brain function. Music Therapy Today (Online) Vol.VII (2) 333-374. available at http://musictherapyworld.net 

MUSIC, DRUGS AND 

MEANING 

processing emotional stimuli. The activation pattern (blood flow) of brain 

regions (increase: ventral striatum, dorsomedial midbrain, insula, orbito- 

frontal cortex; decrease: amygdala, left hippocampus, ventromedial pre- 

frontal cortex) show a surprising similarity to activity patterns induced by 

drugs with a primarily euphoretic effect like e.g. cocaine; this suggests 

that the perception of favourite music interacts directly with structures 

associated with emotions (Blood & Zatorre, 2001). 

This may help to explain why music has the power to ‘intoxicate’ indi- 

viduals who love this particular type of music, and to transport them to an 

altered state (Brandl, 1993; Mayr-Kern, 1985; Rösing, 1991). It depends 

on the listener whether in contemplation this becomes an inner spiritual 

experience, whereby the music ‘lends wings to the soul’, as admirers of 

classical music like to point out, or whether the rhythm ‘gets into your 

legs’, i.e. stimulates movement and thus triggers an experience of the 

entire body (David et al., 1983), like a dancing ecstasy at a rave party 

(Mitterlehner, 1996). Rösing writes: Music “can only be of limited 

importance in the network of receptive variables compared to personal 

and social factors. Consequently, music seems to be only what the recipi- 

ent, as an individual marked by his social environment, makes of it in the 

moment of listening” (Rösing, 1991, p.8). 

The combination of music and drugs as a phenomenon specific to the 

60es is certainly not something new. Walther von der Vogelweide e.g. 

described drunken festivities with „wine, women and song“ at castles in 

the middle ages, and the Greek even added psychedelic substances 

(ergot) to the wine for their bacchanalia (Rätsch, 1995; Wasson et al., 

1978). Drugs were discovered in nature and cultivated, used by experi- 

enced shamans in initiation rites or for tribal festivities (Metzner, 1992), 

could be found by the way-side, invited to rest or contemplation in kairo- 

logic moments, caused thoughts to wander or dive into inner worlds, 

Introduction 334



CANNABIS, MUSIC AND 

CREATIVITY 

posed the first questions about the nature of reality – as postulated by the 

ethnobotanist Terence McKenna – and helped the brain to mature (McK- 

enna, 1992) or created a real awareness of a hunger for answers. There 

were always situations that “told” intoxicated individuals something and 

marked an altered states of consciousness (Rätsch, 1992b). Whether this 

happens in dance, in love-making, or in contemplation depends on indi- 

vidual lifestyle and preferences (Taeger, 1988). ‘The ritual of drugs’ 

(Szasz, 2003) has often created the mood, led to ecstasis, produced a first 

evidence experience (Laing, 1967) or gone beyond to make contact with 

new worlds of imagination (Masters & Houston, 1968), ideas, visions, or 

even spirits (Rätsch, 1992b). 

Walter Freeman (2000) discusses connections between music and dance 

and the cultural evolution of human behaviour and relationships. He 

assumes that the knowledge of the induction of altered states of con- 

sciousness is connected with chemical and behavioural forms of induc- 

tion. The trance states produced this way served on the one hand to break 

through traditional customs and concepts of reality, but also to heighten 

susceptibility to new information. Such intended changes might lead to 

the formation of ‘initiated’ groups and confidentiality in passing on sig- 

nificant findings. Musical skills in particular appeared to be important for 

an efficient trading of knowledge. 

Various authors explored the cultural aspects of drug use among artists 

and its influence on artistic creativity and performance (Aldridge & 

Fachner, 2006; Boyd, 1992; Böhm, 1999; Marlene Dobkin De Rios & 

Janiger, 2003; Marlene Dobkin De Rios & Katz, 1975; Fachner, 2000a, 

2002a, 2002b; Fachner, 2006; Fraga & Lopez, 2004; Kimmens, 1977; 

Krippner, 1977, 1985; Kupfer, 1996a, 1996b; Markert, 2001; Masters & 

Houston, 1968; Plant, 1999; Plucker & Dana, 1998; Shapiro, 2003; Tae- 

ger, 1988; TenBerge, 1999). Barbara Kerr (1992) interviewed artists on 

Introduction 335



drug habits and found a significantly higher tendency to consume can- 

nabis in musicians compared to other artists. In answer to the question 

what inspired the Beatles’ music, or what it expressed, at the time when 

the album ‘Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’ was published, Paul 

McCartney said: 

“Experience with drugs, mostly. But remember that in 1967 our 

drug habits followed a long-established tradition among musicians. 

We knew about Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, and 

Count Basie that they had always taken drugs. Now it was time 

for our musical scene to make the experience. Drugs found their 

way into everything we did. They coloured our perspective of 

things. I believe we realized that there were fewer limitations than 

we had expected. And we understood that we were able to break 

through barriers.” (Davis & Pieper, 1993, p.7) 

Cannabis effect on auditory perception and musicians’ creativity has 

been a crucial issue since the early days of jazz (Behrendt, 1956; Fach- 

ner, 2002a, 2003; Mezzrow, 1946; Sloman, 1998). However, there has 

been little research accomplished on cannabis and music perception. 

Webster discussed one reason. Research is part of the social life-world 

and researchers are social beings with more or less reflected societal atti- 

tudes, values or prejudices. Research on stigmatized cultural lifestyle 

issues, consciousness and drugs is surely not a theme to open doors to a 

serious scientific reputation. Research should be a neutral way to the 

‘truth of the story’, but researchers are most often part of an institution 

with certain goals and politics. Doing research on cannabis and music 

perception was not the “big theme” for a good reputation, and so, 

research in aesthetics and culture of cannabis consumption was aban- 

doned for a long time (Webster, 2001). 

However, one of the most prominent cannabis effects seemed to be that 

on auditory perception. For Lindsay Buckingham cannabis seems to 

work like a refreshing of his listening abilities and a break-down of pre- 

Introduction 336



CANNABIS, ACOUSTICS 

AND AUDITORY 

PERCEPTION 

conceptions, “If you’ve been working on something for a few hours and 

you smoke a joint, it’s like hearing it again for the first time” (Boyd, 

1992, p. 201). George Harrison would have agreed with him, “I think that 

pot definitely did something for the old ears, like suddenly I could hear 

more subtle things in the sound” (Boyd, 1992, p. 206). Not only musi- 

cians, but casual listeners also seem to be convinced that cannabis 

enhances auditory perception (Aldrich, 1944; C. Tart, 1971). 

Research on musical acoustics (Risset, 1978) considers four parameters: 

pitch, duration, loudness and timbre. In short, defined pitch differences 

form melody intervals and harmony patterns, duration is needed to iden- 

tify rhythm patterns and tone length, loudness and timbre form certain 

characteristics of instruments and sound sources. 

Are there results in past cannabis research that point to changes on these 

four basic parts of musical acoustics? 

Duration: Aldrich (1944) observed a small change on the Seashore- 

Rhythm-Scale, a result that was replicated with higher changes by Reed 

(1974). Music as a multi-dimensional auditory Zeitgestalt (Zuckerkandl, 

1963) appears in time. Melges (1970, 1971) explained cannabis-induced 

effects on time perception as a speeding up of the internal clock that is 

experienced as time expansion (see C. Tart, 1971, p.89ff). Time expan- 

sion may temporarily allow an increased insight into the ‘space between 

the notes’ (Whiteley, 1992). This might help experienced individuals 

(Becker, 1953) to perceive acoustic sound structures more effectively. 

Loudness: Cannabis seemed to change metric units of auditory (inten- 

sity) perception in audiological tests. Caldwell (1969) reported changes 

on intensity thresholds. Globus (1978) suggested an intensity expansion 

Introduction 337



of the auditory measuring units as responsible for the experience of an 

enhanced intensity perception. 

Pitch: In the 1940s, Aldrich observed no changes in pitch discrimination 

after administering oral doses of Pyrahexyl, a synthetic cannabinoid. By 

choosing between two different pitches (de Souza et al., 1974), cannabis 

induced dose-related preferences for higher frequencies as a function of 

frequency. Higher frequencies represent the location of sound sources 

and the overtone spectrum of sounds. Martz (1972) investigated fre- 

quency thresholds and reported improved thresholds at 6000 Hz after 

cannabis intoxication. For a review on audiological tests, see Fachner 

(2000b, 2001). 

Timbre: Thaler (1973) and Fitzpatrick (1980) investigated speech dis- 

crimination rates after cannabis intoxication and reported significant 

changes on different sound levels, even with hearing-impaired subjects 

and similar results in a follow-up study. Subjects showed an increased 

speech perception rate at 10 dB SL and at 40 dB SL, even when tones 

were covered with noise. Another study (Lindenman, 1980) reported no 

improvements during speech perception tests. But results suggest that 

cerebral processing seems to be altered. 

A closer view on prosodic features may help to solve this gap. Rodin et 

al. (1970) reported a change of prosodic structure and a change to a 

“sing-song-type-pattern” of subjects” responses during his experiments. 

Tart reported that people “understand words of a song better” and that 

“quality of own voice changes” after cannabis consumption. Effects were 

statistically ranked as characteristic and common effects (C. Tart, 1971, 

p.75). It seems that cannabis has a stimulating effect on the perception 

and production of prosodic and suprasegmental parts of speech, which 

might have had an influence on developing certain slang, a personal 

Introduction 338



sound and timbre of jazz artists (Mezzrow, 1946). De Souza’s change of 

preference styles reported above might indicate a change of overtone rec- 

ognition in frequency spectra of sound sources. 

Moskowitz (1974) reported an increasing number of false alarms in a 

task where subjects were asked to detect a randomly occurring 1000 Hz 

tone embedded in noise. It seemed that cannabis was stimulating tone 

imaginations and subjects heard tones that were not there. Tart”s subjects 

reported an intensification of auditory images, as well (C. Tart, 1971). 

Thus, cannabis seems to enhance auditory perception throughout a tem- 

porary change in the metric frame of reference and allows a larger inten- 

sity scaling of perceived musical components. This might help 

experienced musicians to play more intensively during improvisations 

(Fachner, 2000a). On the background of research results mentioned 

above cannabis seems to act as a psycho-acoustic enhancer, or exciter, 

equalizer, attenuator, etc. used in modern recording studios, making 

sounds more transparent and sound sources more distinct. Greater spatial 

separation of sound sources and perceptions of more subtle changes in 

the sound were other characteristic cannabis effects in Tart’s study (C. 

Tart, 1971). Baudelaire’s and Tart’s descriptions of synesthetic effects, 

weakened censorship of visual depth perception (Emrich et al., 1991) and 

a transition to a field-dependent style of thinking (A. Dinnerstein, 1966), 

suggest intensification of individual cerebral hearing strategy. This type 

of learning (Becker, 1963) strategy promotes hyperfocusing on acoustic 

space (Curry, 1968), musical time-structure, and a more effective atten- 

tion on auditory information. 

This short overview on cannabis and auditory perception, an extensive 

discussion has been published elsewhere (Fachner, 2000a, 2000b; Fach- 

ner, 2001), clearly suggests that there is potential for the use of cannabis 

Introduction 339



CONSCIOUSNESS, 

BRAIN IMAGING AND 

CONTEXT 

as medicine for the hearing impaired. Changes in auditory test give us 

reason to argue that perception of acoustic shapes and higher frequencies, 

spatial relationship of sound sources and even speech perception, seem to 

be enhanced. 

Will it be possible to show this subtle change in auditory perception with 

an EEG brain imager, which visualizes the topographic electrophysiolog- 

ical changes in the brain? Do we have a chance to relate cannabis- 

induced auditory changes to an altered individual hearing strategy? 

Aims of the study 

Do we have a chance to relate THC-induced auditory changes to an 

altered central processing of sensory data as visible in the EEG? Most 

EEG laboratory studies appear to lack sensitivity to the experimental set- 

ting. Perceptual field-dependence of drug action in personal set and 

experimental setting has to be taken into account in THC studies on 

human behaviour and cognition (A. J. Dinnerstein, 1968; Weil, 1998). 

Cannabis effects on consciousness, human behavior and lifestyle are 

complex issues that cannot be easily generalized or proved in a time- 

locked laboratory setting. Furthermore, collection of experimental EEG 

data about what occurs in the brain while listening to music under the 

influence of cannabis seems to offer many confounding variables. 

Results could be caused by differing inter-individual perceptual strate- 

gies of listening to music (Aldridge, 1996), as might be observed in the 

topographic EEG, the subjective history of drug experiences and toler- 

ance effects, pharmacokinetics and dynamics of the specific substance 

absorbed. 

Aims of the study 340



Furthermore, the nature of the brain imaging method and their produced 

data themselves (Revonsuo, 2001) show different patterns of brain activ- 

ity. Comparing hemodynamic aspects as revealed in cerebral blood flow 

techniques, they do not necessary correlate with electrophysiological 

changes. 

Consciousness states are variable (C. T. Tart, 1975). To believe that there 

is something like a “normal state of consciousness” and an “altered state” 

after administering the drug is a more scientific way of assuming that a 

comparison of quantitative data of a laboratory experiment would reveal 

the difference of consciousness states. At least “consciousness states” end 

up as small slices of data, artifact-free epochs of the process in a labora- 

tory setting. Here the timeline of the actual experience might be lost or 

fragmented in the process of editing comparable data-epochs and elimi- 

nating artifacts. Moreover, administering the apparatus causes behavioral 

discomfort for the sake of optimizing data transmission via a lot of 

cables, electrodes, blood sampling with syringes, postural restrictions, 

etc. Furthermore, I could mention somewhat tedious, boring or abstract 

test batteries, which are felt as being not adequate to the “state you’re in,” 

double blind structures with non-verbal gesturing perceived more 

intensely and other behavioral context interactions which make this situa- 

tion different from “normal.” 

The critique from social scientists on these behavioral measuring proce- 

dures addressed the situation and process of measuring itself, which have 

an impact on the quality of the data (Deegener, 1978). Humanistic cri- 

tiques are based on the uniqueness and contextual nature of the human 

experience, which is dependent on biographical time and place as well as 

the uniqueness of the situation in which subjects are involved (Eisner, 

1997; Rätsch, 1992a; Weil, 1998). Leary (1990) therefore emphasized the 




SITUATION AND 

EXPERIENCE OF MUSIC 

importance of set and setting in a psychotherapy research paradigm on 

psychedelic substances (Metzner, 2005). 

Waskow (1970) attempted a closer look at the influence of music as a set- 

ting variable on cannabis effects with a psycho-physiological form of 

measurement. She compared THC under four different conditions with/ 

without music and placebo with/without music. Test persons chose their 

favourite music during test phases. In general, no significant changes in 

THC effects were found in the musical setting; some trends emerged, 

however. Independent of THC, music appeared to have a general positive 

effect on increasingly euphoric moods, to produce relaxation and content, 

and “tended to endorse items such as: feel like laughing, feel more free, 

wide awake, more control of feelings” (Waskow et al., 1970, p.106). But 

a contrary effect was also found. Cannabis effects were accompanied by 

unpleasant physical feelings, which were even more pronounced in the 

THC music condition; Katz illustrated this in higher scores on the scale 

“Subjective Drug Effects Questionnaire”. In the placebo music condition, 

however, the music reduced these feelings of being unwell. 

The auditory perception of musical acoustics is surely not the musical 

experience itself. What constitutes the process of music listening as a 

holistic musical experience of a person? 

To understand what makes a certain musical experience of one composi- 

tion different from another, musicologists analyzed musical content by 

using scores. Score analysis to explain varieties of music experience has 

been questioned from the stance of situated performing and listening 

(Small, 1998; Tagg, 1982). Being in a concert or listening to music on the 

radio, adds the contextual dimension of personal experience in an ongo- 

ing situation onto perceptual processes (Buytendijk, 1967; Hall, 1996). 

This influences intention and selection of what has been heard, selected 




and perceived consciously during perception. Perceptions and actions are 

based on the particular content of these situations in environments in 

which people are situated during their actions. 

Situationism refers to “the inseparability of action and context, the rela- 

tion between the social and materal conditions of action, the need to the- 

orize the “higher psychological functioning” in relation to situated action 

and the tension between the emphasis on situation and the scientific ideal 

of abstraction” (Costall & Leudar, 1996, p.101). 

Research on popular music stressed semiotics of signs used in artistic 

context, which produce meanings for performer and audience. Thus, 

music becomes a mediator of cultural symbols (Tagg, 1987). Therefore, 

several issues of identity, place and performance, musical practice and 

production styles, mediating experience of a certain song or classic com- 

position in a specific listening, or even music production situation, are 

taken into account to understand the aesthetic experience (Aldridge, 

2004; Frith, 1998; Kärki et al., 2002). 

MUSIC AND EEG Research on music and the EEG reflects the problem of inter-individually 

different music experiences. EEG coherence analysis showed intra-indi- 

vidually constant EEG-coherence profiles during music perception, but 

profiles spread inter-individually over the whole cortex (H. Petsche, 

1994). Music listening seems to involve many different areas, but is prag- 

matically believed to have a right hemispheric dominance (Kolb & 

Whishaw, 1996; Springer & Deutsch, 1987) as results in EEG research 

conveyed (Auzou et al., 1995; David, 1989; F. H. Duffy et al., 1981; H. 

Petsche, 1994; Walker, 1977). However, in a review on human brain 

mapping methods of music perception, Sergant (1996) insisted that there 

is no real evidence that music seems to be processed dominantly in the 

right cerebral cortex. Even dichotic listening methods, auditory evoked 




potentials (AEP) (David et al., 1989) or positron emission tomography 

(PET) scan varies in stimulus-locked localization strategies of individual 

perceptions. Davidson concluded that variations reflect individual per- 

ceptual differences that can be observed in the baseline measuring before 

administering sound bits, music fragments or words (Davidson & 

Hugdahl, 1996). Therefore, we should look closely at structural similari- 

ties of rest and music EEG Gestalt in the visual analysis of brain images. 

CANNABIS AND EEG Even though it is possible now to link the mechanism of cannabis action 

to the densities of recently discovered cannabinoid receptors in the brain 

and immune system (Joy et al., 1999), topographic pre/post EEG studies 

of cannabis-induced changes are not available. Transient cannabis- 

induced EEG changes have been previously reported in laboratory stud- 

ies. Most EEG studies that exist, however, were oriented toward finding 

brain damage with casual or long-term use. 

Quantitative EEG measuring in the 1970s commonly used 1 or 2 elec- 

trodes attached to the right occipital or parietal areas (Hollister et al., 

1970; Rodin et al., 1970; Volavka et al., 1973). Results of this research 

are somewhat contradictory. Hanley’s quantitative EEG study, done with 

8 electrodes from frontal to occipital areas, found only decreased ampli- 

tudes and percentage over the whole spectrum (Hanley et al., 1976). Oth- 

ers reported an increase in relative α-percentages (alpha) and power, a 

decrease in main or central frequency and a transition to theta (θ) during 

contemplation, as well as a decrease of relative theta- or beta (β)- per- 

centage and power (Struve & Straumanis, 1990). However, only in the 

work of Hess and Koukkou has music been part of the experimental set- 

ting (Hess, 1973; Koukkou & Lehmann, 1976, 1978). Both reported 

results mentioned above, that were spread in a certain order correspond- 

ing to music over the time-course of drug action. Lukas correlated eupho- 




ria and higher alpha-index during the first 20 minutes (Lukas et al., 

1995). 

Results remind us to be aware of an inter-individual implicit order of 

electrophysiological signal processes during personal cannabis experi- 

ences. The psychoactive action of THC induces EEG signatures that can 

be identified, but some frequency ranges seem to be more indicative for 

the quality of the actual experience. 

The Exploration 

The aim of this explorative pre/post EEG study was to accompany the 

way persons used to smoke cannabis and listened to music in a habituated 

setting of a living room. 

Cannabis induces a field-related perceptual style (A. J. Dinnerstein, 

1968). Most of the EEG laboratory studies appear to show a lack of sen- 

sitivity to the experimental setting. To reduce the laboratory-setting bias 

in EEG results, the field-dependence of drug action in personal set and 

experimental setting has to be kept in mind by conducting research 

according to a suitable paradigm (Weil, 1998). The topographic changes 

induced by cannabis while listening to music may well be radically dif- 

ferent in the laboratory setting as compared with one in which the subject 

normally listens to music. 

An obvious reason to use the EEG in researching cannabis and music 

perception is based on the high time-related resolution of the data. We 

can observe synchronous electrophysiological traces of cognitive activity 

in the EEG (H. Petsche, 1994). While the synchronous correlation of the 

EEG is its big advantage, it lacks on spatial resolution of data origin. We 

can only observe summations of generating units below the surface of the 

The Exploration 345



brain. With the NeuroScience BrainImager®, source information is inter- 

polated and therefore it provides spatial information about the distribu- 

tion of cerebral changes. Amplitude and significance mapping (F.H. 

Duffy, 1986; Maurer, 1989) can be used to identify and localize changes 

of cerebral areas and their functional claims during perceptive states. 

With these limitations in mind a research project, which compares pre/ 

post-THC-EEG changes gains topographical EEG data, gives us spatial 

information on the cortex distribution of cannabis-induced electrophysio- 

logical changes of neural activity. But the “map is not the landscape” and 

so we can only conclude that the frequency changes accompany 

(Machleidt et al., 1989) cannabis-induced alteration of music perception 

in this particular case. After all, EEG research has gained lots of experi- 

mental data that can be compared to similar experimental topics. To 

research the real world situation of auditory changes an ethnographic 

exploration in cannabis culture seems to be indicated first. This data 

could be compared with upcoming laboratory data, subsequently. 

METHODS To ensure a minimum of laboratory-setting bias, a non-blind pilot study 

EXPERIMENTAL 

SCHEDULE 

was conducted with a mobile bedside EEG-Brain-mapping system in the 

consumers” habituated setting of a living room. Four subjects (3 male/1 

female) smoked a tobacco joint mixed with Nepalese hashish (hereafter 

phrased as THC) and listened with closed eyes to three pieces of rock 

music in a comfortable armchair. EEG was recorded through rest and 

music listening periods. 

FIGURE 1. Experimental schedule 

• Baseline State: Pre-THC-EEG (music and rest - eyes closed) 

• Listening to 3 Rock music pieces (defined order) 

• 1 minute silence/rest between the songs 

The Exploration 346



• 30 minutes intermission 

• Smoking 0.3 gr. cannabis (20 mg THC) in tobacco joint 

• After 10 minutes EEG start 

• Altered State: Post-THC-EEG (music and rest with THC) 

• Listening to the same music / same measuring situation and setting 

• 4 Subjects (3 male/1 female) 

The aim to do research with an EEG of peoples’ habituations in a natural- 

istic life world setting with minimum limitations introduced by the 

researcher evokes problems in estimating the quality of the data. Results 

of this explorative study should be regarded as a kind of physiologically 

correlated ethnographic description of cannabis culture in Europe. This 

methodology might evoke some questions that should be discussed at the 

outset. How can we ensure to visualize substance-related music percep- 

tion during a brain imaging study in an ethnographic setting? 

SETTING AND CULTURE Following Baudelaire’s description of cannabis intoxication stages, this 

study accompanies the second contemplative stage (Baudelaire, 1966). 

This ethnographic setting of cannabis consumption, which is in itself a 

development within cannabis culture of music listening, goes back to 

Chinese drug culture and Harlem Tea Pads of the 30s (Anonymos, 1936; 

Jonnes, 1999, p.119ff). Nowadays a “chill-out room” used in modern 

rave parties has the same setting characteristics (Fachner, 2004). It per- 

mits a relaxed contemplative listening to music with closed eyes in the 

way David described physiological types of music listeners (David et al., 

1983). Listening to music with closed eyes was also used in a certain 

music therapy approach called Guided Imagery. The setting of this 

approach was developed throughout psychedelic therapy (Grof, 1994; T. 

Leary et al., 1964) where music and psychedelic drugs were used to stim- 

ulate the unconscious to evoke imaginations and associations of an indi- 

vidual (Bonny, 1975; Bonny & Pahnke, 1972). Closed eyes EEG 

recording is a common procedure in pharmacoencephalography (Struve 

The Exploration 347



& Straumanis, 1990), and the EEG studies reported above were selected 

on this premise in order to compare results with closed eyes conditions. 

TOBACCO JOINT A guideline of research in an ethnographic field in an ethno-methodolog- 

ical manner is to accept and describe habits, ritualistic aspects and setting 

of consumer life-world as Rätsch (Rätsch, 1992a) has proposed for 

research on psychedelic substances. One of the bad habits associated 

with cannabis consumption in European as well as in Australian Aborigi- 

nal peoples (Burns et al., 2000) is to mix hashish with tobacco in a joint. 

The use of tobacco in this experiment is surely a crucial aspect, because 

the hashish-tobacco mixture causes different pharmacokinetic and 

dynamic action of THC compared to smoking only herbal cannabis or 

hashish. Furthermore the hashish as obtained on the black market (sub- 

jects brought their own cannabis) cannot be expected to be pure. Qualita- 

tive gas chromatography testing of the smoked substance was done a 

week after measuring. Quality was estimated as “medium quality,” con- 

taining approximately 20 mg Δ9-THC in the used 0.3-gram hash (“Black 

Nepalese”). However, the aim of this study was to find out whether 

smoking induces changes on the EEG, not to reveal a dose-related THC 

action profile during music perception. 

No specific inhalation technique to ensure a comparable uptake of smoke 

was used, because this would distract from the naturalistic setting of the 

experiment. Subjects were sitting in an armchair and smoked at their own 

pace, as they would customarily do. The subjects obviously attained a 

cannabis high, said they felt “stoned” and attributed the experienced 

altered state of consciousness to be mainly produced by the smoked joint 

with hashish. 

MUSIC AND SUBJECTS Three male subjects chosen for this explorative experiment reported 

themselves as experienced smokers of cannabis and tobacco as well. One 

The Exploration 348



female subject was a frequent smoker of cannabis. All of the subjects 

refrained from smoking cannabis previously on the day of the experi- 

ment. 

None of the subjects was a musician, but they regarded themselves as 

music lovers with a preferred style of alternative rock music. Musicians 

differ in their perception of music as EEG studies have shown (Alten- 

müller & Beisteiner, 1996; Helmut Petsche, 1987). The music used in the 

current experiment was chosen from a single case study (Fachner et al., 

1995) with follow-up (Fachner, 1998). The first piece in the experimental 

sequence sounds like a piece of classical music. It is string ensemble 

chamber music with no vocals, drums or electric instruments, the instru- 

mental “Prelude” by King Crimson (1974). The next song, “Obsessed,” 

was a folk-punk number with vocals, acoustic guitars, drums and bass, 

recorded by “Dogbowl” (1989). The third piece is a live recording cover 

version of the Beatles song “We Can Work It Out” performed by “King 

Missile” (1989). Songs were played in the same order during pre- and 

post-THC conditions. 

PRE/POST DESIGN The NeuroScience BrainImager samples 28 EEG traces with a 12 Bit 

analogue/digital converter. This offers 4096 dots per second within a 

dynamic range (DR) of 256 µV, providing a sample accuracy of 1/16th 

µV. Average maps interpolated between the 28 EEG trace sample points 

are processed every 2.5 seconds. The Imager is equipped with an isola- 

tion transformer and shielded pre-amplification to be used for example in 

an intensive care unit, as well as a notch filter on 50-60 Hz to reduce the 

influence of electromagnetic fields in hostile environments. 

Impedance levels were kept under 11 kohms. Cut-off filters were set to 

40 and 0.3 Hz. EOG (electro-oculogram), ECG (electrocardiogram) or 

EMG (electromyography) traces for artifact control were not applied to 

The Exploration 349



PARIETAL AND 

TEMPORAL EEG 

CHANGES 

avoid laboratory bias. Artifact control was done visually by a time-coded 

video protocol. After removing potential artifact maps, (fronto-polar δ 

threshold at 105 µV on 256 µV DR) Individual (IA) and Group Averages 

(GA) were processed using the statistics software package of the Neuro- 

Science BrainImager®. More details of data editing can be found in 

Fachner (2001, 2002b). 

Pre/post rest and pre/post music listening results were averaged and sub- 

jected to a t-Test. Therefore each piece of music and one minute of 

silence before the music was recorded and individually averaged, subse- 

quently. The investigation included one extended single case study with a 

follow-up. Research focus for each person was on individual drug and 

music reactions by comparing the pre/post individual averages (IndAvg) 

and the total group average (Gavg) of the pre/post rest and music sessions 

over the sample. Amplitude mapping does not provide dynamical 

changes of the music but represents average electrophysiological activity 

while listening as reflected in the maps. Furthermore, we are able to 

name areas of difference in the pre- and post- conditions. 

Results and discussion 

The colored brain maps and results are published and discussed else- 

where (Fachner, 2001; Fachner, 2002b; Fachner et al., 2001). I would 

like to summarize and discuss some of the results. 

Cannabis intensifies processes of sensory perception, and – like almost 

all psychedelic drugs – seems to hamper access to the upper brain regions 

(Cytowic, 1993). This is what follows from the literature on EEG and 

cannabis (Fachner, 2001; Fink et al., 1976; Struve & Straumanis, 1990) 

and from this pre/post comparison of the data. While listening to music 

without cannabis, higher amplitudes and frequencies were found over 

Results and discussion 350



ACOUSTICS AND ‘HIGH’ 

ATTENTION 

almost all regions near the skullcap. With cannabis consumption, how- 

ever, subjects had weaker amplitudes; an indication that interactions with 

the cerebrum, the upper brain structures, are inhibited (Fachner, 2002b). 

Significant change (p



In Fachner’s study (2002b), the statistical test revealed, in addition to 

increased alpha scores, clear and even significant (p



states of consciousness has a different metric frame of reference from the 

normal conscious state (Globus et al., 1978) like a rubber ruler that is 

stretched, and in the stretched state still maintains the measuring function 

but shows ‘broader’ units. 

Is this then an experimental indication of a ‘consciousness enhanced by 

drugs’ and do we observe an altered metric frame of reference (Fachner, 

2000a)? 

In sensory perception, attention serves to curb the complex flood of 

information (apperception) (Eckel, 1982), and what is ‘unnecessary’ is 

censored conceptually. Only a specific, individually and situation rele- 

vant excerpt of sensory data is accessible to our consciousness. Emrich 

discusses psychedelic drug effects as states where all concepts of associa- 

tion of sensory data fail since many new or different modes of association 

emerge and compete with each other (Emrich et al., 1991). Is the psyche- 

delic perceptual process something like an internal neurological dialogue 

where habitual selection is obstructed and therefore more sensory data 

are perceived? 

TIME AND INTENSITY The altered perception of time might be responsible. A typical effect of 

cannabis is that time is expanded. Time seems to pass quicker than shown 

by the clock (Jones & Stone, 1970; Mathew et al., 1998; C. Tart, 1971). 

This effect is a possible key to understanding the experience of an unob- 

structed flow of information. Within the ‘broader’ measurement units 

(Fachner, 2000a) of the above-mentioned ‘auditory rubber ruler’, pro- 

gressively smaller units seem to become possible. The following quote 

may serve as an allegoric explanation: 

“Because the chief effect … is that it lengthens the sense of time, 

and therefore they could get more grace beats into their music 

than they could if the simply followed a written copy. … In other 




words, if you are a musician you’re going to play the thing the 

way it is printed on a sheet. But if you’re using marihuana, you’re 

going to work in about as twice as much music in-between the 

first note and the second note. That’s what made jazz musicians. 

The idea that they could jazz things up, lighten them up...” (Sloman, 

1998, p.146/147). 

There is a feeling of time being stretched or expanded or perceived as 

slowed down or sped up. 95% of 151 participants of Charles Tart’s study 

“On Being Stoned” agreed to the following statement: “Time passes very 

slowly; things go on for the longest time (e.g. one side of a record seems 

to play for hours)” (C. Tart, 1971). In most experiments, stoned subjects 

failed to reproduce a correct metric counting of time intervals, and tended 

to expand the estimated units. Jones reported that a 15 second time inter- 

val was expanded to a mean of 16.7 seconds, with deviation up to 19 sec- 

onds estimated under the influence of oral THC, while being counted 

correctly in normal state (Jones & Stone, 1970). A reverse relationship 

also occurs. Melges declared a speeding-up of the inner clock as respon- 

sible for expanded and slowed perception of chronological time and for 

producing temporal disintegration failures. “A subject becomes less able 

to integrate past, present and future, his awareness becomes more con- 

centrated on present events; these instances, in turn, are experienced as 

prolonged or timeless when they appear isolated from the continual pro- 

gression of time” Melges concluded (Melges et al., 1971, p.566). This 

reminds of some of the counter-culture focus ideas on the ‘here and now’ 

feeling. 

However, all kinds of processes occur in time. We are ‘patterned frequen- 

cies in a matrix of time’ improvising our identity in the personal set and 

setting of situations we’re in, as David Aldridge (1989) has proposed. In 

the experience of time as kairos, time structures are connected to the per- 

sonal time. Time as chronos is connected to processes concerned with 

defined geographical and societal agreements. Kairological time allows a 




variety of time perceptions and refers to the right time to do something, 

to decide or act directly in the here and now. A talk can seem like hours, 

even if it lasts only 20 minutes or it can be exciting and feels like only a 

few minutes. There must be specific moments, situations and interests 

that interfere with a personal kairological set of emotions, habits and atti- 

tudes. We need specific settings and surroundings that make us experi- 

encing an event as acceleration (‘rush’) or a slowing of time. Cannabis 

influences this personal set of time frames. 

Consequently, cannabis changes the intensity graduation of sensory data 

(Fachner, 2002b). This appears plausible if we look at the distribution of 

the cannabinoid receptors recently detected in the human brain (Joy et 

al., 1999). In those regions of midbrain and cerebellum that mainly coor- 

dinate feelings of intensity, and selective temporal and motor processes, 

there is a proportionally higher agglomeration of cannabinoid receptors. 

Another brain imaging study of time perception correlated cannabis- 

induced changes of cerebral blood flow in the cerebellum (Mathew et al., 

1998). Cannabis consumption stimulates the activity of such receptors 

temporarily, and the functional consequence is a changed graduation of 

musical parameters. Obviously, these processes are far more complex 

than described here, but a stimulation of cannabinoid receptors may 

explain the changes discovered above. 

RHYTHM If cannabis induces a subjective time expansion, music, and especially 

the rhythm must be perceived as expandable. In experiments Aldrich 

(1944) as well as Reed (1974) reported cannabis-induced changes on the 

rhythm scale of the ‘Seashore test’. Despite the controverse discussions 

about the Seashore’s usefulness, after cannabis intoxication rhythm was 

perceived more distinctly and especially casual users had an obvious 

improvement in the rhythm task (Reed, 1974). Most of Aldrich’s subjects 




ENHANCEMENT AND 

EXPERIENCE 

– two of them musicians - said that they had the subjective impression of 

perceiving tones and rhythm better after cannabis intoxication. 

Jazz musicians of the 1920s and 1930s had to play contempory tunes the 

whole night for dancing, so an embellishment of song structures was 

needed to maintain interest and cannabis seemed to provide a nice inspi- 

ration to create a larger vision for doing this. With Marihuana, “The 

swing musician ascends new peaks of virtuosity” was written in a 40’s 

Life magazine article (in Aldrich, 1944). Cannabis’ first euphoric level 

seemed to help them to express vividly, intensive with self-confidence, 

groove and jive in the music, reported the psychiatrist Winick (C. Win- 

ick, 1959; Charles Winick & Nyswander, 1961). Jazz music featured 

improvisational elements within the structure of songs. Musicians 

expanded the melodic, harmonic and rhythmic structure of dance songs 

in their improvisations. 

Expanded metric frames of reference may also explain why ‘typical 

stoner music’ always has this resounding or echo-like effect, or why reg- 

gae-dub music uses resounding effects and rhythmic echo cascades 

(Fachner, 2002a). According to Böhm (1999), sound, improvisation and 

ecstasy are stylistic elements of psychedelic rock. Combined with the 

above-mentioned effects on time perception, intensity and reduced cen- 

soring of data, the preference of higher frequencies helps us to under- 

stand an increased functional use of sound modulators, resounding and 

echoing effects in psychedelic rock. The musical time-space of sounds 

may thus be deliberately changed and we see this in music effect equip- 

ment that allows the musician to “produce music that a person under the 

influence of psychedelic drugs would like to hear” (Böhm, 1999, p.22). 

Virtual acoustic spaces are overlapped and can be played with if the per- 

former has the musical experience (Becker, 1967; Fachner, 2000a). Is this 




perhaps the idea behind the title of Jimi Hendrix’s album ‘Are you expe- 

rienced?’ 

But not only musicians might be attracted by such changes. Improved 

acoustic perception is also interesting for people with hearing impair- 

ment, above all for those with significant impairments in higher frequen- 

cies. They might profit from cannabis and with a specific auditory 

training might compensate deficits from weakened acoustic hair cells 

with memory patterns (Fachner, 2002b). 

Conclusion 

Significant (p



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Thaler, S., Fass, P., & Fitzpatrick, D. (1973). Marihuana and hearing. 

Can J Otolaryng, 2, 291-295. 

Volavka, J., Crown, P., Dornbush, R., Feldstein, S., & Fink, M. (1973). 

EEG, heart rate and mood change ("high") after cannabis. Psychop- 

harmacologia, 32(1), 11-25. 

Walker, J. L. (1977). Subjective reactions to music and brainwave 

rhythms. Physiological Psychology, 5(4), 483-489. 

References 372



Waskow, I. E., Olsson, J. E., Salzman, C., & Katz, M. M. (1970). Psycho- 

logical effects of tetrahydrocannabinol. Arch Gen Psychiatry, 22(2), 

97-107. 

Wasson, R. G., Hofmann, A., & Ruck, C. A. P. (1978). The road to Eleu- 

sis: unveiling the secret of the mysteries (1st Harvest/HBJ ed.). 

New York: Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich. 

Webster, P. (2001). Marijuana and music: A speculative exploration. 

Journal of Cannabis Therapeutics, 1(2), 105. 

Weil, A. (1998). The Natural Mind (3. ed.). Boston: Houghton Mifflin. 

Whiteley, S. (1992). The space between the notes - Rock and the counter 

culture. London: Routledge. 

Winick, C. (1959). The Use of Drugs by Jazz Musicians. Social Prob- 

lems, 7, 240-253. 

Winick, C., & Nyswander, M. (1961). Psychotherapy of successful musi- 

cians who are drug addicts. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 

31, 622-636. 

Zuckerkandl, V. (1963). Die Wirklichkeit der Musik (1 ed.). Zürich: 

Rhein-Verlag. 


Fachner, J. (2006) ‘Set and setting’ in an electrophysiological research 

paradigm on music perception under the influence of cannabis and corre- 

lated brain function. Music Therapy Today (Online) Vol.VII (2) 333-374. 

available at http://musictherapyworld.net 




AUTHOR INFORMATION 

Dr. rer medic. Dipl. Päd Jörg Fachner is Senior Research Fellow at the 

Chair for Qualitative Research in Medicine at University Witten 

Herdecke, Germany. He is Manging editor of the music therapy research 

and service site MusicTherapyWorld.Net and editor of the eJournal 

MusicTherapyToday.com. He studied social- and education science in 

Wuppertal and graduated in education science at University Dortmund. 

Formerly, he worked as research assistant in physiology, involved in sen- 

sory and movement research. 

His research interests, publications and scientific memberships focus on 

qualitative research aspects of music, therapy and medicine, music phys- 

iology, and -psychology, youth und pop culture, altered states of con- 

sciousness, transcultural psychiatry and anthropology of the body. 




Glitzernd...pulsierend...eine 

endlose Zeit lang - Wie 

verändert sich Musik unter 

Drogeneinfluß? 

Holbein, Ulrich 

375

Holbein, U. (2006) Glitzernd...pulsierend...eine endlose Zeit lang - Wie verändert sich Musik unter Drogeneinfluß? 

Music Therapy Today (Online) Vol.VII (2) 375-412. available at http://musictherapyworld.net 

Editorial notes by Jörg Fachner 

The article by Ulrich Holbein, a well-known German writer and author, 

is in German. This is a manuscript written for a radio feature together 

with the German radiostation WDR and was broadcast in 2004. It 

describes changes in music perception under the influence of drugs. 

Ulrich Holbein uses the German language in a very sophisticated way 

and it is virtually impossible to translate his artistic writings into English. 

Moreau de Tours invited famous writers and poets of his time, for example 

Charles Baudelaire (1966) or Théophile Gautier (1877) Victor Hugo, 

Hector Berlioz, HonorÈ de Balzac, Gustave Flaubert, GÈrard de Nerval, 

EugËne Sue, and Alexandre Dumas, into the ‚Club de Haschischin’. This 

circle of musicians, writers, painters, physicians and members of the 

Parisian establishment frequently met in the Hotel Pimodan on the Ile St. 

Louis in Paris. De Tours aimed to gather a detailed and sophisticated 

description of what can be experienced under the influence of psychotropic 

drugs to study the alienation from the normal grounds of consciousness. 

He assumed that artists might be able to provide an adequate 

description of their experiences during Hashish-induced intoxication 

(Moreau de Tours, 1845). Psychedelic substances have an impact on 

association and imagination processes, and artists have often used them 

to alter their perspective on reality as a creative means in order to break 

down filter system of enculturation and socialisation and to get a new 

perspective on their topics of interest (Boyd, 1992; Masters & Houston, 

1968). 

Moreau de Tours’ work formed the basis for a psychiatric research topic 

which was finally established as model psychosis research (H. Leuner et 

al., 1983; H. C. Leuner, 1962). The aim of this research was to find out 

what kind of content might be experienced during early stages of psychosis 

or during a schizophrenic productive stage. Research into model psychosis 

in the 50s and early 60s of the last century influenced the 

development of GIM (Bonny & Pahnke, 1972). 

The use of substances for therapeutic purposes is surely a crucial issue, 

and today’s music therapy approaches are far away from using them in 

the sense they were used in the 60s’ psychotherapy research; moreover, 

most of the work in music therapy is centered on the treatment of addiction 

(Aldridge & Fachner, 2006). Nevertheless it is of interest to understand 

state-dependend music cognition of addicts when working with 

them in therapy. 

Editorial notes by Jörg Fachner 376



REFERENCES Aldridge, D., & Fachner, J. (Eds.). (2006). Music and altered states - 

consciousness, transcendence, therapy and addictions. London: Jessica 

Kingsley. 

Baudelaire, C. (1966). An exerpt from the seraphic theatre. In D. 

Solomon (Ed.), The marihuana papers (pp. 179-190). New York: New 

American Library. 


(lsd) psychotherapy. Journal of Music Therapy, IX(Summer), 64-87. 

Boyd, J. (1992). Musicians in tune (1 ed.). New York: Fireside, a Simon 

& Schuster imprimateur. 

Gautier, T. (1877). Le hachich. In åuveres complÈtes (Neudruck Genf 

1978 ed., pp. 47-56). Paris. 

Leuner, H., Horn, G., Klessmann, E., & Richards, W. A. (1983). Guided 

affective imagery with children and adolescents. New York: Plenum 

Press. 

Leuner, H. C. (1962). Die experimentelle Psychose. Berlin Gˆttingen 

Heidelberg: Springer. 

Masters, R. E. L., & Houston, J. (1968). Psychedelic art. London: 

Weidenfeld & Nicolson. 

Moreau de Tours, J. J. (1845). Du haschisch et de l' aliËnation mentale. 

Etudes psychologiques (rÈÈdition GenËve, Slatkine 1980 ed.). Paris: 

Fortin et Masson. 

Radiosendung 

A: Sprecherin (hyperflott, lebendig, quirlig, erotisch, sehr jung) 

B: Moderatorin (seriös, intellektuell) 

C: Sprecher 

D: Sprecher (langsam, uralt, weise, guruhaft) 

Radiosendung 377



A (auf der Basis seltsamen Vogelzwitscherns): 

Ich stieg auf einen Pflaumenbaum, 

um Trauben dort zu pflücken. 

Der Gärtner fuhr mich böse an: 

C: Was pflückst du meine Walnuß? 

D: Mögen alle meine Fehler sich auf ihre Plätze begeben und wenig 

Lärm dabei machen... 

A: Millionen sehnen sich nach Unendlichkeit! 

D: Und wissen nicht, was sie mit einem freien Nachmittag anfangen sollen. 

A: Un-Freiheit ist Scheiße. 

C: Halbe Freiheit ist doppelte Scheiße. 

(Zu den Vogelstimmen gesellen sich Zikaden, und eine Sitar) 

D: Ich erinnere mich, daß ich einmal ein ekstatisches Gefühl geistiger 

Glückseligekeit empfand, als ich für den großen lebenden Heiligen, den 

Shankaracharya von Kamakoti Peetham, spielte. Wir waren in Madras, 

im Mangohain neben einem Haus, und ich spielte unter der sengenden 

Mittagssonne. Der heilige Mann saß auf einer kleinen Matte auf dem 

Boden; eine andere Matte war für Alla Rakha und mich ausgebreitet 

worden. Der Elefant des Heiligen stand ganz in der Nähe, und eine 

Menge Ameisen krabbelten über den Boden. Als ich zu spielen begann, 

verschwanden all diese Dinge aus meinem Geist, als sei ich in Trance. 

Zuerst spielte ich Raga Todi, dann mit Alla Rhakas Tabla zusammen eine 

andere Raga, und wunderbarerweise verloren unsere Instrumente nicht 

ein einziges Mal die Übereinstimmung -- eine höchst erstaunliche Sache, 

da wir direkt in der Sonne saßen. Als unser Spiel beendet war, gab es eine 

lange Stille. Das einzige Geräusch war das Hin- und Herschwingen des 

Radiosendung 378



Elefantenrüssels, der über das Gras strich. Der Shakaracharya blieb in 

einem tranceähnlichen Zustand verloren. 

(Eingeblendet wird: Love Parade 2000, akustischer Breitband- 

Ausschnitt) 

A: Ich brauch von O bis Peng! maximal 2,5 Sekunden! 

B: Die Raver können kaum noch die Kinder der Hippies sein, fast schon 

die Enkel. 

C: Statt Stirnband, Sitar und Mähne -- pearcing, Silberfolie, rosafarbene 

Perücken. 

B: Kein Wunder, daß unverfälschte Alt-Hippies wie Urban Gwerder aus 

Zürich, Baujahr 1944, die heutigen Punker, Groover, Raver eher skeptisch 

glossieren: 

C: Mit „Love Parades“ ist jetzt die alte Aufforderung „Dancing in the 

Streets“ überrealisiert -- aber als Wochenendflip und karnevalmäßiger 

Konsumtrip für Yuppie-Banker und -Bürofräuleins, Freizeit-Exhibitionismus 

vor dem Weltuntergang, oder sowas? 

A: Fehlt hippiedesk erweitertes Bewußtsein, 

wird alles Raven nur ein Frust sein! 

B: Immerhin folgen sowohl die Raver von 1967 wie die Kurzhaar-Hippies 

des Jahres 2000 gleichermaßen der guten alten Maxime Christian 

Morgensterns: 

C: Laß die Moleküle rasen, 

was sie auch zusammenknobeln! 

Laß das Tüfteln, laß das Hobeln! 

D: Heilig halte die Ekstasen! 

Radiosendung 379



B: Beziehungsweise in ihrer eigenen Sprache heißt der einzige rote 

Faden beider Massenbewegungen: (Eingeblendet der Kehrreim aus „All 

you need is Lover!“) Love Love Love! 

A: John Lennon lebt! Öfter mal was Neues! 

B: So heißt denn die einzige message der One World Love Parade, auf 

die sich alle zuckenden Leiber einigen können: 

A: Feiern, feiern, feiern, bis zum Umfalln! 

B: Die Hippies hingegen hatten ein ganzes Paket aus Botschaften: 

A: Jugend contra Roboter! 

B: Ich grüße die Boys, die das geklaute Feuer weitertragen! 

A: Make love, not war! Fuck for peace! 

C: Koitiert auf Bänken, boykottiert die Banken! 

A: To masturbate is human -- to fuck divine! 

C: Nicht länger zusehn, wie lügende Schleimer das Universum kontrollieren! 

A: Und sabbernde, wixende, arrivierte, lahme Präsidenten! 

D (kurz eingeblendet: Scott McKenzie: „If you'll go to San Francisco...“) 

Tut das Unnütze, singt die Lieder, die man aus eurem Mund 

nicht erwartet! 

A: Wir sind die, vor denen uns unsere Eltern immer gewarnt haben! 

C: Seid umschlungen, Millionärinnen! 

D: Tune in, turn on, drop out! 

C: Hast du Acid in der Blutbahn, 

fliegst du schöner als ein Truthahn! 

A: Erst wenn du auf allen Löchern pfeifst, 

du möglicherweise Gott begreifst! 

Radiosendung 380



B (sachlich): Die Geschichte des Hippietums verlief in Kürze so: Bereits 

1924 beschrieb Alfred Döblin in seinem ziemlich angetörnten Roman 

„Die drei Sprünge des Wang Lun“ vorausgreifend den „Summer of 

Love“ von 1967: 

D (hinterlegt mit chinesischer Musik): Sie predigten nicht, suchten niemanden 

zu bekehren. Vergeblich bemühten sich Literaten, die sich unter 

sie mischten, ein religiöses Dogma von ihnen zu hören. Viele aßen kein 

Fleisch, brachen keine Blumen um, schienen Freundschaft mit den Pflanzen, 

Tieren und Steinen zu halten. Ein Seufzen preßte das Land aus. Man 

hatte so glückverschleierte Augen nie gesehen. Ein Zittern ging durch die 

Familien. (Die Chinamusik ist in den Beatle-Song „She's leaving home“ 

übergegangen) 

B: Nein, die Hippies kamen noch viel früher in die Gänge! 

A: Gern saß Mark Twain am Missisippi 

und paffte wie ein alter Hippie. 

C (hinterlegt mit der gluckernden Unterwassermusik, die auf 

beigelegter MC hinter dem Fliegenpilz-Lied kommt): Die frühesten Lebensformen 

waren faule, amöboide Sauna-Hedonisten mit Appetit. Alles 

war organisch und natürlich, nichts amoralisch oder illegal. Drunten im 

Süden, in den lauschigen und bestens ausgestatteten Urwäldern um den 

Äquator...immerwährende Summertime -- and the living was easy! 

B: Bevor Dada da war, war Dada da. 

A: Eindringlich warnte einst Charles Dickens: 

D: Erst tun's haschen und dann ficken's! 

B: Der Baum der Erkenntnis trug, laut Dr. Christian Rätsch, einem 

techno-cyberspace-schamanistisch engagierten Ethnobotaniker, psychedelisch 

wirksame Früchte und wartet hierbei weiterhin auf seine botanische 

Bestimmung. 

A: Am Anfang stand, ihr wißt es ja, 

zuerst die Drogenrazzia. 

Auf Übertretung stand für jeden 

Sofort-Verweis aus Garten Eden. 

Radiosendung 381



B: Weil Eva die Theorie, derzufolge sie von einem männlichen Gott aus 

Adams Rippe erschaffen worden sei, anzweifelte, beschloß sie, den Verhältnissen 

auf den Grund zu gehen. Sie folgte dem Rat einer schlangenförmigen 

Botin der alten Erdgöttin und lud Adam ein, an ihrem Ritual 

teilzuhaben. Alsdann folgte die offizielle Verleumdung aller psychedelischen 

Erkenntnisse. 

A: Wilhelm Busch im Kifferwahn: 

D: Krischan, laß die Piepen stahn! 

(Es erklingt: „Der Fliegenpilz“, von Christof Stählin, siehe 

beigefügte MC -- und zwar die erste Hälfte, 01:60 Minuten, bis 

zur Textstelle: „-- kommt herzu, denn es ist alles bereit, beim 

Fliegenpilz, beim lieben, lieben, lieben Fliegenpilz“) 

A: Ohne Hanfdampf kein Gequakel 

aus dem delphischen Orakel. 

C: Dem psychedelphischen Orakel! 

B: Global entstanden Religionen 

befeuert von den Hanf-Visionen. 

A: Nur in Eleusis lag man vorn 

und nahm dort gleich das Mutterkorn. 

B: Micky Remann hingegen ließ verlauten: 

C: Je mehr Pilze die Mayas verzehrten, desto präziser wurde ihre 

Astronomie. Europa hingegen verbrannte seine pilzkundigen Astronominnen 

und zog dann mit Rachsucht im Herzen aus, um auch den Rest 

der Welt mit dem eigenen Manko in Einklang zu bringen. Daß die westliche 

Kultur ihren psychedelischen Schließmuskel mit der ihr eigenen 

Krampfhaftigkeit geschlossen hält, hat ihr zwar einen gewissen puritanischen 

Profit beschert - Kontrolle -, jedoch um einen hohen Preis -- Glück. 

Das Ergebnis läßt sich an Gebäuden, Gesprächen und Gesichtern ablesen. 

Radiosendung 382



B: Rauschforschern, die psychoaktive Gewächse als Panazee jeder 

Zivilisationsverirrung preisen und Religion und Kultur als Direktprodukt 

drogendurchfluteter Großhirnrinden, ähneln nicht nur dem LSD-Papst 

Timothy Leary, der sich nicht vorstellen konnte, daß Hörmän Hesse das 

„Magische Theater“ im „Steppenwolf“ ohne Drogeneinfluß schreiben 

konnte, sondern vor allem dem Außerirdischen-Mäzen Erich von Däniken, 

der der menschlichen Phantasie es ebenfalls nicht zutraut, ganz von 

allein sieben archaische Weltwunder aufzustellen, sondern 

Marsmännchen oder gar Engel braucht, um neolithische Rohklotzbauweise 

hinzulegen, statt gleich ein paar Mammut-Dome von Antoni Gaudi 

aufzustellen. 

A: Jeder bekommt den Tim Leary, den er verdient! 

B: Man könnte die Geschichte der Hippies auch etwas unmetaphorischer 

erzählen: Am Anfang setzten sich aus nomadischen Urhorden 

seßhafte Kulturträger ab. Damals hießen die Bildungsbürger Griechen 

und schimpften auf die damaligen Hippies, die sie mit dem Kraftausdruck 

„Barbaren“ belegten. Bald jedoch mutierte Hochkultur zu einer 

hektisch ambitionierten, verkrampften Hochleistungsmaschine, die sich 

zwecks Selbsterfrischung ein gelegentliches „Zurück zu den Wurzeln“ 

genehmigte, mit und ohne Rousseau: 

A: Zurück zur Natur -- aber bitte nicht zu Fuß! 

B: Urkräftiger Volksmund, Mensch gebliebene Gestalten, schräge 

Vögel, wilde Männer, Yetis, und schon mischten Ur-Hippies wie Meister 

Dung Gong oder auch Laotse einen Beamtenstaat auf. Orgiasten, die 

ungern langweiliger Staatsreligion frönten, tanzten lieber in Sufi-Trance 

um die Love-Parade-Open-Air-Disco goldener Kälber: 

A: Willst du wie ein Derwisch tanzen, 

brauchst du 30 Gramm im Ganzen. 

C: Willst du abfahrn wie ein Sufi, hinterlegt mit 

kostet dich der Spaß `n Fuffi. arabischer Musik 

D: Hast du Hundert auf der Skala, 

landest du direkt bei -- Allah! 

B: Ungekämmte Wanderprediger, Minnesänger und Minengänger wie 

Buddha... 

Radiosendung 383



A: Orpheus! 

C: Diogenes von Sinope! 

D: Und nicht zuletzt Jesus... 

B: ...inkarnierten sich neu in späteren Früh-Hippies wie Francois Villon... 

A: Oswald von Wolkenstein! 

D: Leo Tolstoi... 

C: ...und nicht zuletzt Rasputin. 

D: Und eines Donnerstags dann, fast zweitausend Jahre, nachdem ein 

Mann an einen Baumstamm genagelt worden war, weil er gesagt hatte, 

wie phantastisch er sich das vorstelle, wenn die Leute zur Abwechslung 

mal nett zueinander wären -- 

A: Und leise fügte er noch dran: 

Schau dir nur meine Jünger an! 

Die fressen Gras doch büschelweise, 

so wahr ich Jesus Christus heiße! 

B: Und schon spaltete sich Frau Musica auf, obwohl Wüstensohn 

Dschieses sicher kein Faible für Bachkantaten gehabt hätte: einerseits in 

himmlische und irdische Musik, also Engelssang und Menschengeröhr, 

und andererseits, nämlich auf etwas niedrigerer Ebene: in geistliche und 

weltliche Musik. Wobei Himmel und Erde aber nie völlig auseinanderdrifteten, 

ganz im Sinne Papst Gregor des Großen, im 6. Jahrhundert: 

D (hinterlegt mit ferner Gregorianik): Wer von den Gläubigen möchte 

daran zweifeln, daß gerade in der Stunde des Opfers die Himmel sich 

öffnen und die Chöre der Engel zugegen sind? Oben und unten verbinden 

sich, Himmel und Erde, Sichtbares und Unsichtbares werden eins. 

B: Dermaßen eins, daß Johann Sebastian Bachs weltliche Kantanten, 

bloß 20 an der Zahl, nicht völlig anders klingen als seine 197 geistlichen 

Kantaten. Überirdisch perlendes Saitenspiel und höllisch laute Gerichtsund 

Kriegsposaunen halten weiterhin die Dichotomie aufrecht, bis hinauf 

und hinab zu heutigen Klangkörpern und Stadtorchestern, in denen in der 

Radiosendung 384



Person der ersten Geige bzw. des Kapellmeisters fast stets ein engagierter 

Adornoleser sich kapriziert, während in der Reihe des schweren Blechs 

bloß Fußballfans hocken, getreu der Unterteilung Luthers in Gottesdienst 

und Bauchdienst. Bereits in die Liebesmadrigale und Balladen von 

Francesco Landini, Guillaume de Machaut oder Carlo Gesualdo, dem 

Fürsten von Venosa -- 

C: -- dessen erste große Biographie von Glenn Watkins im Juni 2000 auf 

Deutsch erschienen ist, bei Matthes & Seitz, Vorwort: Igor Strawinsky, -- 

B: -- ist praktisch regelmäßig ein viel süßerer Himmel eingeflossen als 

in die vierstimmigen Messen derselben Landini, de Machaut und Gesualdo 

(Im Background nach Wahl und Wunsch ein wenig a-capella-Madrigales). 

Und das konnte sich wie immer nur steigern: Anton Bruckners 

lieber Gott tönte präsenter und lebendiger aus Bruckner-Symphonien als 

aus den vorgegebenen Setzkästen heiliger Bruckner-Messen, und eher 

aus Beethovens späten Quartetten als aus Missa solemnis und „Christus 

auf dem Ölberg“. 

D: Und die mittleren Quarette? 

A: Und die frühen Quartette? 

(Im Background ad libitum Orgelmusik, z.B. von Bach) 

B: Orgelkompositionen dümpelten immer blässer, konfirmantenmäßiger 

durch die getrübten Gotteshäuser. 

(Die Orgelmusik geht problemlos über in Procul Harums: „A 

Whiter Shade of Pale“...) 


C: Was die Kirchen verschweigen, bringen die Pilze an den Tag und 

fordern nicht einmal, daß du daran glaubst: Religion ist abtrünniger 

Schamanismus, denn sie hat den heiligen Pilz mit dem dekadenten 

Dogma vertauscht, dies der Gemeinde aber nicht mitgeteilt. 

Radiosendung 385



B: Unterdessen, nebenan im alten Japan, spaltete sich Frau Musica 

ebenfalls in konträre Richtungen auf: 

(Es erklingen ein paar Takte japanische Gagaku-Musik -- die 

schrägste, seltsamste, die sich finden läßt) 

B: Gagaku-Musik, die älteste notierte Musik, ein halbes Jahrtausend 

älter als Guido von Arezzo, spaltete sich auf in Links- und Rechtsmusik. 

Hingegen im taoistischen China spaltete sich Musik auf in hörbare Musik 

und unhörbare... 

D (hinterlegt mit chinesischer Laute): Je mehr Meister Dong Gung von 

der Musik verstand, desto seltener griff er zu seiner Laute. Die unhörbare 

Musik klingt süßer als die hörbare Musik. 

A: Und also sprach Konfuzius, 

natürlich unter Hanfeinfluß: 

D: Die Welt teilt sich in Yang und Yin, 

im Hanf jedoch ist beides drin. 

A: Zu Haschisch haben die Chinesen 

so gut wie keine Antithesen. 

B: Doch zurück ins Abendland: Sakralkunst und Volkslied, spätmittelalterlich 

kulminierend teilweise in Giovanni Palestrina und Oswald von 

Wolkenstein, wiederholt und steigert bzw. verflacht sich wiedererkennbar 

ein halbes Jahrtausend später in der säkularisierten Zweiteilung in E 

und U, genauer: in der Sphärenmusik György Ligetis und im Liedsang 

Heinos. Wobei die heillos auseinander gegangene Schere sich wohl nie 

wieder schließen kann. Und die von Papst Gregor dem Großen intendierte 

Einswerdung von Oben und Unten, Himmel und Erde sich wohl 

ewiglich bestenfalls wie folgt anhören würde, müßte, könnte, sollte: 

(Es erklingt großes Ligeti-Orchester (z.B. Lontano, überblendet mit 

einem Heino-Song Ihrer Wahl) 

Radiosendung 386



B: Eingedenk aller Hippies, Goa- und Poona-Pilger, die das Hippie-Idol 

Hermann Hesse bereits 1934 mit dem Wort „Morgenlandfahrer“ 

umschrieb, um ihre Abgefahrenheit in Sachen Jugend der Seele, Überall 

und Nirgends, Einswerden aller Zeiten zu preisen. Und indeed, nicht 

umsonst kann in der Regina coelorum, der christlichen Himmelskönigin, 

durchaus das „Girl with the sun in her eyes“ wiedererkannt werden, auch 

wenn Maria oder Galaxia in dem Fall Lucy heißt: Lucy in the Sky with 

diamonds, the Girl with kaleidoscope eyes -- everyone smiles as you drift 

past the flowers, (am besten gesungen) that grow so incredibly high: 

A (euphorisch hingerissen, hinterlegt mit Greogorianik, die in „Lucy in 

the Sky“ aus der „Sergeant Pepper“-Beatles-LP übergeht): Einstmalen, 

da war mir in einem Gesicht und Schaugeschehnis, als stünde der Himmel 

offen, und ich sah die lichten Engel klar auf- und abfahren in lichtem 

Gewande. Da hörte ich den allerschönsten Gesang, dem es je gefiel, in 

meinem Geist zu verweilen, in dem himmlischen Hofe vom fröhlichen 

Ingesinde. 

D (euphorisch hingerissen, während „Lucy in the Sky“ tönt): Sie sangen 

insonderheit einen Gesang von Unserer Lieben Frau, der klang so recht 

süße, daß der Herr meine Seele von großer Wollust zerfließen ließ. 

B (sachlich): Die Kollektivwoge Pilzköpfe, Blumenkinder, Chaoten, 

Kiffer, Provos, Stadtindianer, Motherfucker, Runaways, Rainbow-People, 

Easy Rider, Flippis, Straßenkünstler, Elektro-Blueser, Körperpoeten, 

Peace-Aktivisten, Anti-Karrieristen, Autoharfisten, Andersdenkende und 

vor allem wechselnde Schlagzeuger rollte über Beethoven hinweg -- (Es 

erklingt die Zeile „Roll over Beethoven!“ aus dem gleichnamigen Beatles-Song:) 

-- ehe man leisere, ja spirituellere Töne fand und mit Maultrommel, 

Pulsleier, Sprechkrawatte, Lichtharfe und nicht zuletzt Ravi 

Shankars Sitar (Es erklingt der Anfang von „Whitin whitout you“ von der 

Beatles-LP „St. Pepper“) gegen Borniwelt und Spießer-Internationale 

ansang, gegen Zivilisiationsträger, Heinohörer plus Bildungsscheiß. Also 

auch gegen Ligetihörer, genauer: gegen z.B. den Schönberghörer, Kassengestellträger 

und Hirnwixer Theodor W. Adorno, der - im Gegensatz 

zu Leonard Bernstein - in den Beatles „Barbaren“ witterte, also in 

summa: neue Nomaden contra die etablierten Nachfahren neolithischer 

Ackerbauern und Troglodyten. 

A: Sehr weise formuliert Adorno: 

D: Wer Hanf raucht, der braucht keinen Porno! 

Radiosendung 387



B: Keine Geschichtsfälschungen bitte! Adorno erwähnte in der „Ästhetischen 

Theorie“ zwar eine Sitar, wollte sich aber ansonsten absolut nicht 

mit Zen-Buddhismus beschäftigen. Und Ernst Bloch sprach tendenziös 

von „schäumenden Schamanen“. 

C: In der letzten Zeit entstand, neben der studentischen Linken, auch die 

sogenannte „Subkultur“ eines Teils der Jugend; darunter verstehen wir 

die Philosophie und Lebensweise der Hippies und Gammler, mit dem 

gemeinsamen Anhören von Musik auf riesigen Popfestivals, vor allem 

mit dem Gebrauch von Rauschgiften zur „Bewußtseinserweiterung oder 

„-verlagerung“. Wie schätzen Sie, Herr Bloch, diese Subkultur ein? Ist es 

eine Möglichkeit, die Hoffnung auf eine „bessere Welt“ real zu verwirklichen? 

D: Nein, keineswegs! Das ist individueller Luxus, der gemacht wird, 

und so kann ein besseres Leben nicht gebaut werden. Rauschgifte halten 

nicht lange vor, und was die Leute sehen, sind ja Phantasmen, und sie 

verriegeln sogar den Blick zu der einfachsten Wirklichkeit, scheint es: 

künstliche Paradiese, die hergestellt werden und die nur für das Individuum 

bestehen, das gerade das Rauschgift eingenommen hat, oder für die 

Gruppe. Das hat überhaupt nichts mit dieser Welt zu tun. 

C: Aber diese Subkultur hat auch ganz neue Formen des Gemeinschaftslebens 

hervorgebracht, die Kommunen... 

D: Die besseren Kommunen sind vermutlich die, in denen keine Rauschgifte 

gebraucht werden. 

(Es erklingt im Background nochmal ein Schluck Gregorianik:) 

B: Die Droge, die im Mittelalter genügte, um das himmlische Jerusalem 

zu hören, hieß Gebet, Fasten, Askese, Reizentzug. Jetzt brauchte der 

unspirituellste Brutalo sich bloß 0,03 mg Instant-LSD einwerfen, schon 

sah er alle für ihn noch nie in Frage gekommenen Himmel in Null- 

Komma-Nix offen und konnte ohne troubles zurückfinden zu Gott. 

D: Zum umsonst von Thales, Buddha, Voltaire, Feuerbach, Nietzsche, 

Günther Anders und vielen anderen Geistern abgeschlachteten Gott. 

A: Voltaire mißbilligte den Brauch, 

Radiosendung 388



doch gab er zu: 

D: Ich rauch es auch. 

A: Hanf ist tot! wie Nietzsche sagte, 

wenn die Hanfknappheit ihn plagte. 

Kaum tat's wieder Haschisch geben, 

schrie er: Hanf ist noch am Leben! 

C: Na also! sprach da Zarathustra: 

Ohne Hanf wär's zappendusta! 

B: Schöne synästhetische Farbenspiele stammen aber eher von Vor-Hippies 

wie Paul Scheerbart, also Jahrzehnte vor Entdeckung des LSD: 

D (hinterlegt mit irgendwelchem Synthesizer): Der Himmel verändert 

sich in jedem Augenblick. Die Streifen bleiben allerdings, aber ihre 

Breite und Farbe wechselt fortwährend. Das Brennende, Funkelnde, 

Glitzernde und Blendende im Innern der Streifen ist ebenfalls in 

dauernder Bewegung und zeitigt immer wieder neue Feuer- und Funkenspiele; 

bald geht das diamantartige Brennen in zitterndes Glitzern über, 

bald wird ein Glanzstreifen plötzlich stumpf und dann gleich wieder 

blendend, daß es ins Auge sticht -- 

B: Die psychedelischsten, ausgeflipptesten, hochdosiertesten, schönsten 

LSD-trips, Sternstunden und Astralreisen stammen von Jean Paul, also 

Jahrhunderte vor Entdeckung des LSD: 

A: -- alle Wellen flatterten mit Floßfedern, meinem Schifflein wuchsen 

breite Flügel, die weiße Welt ging über mich, und der lange Strom riß 

sich donnernd mit dem Schiffe auf dem Haupte aus seinem trocknen 

Bette auf und stand auf der Quelle und im Himmel und das blumig 

Gebirge neben ihm -- und wehend glitt mein Flügel-Schiff durch grünen 

Rosen-Schein und durch weiches Tönen eines langen Blumen-Duftes in 

ein glänzendes, unabsehliches Morgenland. D (hinterlegt mit Stück 5, 

SEA YOU ONE, Part IV, von der beiliegenden CD: KIRIT, LIQUID 

SOUND): -- wie ein Chaos wollte die unsichtbare Welt auf einmal alles 

gebären; eine Gestalt keimte auf der anderen, aus Blumen wuchsen 

Bäume, daraus Wolkensäulen, aus welchen oben Gesichter und Blumen 

brachen. Plötzlich schwamm hoch im Himmel eine weiße Welt unter 

Radiosendung 389



einem Schleier her, eine einzige glänzende Träne sank vom Himmel in 

das Meer, und es brauste hoch auf -- 

B: Wozu wurde dann LSD entdeckt und gefeiert, wenn es vorher 

genauso blumig, farbentief und grenzenloser ging, und dies ganz ohne 

pharmakologische Sprungbretter? Und wenn die neuen Adepten und psychedelischen 

Musiktherapeuten und Lyrikabsonderer, trotz potenzierter 

Hirnbomben und optimal erweiterten Bewußtseins, mit dünn tönenden 

Hymnen allen Dichterfürsten hinterherhumpeln, die sich - eingesperrt in 

ihre früheren Jahrhunderte - bloß mit ordinärem Hopfenmalz begnügen 

mußten? 

A (hinterlegt mit Umweltgeräuschen): Heute Morgen sang ich ein Duett 

mit einem Preßluftbohrer 

sein kräftiges Staccato 

brach über meinen klaren Raum herein 

Hoch bäumten sich die weichen Töne der Gitarre 

der starken Schwingung wundersam vereint. 

Weit trug mich diese Vibration 

als sie meinen Körper packte 

Freudentränen liefen über meine Wangen 

Die Gedanken versiegten 

und aus den Tiefen meines Selbst 

strömte ein summender Urlaut... 

C: Ach ja, auch beim Transzendieren usw. hört das Dünnbrettbohren 

nicht auf...und die Flachwichserei... 

B: Praktisch alle Beatniks und Abenteuerinnen schwadronieren beim 

Umschreiben des Unbeschreiblichen von Musik, die das tiefe Geheimnis 

der Bilder in sich berge, von Götterschauspiel, von Illusionärem, das zu 

reinem Sein erstirbt, von aufgehobener Zeit, goldenem Lächeln, Energie, 

Manifestationen, dem üblichen Kitsch aus Wellen, Tropfen, Blumen, 

Lichtjahren, Liebe, anderen Dimensionen, großer Traurigkeit, 

Radiosendung 390



Musik...auch gesamtdeutsche Psychedelik-Prinzessinnen wie Nina 

Hagen kommen bei ihrer LSD-unterstützten Gotteserfahrung zwar über 

die nicht-physikalische Welt hinaus, keinen Zentimeter aber über ihren 

Jargon hinaus: 

A (im Duktus von Nina Hagen -- falls nicht sie selbst dem WDR ohne 

Spitzen-Gage ihre Stimme leiht): Was dann kam, ist echt too much: ER 

saß mir gegenüber!!! Mit einer Liebesaustrahlung in solch einem Ausmaß, 

wie nur ER lieben kann! Unbeschreiblich!!! Es war so stark, daß ES 

sogar zitterte, so als ob es ziemlich schwer war, dimensionsdurchbrechungsmäßig 

diesen einzigartigen Kontakt herzustellen. 

A: Dem Unbeschreiblichen ist es egal, wer es beschreibt! 

B: Selten trifft die Erleuchtung auf ein Großhirn, das die Kunst versteht, 

sich erleuchten zu lassen. 

D: Das Dao, das beschrieben werden kann, ist nicht das ewige Dao. 


C: Die psychedelische Erfahrung fließt immer über den Rand der Tasse, 

die irgend jemand zu ihrer Beschreibung hinhält -- 

A: Hauptsache, wir sind uns einig: auch das Unbeschreibliche sucht 

seinen Dichter. 

B: Ohne Großhirn keine Musik... 

C: Und fast vice versa: 

D: Ohne Musik läge jedes Hirn noch viel bracher. 

B: Je nach zerebraler Sensibiltät kann ein und dieselbe Musik sehr 

unterschiedlich tönen, und falls eine dritte Komponente hinzutritt, z.B. 

eine bewußtseinsverändernde Droge, verwandelt die Musik sich 

unweigerlich ins nochmal kaum Wiedererkennbare. 

C: Von Louis Armstrong bis Pink Floyd 

hamm alle sich am Hanf erfreut. 

B: Es war einmal ein atypischer Zwitterling zwischen Subkultur und 

Autogesellschaft, nicht Fleisch, nicht Fisch, und der hieß mehr oder 

weniger Ulrich Holbein. Und war nicht ganz unidentisch mit dem Autor 

Radiosendung 391



dieser Sendung. Weder mit übertriebener Seriösität und Solidität scheint 

er viel am Hut zu haben, noch als bekennender Alt-Hippie sich dringend 

outen zu wollen. Doch lassen wir ihn selber zu Wort kommen. Mit einigen 

Erlebnisprotokollen und Subjektiv-Reflexionen zu Fragen wie: 

A: Wieso wird psychedelic music fast ausschließlich von Popfreaks 

gehört? 

B: Und wieso nehmen Bildungskonsumenten bzw. E-Musik-Freunde 

selten bis nie LSD? 

A: Wie verändert sich Musik unter Drogeneinfluß? 

B: Und vorher mit Bekenntnissen über seine Sozialisation und Identitätssuche 

so um 1969: 

C: Das Sparkassen-Outfit der kurzgeschorenen, kurzgehaltenen, bartfreien, 

keimfreien, schweinchenfarbenen, spießig bebrillten Banalität 

von Schule und Elternhaus, dieser Borniwelt, für die ich viel zu 

ungekämmt herumlief, verhalf mir noch nie so recht zu meiner Identität. 

Nicht umsonst trug ich schon mit 16 den Titel Edelgammler, und später 

Hilfsjesus. Als gäbe es nur die Wahl zwischen Bürohengst und Blumenkind. 

(Im Background Barockoboe, Vivaldi oder so) Einerseits schien mir 

Eberhard, mein goldbebrillt wohlgescheitelter kleiner Bruder, mit seiner 

Oboe am Leben vorbeizutröten; andererseits mochte ich mit all den 

abtörnenden Freak-Visagen, die zwischen Gammlermauer und 

Königsstraße ihren Shit qualmten und mit denen ich einzig die langen 

Haare teilte, an möglichst ungeteilter Identität mich kaum freuen. Andere 

Alternativen gab es nicht, außer vielleicht Snobismus, Smoking, Weste, 

Krawatte. Doch die karnevalistische Notlösung und Pseudomorphose des 

geschniegelten Opernballbesuchers und Oberkellners hätte mir nobody 

abgekauft. Bei mir hing immer irgendwo ein Hemdzipfel raus. Weshalb 

ich identitätsmäßig eindeutig der widerlichen Popjugend zugeordnet 

wurde. Von den drei Hauptattributen jedes Popfans - Pop, Drogen, Sex - 

wies ich mindestens zwei davon fast überhaupt nicht auf: Rockkonzerte, 

auf die ich so zwischen 1968 und 70 zögernd pilgerte, waren für meine 

zarten Gehörzellen viel zu laut. (Einblendung von Steppenwolf: „Born to 

be wild“) Schon von meiner Identität her war ich einfach nicht so recht 

born to be wild. (Nochmal eventuell Vivaldimäßiges) Unsereins tendierte 

eher an Barockmusik gesittet sich zu delektieren als mit Rock mich 

zuzudröhnen. Statt Open Air Festivals zog ich mir zunehmend lieber 

Opus 131 rein, in cis-moll. Und hörte lieber Viola als percussion, und 

statt Iron Butterfly -- Claude Debussy. Statt Purple Haze -- Charles Ives. 

Statt (eventuell gesungen) „While my Guitar gently weeps“-- Györgi 

Ligeti, schon deshalb diesen, weil er 1961 in „Atmosphéres“ und 1967 in 

Radiosendung 392



„Lontano“ die Pauken fortließ. Haschisch hätt ich mir zwar gern gefallen 

lassen, als Nichtraucher begann ich aber beim geringsten Zug am Joint 

hochallergisch zu husten. So verstrichen zwei, drei Jahrzehnte. Bis heute 

wandele ich optisch als durchaus stilechter Alt-Hippie im Schlabberlook 

durch die resopalbleiche, neutralgraue Welt, in zwitterhafter Mimikry. 

Und zuckte nur ausnahmsweise auf Heidelberger Tekkno-Partys herum, 

mit Ringbuchmappe unterm Arm, Ohropax im Gehörgang und sardonischem 

Grinsen über Ekstasy-Typen, die beim authentischen Ausflippen 

zwar die Augen zumachten, aber die Brille aufbehielten. Immerhin neigte 

ich sowohl als Ekstaseforscher wie Ekstatiker, ohne jemals Kiffer zu 

sein, eher den Drogen der Blumenkindergeneration zu als den Besäufnissen 

der Glimmstengel- und Bierbauchmenschheit und ihrem ewig unästhetischen: 

„Noch'n Schnäpschen!“ Ich warf mir Space-cakes ein, doch 

die hierzu passend aufgelegte Musik funktionierte bei mir nicht als Ferment. 

Bei den Arrangements von George Martin für die Beatles spielten 

zwar öfters versöhnliche Streicher mit, doch klangen die mir bei aller 

Intensivierung des Hörverhaltens immer noch viel zu simpel und popig: 

(Es erklingt von: The Beatles. The Psychedelic Years 1966 - 68 B 

2 B X 0020, P 1994 made in Italy. CD Nr. 1, Stück Nr. 10 -- ohne 

die a-capella-Stimmen vor Einsatz der Musik) 

C (in die Musik hinein): Ich legte mir die naheliegendsten Einstiegsdrogen 

auf, zum Teil in den heißen Jahren selber, zum Teil in nachgestellten 

Nostalgie-Arrangements: „Umma Gumma“ von den Pink Floyd, Grateful 

Dead, Tangerine Dream und anderen Acid-Rock, also alles, was als ausgesprochene 

„psychedelische Musik“ sich selber so nennt und sich von 

nicht-psychedelischer Musik zu unterscheiden strebt durch Akustik- 

Tricks und Mätzchen, Verzerrung, Verfremdung, vor allem Hall-Effekte, 

und aalte und suhlte mich in all den via Hall und Verhallung erzielten 

Räumlichkeiten, genoß so gläubig wie möglich diese Art von Raumvergrößerung 

als die architektonische Seite von Bewußtseinserweiterung -und 

stellte nebenbei als Hirnwixer die These auf: bewußtseinserweiternde 

Musik knüpft allzu unbewußt an an der obligaten Verhallung der 

Sakralmusik im Hallraum der Dome und Kirchenschiffe! So entflohen - 

behauptete ich - die Aussteiger ihrer hochtechnisierten Hochkultur und 

landeten -- ebendort. Mit Schadenfreude besah ich die Verlängerungsschnur, 

die ihnen nicht aus der Steckdose gezogen werden 

will. Sonst hätte null Subkultur weiterhin an ihren Kopfhörern baumeln 

können. Guten Willens legte ich mir schamanische Ritualtänze auf, von 

Radiosendung 393



Axel Brück, dem Rekonstrukteur des Dord, also des keltischen Didgeridoo. 

(Es erklingt von der beiliegenden „Megin-Ritual-Musik“, CD 1, 

Stück Nr. 3 Zwischenspiel) 

C (in die Musik hinein): Statt aber auf solchen Trance-Trommeln in die 

andere Welt zu reiten, dorthin, wohin modern lifestyle bekanntlich selten 

gelangt, stellte mich meine unfreiwillige Imagination bloß in eine familiär 

vorbelastete, nämlich unschön mit dem Maschinenbauingenieur und 

Fleischwolfkonstrukteur Walter Holbein assoziierte Fabrikhalle, allwo 

eine Stampfmaschine sich nicht mehr anhalten ließ, und irgendwelche 

Treibriemen, Schüsselröchler und Schnaufbläser mitgezerrt wurden...ein 

Albtraum...ein Horrortrip! Viel inhumaner und industrieller als das 

ungeölt jammernde Maschinentableau György Ligetis im Kammerkonzert 

für 13 Instrumente. (Ritual-Musik geht über in Satz 3 aus 

Ligetis Kammerkonzert für 13 Instrumente) Schnell die CD wechseln und 

Liquid-Sound-Unterwassserkompositionen auflegen, mit einer Einführung 

des delphinologisch und ozeanosophisch inspirierten Liquid- 

Sound-Erfinders Micky Remann: 

(Es erklingt von der beiliegenden CD „LIQUID SOUND Kirit, 

Sea you one, Stück Nr. 1, Intro -- sofort ausblenden nach 01:53 

Minuten, nämlich hinter: „neu zu genießen.“) 

C (hinterlegt mit Stück 4, Sea you one, Part IV, der beiliegenden Liquid 

Sound-CD): Ich fuhr nach Bad Sulza, begab mich hinein in Liquid 

Sound, 3 bis 5 Prozent Salzgehalt, schwamm mit etlichen liebenswerten, 

wenn auch nur imaginären Delphinen rücklings in offene, trotzdem 32 

bis 34 Grad warme Meer, befreit von Schwimmbewegungen, Temperaturschwankungen, 

Wadenkrampf, Rettungsring, Badekappe und Badehose, 

und fühlte mich wohl -- nein: das wäre zu wenig...mir war, als wäre 

ich glücklich, zumindest ziemlich happy, nur eins störte: in meinem Hirn 

lief die Entgrenzungsmusik auf anderem Kanal als die sonor beigefügte, 

freundlich anmachende Moderatorenstimme: (nochmal ein kurzer 

Ausschnitt aus Stück 1, Intro) Und ständig kam mir der durchaus spontan 

funktionierende, wohlige, ja mystische Auflösungsvorgang meines 

Radiosendung 394



Bewußtseins in die Quere mit dem Angebot der stimmlichen Botschaft, 

sich von mir entschlüsseln zu lassen. Genauer: Immer, wenn ich mich 

just im ewigen Ozean entgrenzen wollte, hielt mich meine Entzifferungsmühe 

auf der Erde zurück. Pitschenaß blieb ich in der Trockenwüste 

sitzen. Zugleich entging meinem schönberggeschulten Ohr leider nicht, 

daß die Unterwasser-Komposition von Bernd Kircher, Thomas Ritthoff 

und Ulrich Reinartz natürlich an einen verwässerten György Ligeti nicht 

herankam -- eher schwamm mein Ego sowie meine Gesamtpersönlichkeit 

in den lauen Salzwellen der Liquid-Sound-Therme von hinnen, als 

daß sich mein kulturgesättigt hochmütiges Qualitätsbewußtsein gemindert 

hätte. Zu diesen meinen Superioritätsgefühlen hätte vermutlich Micky 

Remann ungefähr folgendes verlauten lassen: 

(Von beigefügter MC wird die Suada von Micky Remann gespielt 

-- bei unterlegter, weiterlaufender Liquid-Sound-Musik) 

C (bei irgendwann ausklingender Liquid-Sound-Musik): Diesem Plädoyer 

für spirituelle Gleichwertigkeit sowohl des wolkenhaft vorbeiziehenden 

Hochwertigen wie des Schablonenhaften, nein: des unnötig 

Hochkomplizierten und des angenehm Einfachen, möchte ich mich vollinhaltlich 

anschließen. Und mich nie wieder an Bewertungen festkrallen! 

Zumal sowohl Kunstmusik wie Pop genau derselben 

Hirnfunktion dienen: der Herstellung von Ekstase, und diese wird so oder 

so erzielt, hier wie da: wie Ektase das aufgerissene Maul Mick Jaggers 

gebiert, so zeugt der Schweißtropfen an der Stirnlocke des karajanförmigen 

Stardirigenten von Ekstase. Und wenn schon Samsara und Nirwana 

sowohl nirgendwo wie irgendwo identisch sein sollen, jedenfalls im 

Mahayana-Buddhismus, warum sollen dann in der von mir verpönten 

Halleffekt-Flächigkeit bzw. flächigen Unendlichkeit gutgemeinter Unterwasser-compositions 

nicht ebenfalls jene „ewigen Tiefen“ - oder wie ich 

die nennen könnte - stecken, auf die ich öfter als jederzeit scharf war?! U 

wie E stampfen und geigen sich am breiten Faden ihrer Lauterzeugung in 

Regionen hinauf oder hinein, in denen ein betont unekstatisch gebauter 

Mensch sich außerhalb seiner nüchternen Phasen ebenfalls recht oft 

befindet. 

B: Musik als Umweg, an Ekstase heranzukommen. Liquid Sound als 

Umweg, an ebendiese heranzukommen. Drogen als Umweg. Bildungsdünkel 

als Fremdkörper und Hemmschwelle auf dem Weg zu ozeanischer 

Entgrenzung... 

Radiosendung 395



C (hinterlegt mit echtem Walgesang): Nichts gegens Gedudel, womit die 

Dumpfis in ihrer versalzenen Suppe schwimmen, zwecks Feierabend- 

Entgrenzung und bei bereithängenden Handtüchern, aber irgendwie saß 

ich fest in meiner Chefetage und Oberschicht -- 

B: -- allwo auch Haschischkonsument Walter Benjamin residierte, der 

am 29. September 1928 in Marseille notierte: 

D (hinterlegt mit fernem Golden-Twentie-Jazz und Kneipenlärm): Die 

Musik, die inzwischen immer wieder aufklang und abnahm, nannte ich 

die strohernen Ruten des Jazz. Ich habe vergessen, mit welcher Begründung 

ich mir gestattete, ihren Takt mit dem Fuß zu markieren. Das geht 

gegen meine Erziehung, und es geschah nicht ohne eine inwendige 

Auseinandersetzung. 

B: Also wahrlich kein Früh-Hippie, aber bereits ein Rübergezogener, 

halbwegs Mitstampfender, dessen Idealismus und Snobismus in Bezug 

auf richtige französische Akzentuierung auch im bekifften Zustand nicht 

all-versöhnlich hinwegschmelzen mochte, wohl aufgrund viel zu geringer 

Dosis. 

D: Es gab Zeiten, in denen die Intensität der akustischen Eindrücke alle 

anderen verdrängte. Vor allem in der kleinen Hafenbar ging mit einmal 

alles, und zwar im Lärm von Stimmen, nicht von Straßen, unter. An 

diesem Stimmenlärm war nun das Eigentümlichste, daß er ganz und gar 

nach Dialekt klang. Die Marseiller sprachen mir plötzlich sozusagen 

nicht gut genug französisch. 

C: Und mir war die psychedelische Musik nicht psychedelisch genug. 

Ich wollte herausfinden, was mit Johann Sebastian Bach geschieht, 

sobald er mit LSD in Berührung kommt. Zwar hatte mir schon ein Psychonaut 

vorgearbeitet, kein Geringerer als Tempelpriester Tim Leary persönlich 

-- wie schön, daß er in einem Interview mit „Playboy“ nicht The 

Doors als Beispiel nahm! Sondern ausgerechnet Bach: 

B: Ist der Gehörsinn ähnlich intensiviert? 

D: Ungeheuer. Normalerweise hören wir nur isolierte Geräusche: das 

Klingeln eines Telefons, den Klang von Worten. Aber wenn man sich mit 

LSD anturnt, wird das Cortische Organ im inneren Ohr zu einer zitternden 

Membrane, die unter dem Zapfenstreich der Klangwellen aufschäumt. 

Die Vibrationen scheinen tief in einen zu dringen, zu schwellen 

und dort zu platzen. Man hört eine Note aus einer Bachsonate, und sie 

hängt da, glitzernd, pulsierend, eine endlose Zeit lang, während man sich 

langsam um sie dreht. Dann, Jahrhunderte später, kommt die zweite Note 

Radiosendung 396



der Sonate, und wieder treibt man jahrhundertelang langsam um die 

beiden Noten herum, beobachtet ihre Harmonie und Dissonanzen und 

meditiert über die Musikgeschichte. 

B: Der Autor dieser Sendung schuf sich ein terminloses Wochenende, 

zog das Telefon raus, legte sich auf den Teppich, neben bereitgelegte 

CDs, Wegwerfstift und Papier, Himbeeren, ein Glas Honig, neben Handspiegelchen 

und Nachttopf, und zwar lauter Musik, die er gut kannte, 

nämlich um den Wahrnehmungsunterschied ermessen zu können: Bruckner, 

Mahler, Schubert, Ravi Shankar, György Ligeti, chinesische Musik 

u.a. Auf dem Papierchen war ein zweifarbiger Chinadrache abgebildet. 

Zehn bis 14 Stunden würde der Trip dauern. 

C: Inclusive allerlei zerdehnte Jahrhunderte, alles in allem Zeit und 

Raum genug, um nun auch mal meinerseits so richtig subtil über die 

Musikgeschichte zu meditieren. Ich nahm nur einen halben Drachen. 

Nach einer Stunde tat sich noch nichts. Änderten sich die Lichtverhältnisse 

vorteilhaft? Nicht im mindesten, will ich nicht sagen. Nach anderthalb 

Stunden schob ich die andere Drachenhälfte nach. Eventuell 

gewann jetzt das Licht eine gewisse Bedeutungsqualität. Jedenfalls legte 

ich feierlich Bruckners 2. Symphonie auf, und zwar den 2. Satz: 

(Es erklingt ebendieser) 

C: Bruckner klang wie sonst auch. Takt für Takt geradeso wie immer. 

Halt Bruckner. Um nichts intensiver oder anders. Oder vielleicht doch 

etwas intensiver und tiefer als vordem? Dieser breite Sound, wie verlangsamt, 

gedehnt, aber nicht verzerrt, sondern deutlicher, klarer, so, als hätte 

ich es sonst bloß als LP gehört, auf dem dumpfem Uher-Gerät von 1969, 

und dem Revox-Gerät von 74, und jetzt...jetzt war erstmals eine CD aufgelegt 

worden: aber nicht nur digital gereinigter, deutlicher, sondern vor 

allem ernster, um nicht zu sagen: existenzieller, mehr als Kunst, und 

mehr als Religion sowieso...dieser Klang...Schichten und Gegenstimmen, 

die sonst nicht dabeiwaren...also hatte die Wirkung volltönend eingesetzt! 

Polyphonie, die mir genaugenommen immer entging, ließ sich 

glasklar durchhören bis in letzte Nuancen hinein, in immer auseinanderhaltbarere 

Instrumentengruppen, auseinanderfließenderere, nicht länger 

mehr an ihre Klangquelle gebunden, sondern frei im Raum flutend, nicht 

nur bei mir in Ohr und Hirn hinein, sondern überall hinein, und hervor 

aus mir: braungoldene Tiefen und noch tiefere Tiefen, tränenlösende 

Tiefen, Tränenströme, über alle strahlenden Dome hinaus und hinab, 

Radiosendung 397



räumliches Non plus ultra, nicht nur ozeanischer als Liquid Sound, 

sondern doppelt so kosmisch, zehnmal feierlicher, tausendmal weiträumiger, 

raumhafter, weltraumfüllender als der gute alte bescheidene, 

arglose Anton Bruckner dies ahnen konnte, weit über Bruckners arg 

ephemeres Christentum hinaus, Bruckners begrenzten, fortgespülten lieben 

Gott -- Gott selber nur ein Korken, der hinwegschrumpfende 

Komponist nur ein Atom auf den Kraftwellen solcher Klangströme. 

Wieso durfte ich das bis dato nie so hören? War das überhaupt noch 

Musik...oder nicht vielmehr etwas völlig anderes -- aber was? Die 

Wonnen kamen mir länger vor als mein bisheriges Leben. Um zwischendurch 

doch mal aufzutauchen, öffnete ich die Augen und sah auf die Digitaluhr: 

14 Uhr 35. Bruckner lief weiter, aber die Uhr war stehngeblieben. 

Ich verlor mich ins seltsam leuchtende 14 Uhr 35, das auch nach Jahren 

nicht umspringen wollte auf ein 14 Uhr 36. 

A: Shakespeare schrieb, auf englisch freilich: 

D: Wer Hanf nimmt, hat's nie wieder eilig... 

C: Ach ja, bisher hatte ich nur geglotzt statt gesehen, geknipst statt 

fotografiert, geröchelt statt gesungen -- dies war erstmals das wahre, 

eigentliche Hören und Tönen, und übrigens ich selber nicht nur der 

Komponist, sondern auch die Musik: ewige, nie wieder aufhörende 

Musik, Jahrhundert um Jahrhundert. 

A: Stundenlang wird ein Minütchen 

raucht man nur ein kleines Tütchen... 

C: Und ich hatte immer geglaubt, ich sei so unsteigerbar übersensibel, 

jedenfalls unabgestumpft, und jetzt zeigte sich: auch ich hatte alles nur 

rudimentös und abgestorben erlebt, absolut nie bin ich Bruckner gerecht 

geworden, jetzt aber hör ich ihn zum ersten Mal in diesem Megatheater 

und kann erstmals aufhorchen, lieben und überfließen in -- da sprang das 

14 Uhr 35 auf einmal doch noch um -- wohin? Auf 14 Uhr 36. Ich tastete 

nach der CD-Hülle, besah im Booklet das Brucknerporträt, merkte gleich: 

daß ich mich da nicht vertiefen sollte...es verzog sich ins Unfeine, 

Fratzige, passend zu meiner eigenen ungenügenden Gestalt, die klein und 

erbärmlich in der Gegend herumlag, neben dem auf einmal ins Leere 

abrutschenden Gedröhne -- 

C: -- wieso eigentlich eine andere? Denn ich hatte doch die ganze Welt 

umfaßt, nichts hatte gefehlt -- wozu jetzt noch Hektor Berlioz auflegen? 

Bruckner hatte doch schon absolut alles gesagt, und mehr als alles! B: Er 

warf den Finger auf Off, und legte eine andere CD auf -- 

Radiosendung 398



(Es erklingt: Gustav Mahler, 7. Sinfonie, 2. Satz (ohne das Hornsolo 

am Anfang) 

C (kurz nach Einsatz des Trauermarschs): Eine Kolonne zog vorwärts, 

im Gleichschritt, aber weil alle Füße samt ihrer Größenverhältnisse 

wenig zueinander paßten, lief dieser Stechschritt im vorbeigeschobenen 

Zerrspiegel sofort aus dem Ruder...vieles stimmte nicht...alles stimmte 

nicht...nichts stimmte an dieser Nachtmusik -- nirgendwo zeitgemäßes 

Rollstuhlgeblitze, sondern jeder hinkte, humpelte, mit schadhaften 

Krücken, in altertümlich bräunliche Lumpen gehüllt, Goldocker dazwischengefetzt, 

historische Restbestände, Überbleibsel. Statt Körperbehinderte 

-- Mißgeburten en masse, Wechselbälger, grinsender Abschaum, 

ein irrwitzig ausschreitender Zwerg schlug eine Riesentrommel...die 

Krüppelparade hörte nicht mehr auf, jämmerlichste Gestalten, die ich 

Gustav Mahler kaum zugetraut hätte. Lachzwang kämpfte mit Mitleid 

und Blasendruck, immer endloser die Invalidenkompanie, immer zelebratorischer 

der insgesamte Fehlgeburtstag, jede weitere Gestalt und 

Lumpenkönig sowohl gehandicapter wie lachkrampfverstärkender sowie 

notdurftgepeitschter...ich krümmte mich auf dem naßgeweinten Teppich 

in Schüben aus Zwerchfellreizung, wiehernde und weinende Maske 

ineinandergedrückt, endlich beides in einem: Hochzeit weit auseinanderliegender 

Hirnfunktionen, bei ansteigendem Pinkeldrang...das Närrische 

war lustiger als das Schlimme daran traurig war, nein: umgekehrt, das 

ganze Leid nervensystembehafteter Lebewesen quintessenziell 

hineingepreßt in diesen kümmerlich aufmarschierenden, durch die Jahrtausende 

paradierenden Witzfiguren, mit denen ich den Schnulli in den 

Kollektivtopf der Nacht hängte und jahrtausendelang ozeanisches Strullern 

produzierte, bei erneut stehngebliebenem 14 Uhr 41, nein, umgekehrt: 

putziger trug noch niemand seine Bürde als diese Millionen und 

Abertrillionen -- nein, umgekehrt: schauriger, himmelschreiender, qualzerzerrter 

mußte noch niemand antreten! Ewige Hölle demjenigen, der 

hier zu lachen wagt oder weiterzupinkeln -- schnell die CD weg! (Musik 

und Pinkelgeräusch im Nachttopf bricht ab) 

B: Und auch hier wieder hatte mehr als die ganze Welt dringelegen. 

Äonenlang war er fortgewesen, als der experimentierende Ekstatiker zu 

sich kam, innerhalb merkwürdiger, atmender Raumproportionen. 

D: Einstein wußte, wenn man kifft, 

A: -- werden Raum und Zeit umschifft. 

Radiosendung 399



D: Grad wird krumm und früh wird spät... 

A: Das ist Relativität! 

B: Er verzehrte eine Himbeere, -- 

C: -- die als freundlich fluidalisches Wesen auf meiner Zunge zitterte 

und zerging, als Essenz ihrer selbst, und nicht zuungunsten der Himbeere, 

sondern gleichberechtigt, ebenbürtig, ein hohes Paar: Himbeere 

und Zunge bzw. ein Ozean aus luftigen, sommerlichen Himbeermolekülen 

und ein schier genauso uferloser Ozean aus feinziselierten 

Geschmackspapillen bewegten sich so repräsentativ wie intim ineinander, 

laß die Moleküle rasen -- und das ganze frühere kulinarische 

Leben war nur ein Kantinenfraß dagegen, dumpf und taubstummblind 

runtergeschlungenes Fastfood. Und eine andere Musik legte ich jetzt auf: 

(Es erklingt von der vierteiligen „The hugo masters, an anthologie 

of chinese classical musik“, volume 1, bowed strings, Stück 

Nr. 2: „spring morning in suzhou“, HUGO productions (HK) Ltd. 

1992) 

C: Nach etwa 20 Sekunden wurde China zum überaus vormaoistischen 

Land der Mitte. Keine Spur von orchestral mammutösem Tiefgang, 

Leidensdruck und Krüppelvisite hing mehr in der durch und durch altchinesischen 

Luft. Die jederzeit im Raum stehende unspendable These, 

Europa werde asiatische Kultur letzlich nie wirklich verstehen können, 

zerfloß widerspruchslos. Alles wurde chinesisch eingefärbt, durchspült, 

nicht aber invasorisch, sondern ganz von selbst: lieblich, elastisch, grazil, 

liebevoll -- und chinesischer, als Milliarden Chinesen das je mitkriegen, 

leicht orientalisch angefärbt, vielleicht auch indisch, wohl ein Einfluß des 

Perserteppichs unter mir. Wodurch sich auch meine Lebensfrage, ob ich 

im Grunde meines Wesens eher Chinese, Inder oder Araber sei, vollendet 

sinnvoll erledigte. Alles Schräge, Quäkende, insektenhaft Taumelnde, 

Krüppelbaumverbogene, Fremde, Exotische, was Asien irgendwann mal 

an sich hatte, schmolz anmutig von hinnen, und der Frühlingsmorgen in 

Suzhou wurde zur natürlichsten, eigensten, eigentlichsten Musik der 

Welt: die Geige, ohne sich als Soloinstrument hervorzudrängen, 

schwamm wohlig, himbeerartig in sich gerundet, blühend, seelenhaft in 

einem erblühten Wogenspiel zierlich tanzender, ulkig verfließender Einzelseelen...erstmals 

war ich kein Outsider mehr, kein Absprengsel und 

Bruchstück der Gattung, sondern unglaublich lustvoll eingebettet in 

eine...muß ich sagen: in eine Art Volksgemeinschaft? Nein, in ein 

Radiosendung 400



jubelndes Seelengetümmel: unbeschwert, ohne schattenlos oberflächlich 

zu bleiben, singend, ohne irgendeinen Mund aufmachen zu müssen...genießend, 

ohne hierbei speziell ich zu sein oder dieses Ich bleiben 

zu müssen, das in nicht verebbender, nie mehr verebben könnender Lebenslust 

dahinfloß, sich ausströmte, seit je und für immer, nirgendwo eine 

Erinnerung an Probleme oder eine Vorausahnung von Eintrübung oder 

unangenehmen Möglichkeiten...im Gegenteil: dieser Frühlingstanz 

feierte sich selbst als derart pure Lust, gepaart mit reiner Wonne, daß es 

wohl auch Wollust war, das wahre Leben, der nie erreichte Zustand, um 

den ich bis dato lebenslang betrogen wurde, nie erlebt, aber seltsam 

bekannt, als der eigentlich mir angemessenste, naheliegendste, heimatlichste 

Zustand, x-mal besser als alles, was man Reigen seliger Geister, 

Massenorgie oder Sexualität nennen könnte, jenseits aller Beimengung 

von Anstrengung, Verschwitztheit, Aktionsabläufen, Koordination, 

Manipulation -- innerhalb dieser jauchzenden Gesamterregung glaubte 

ich sogar reell erregt zu sein, mir war, als wolle ich auf einmal irgendwas 

Untengelegenes einbeziehen. Doch fand sich da nur ein unbeteiligtes, 

fremd herumhängendes Schrumpelwürstchen, ohne jede Tendenz, sich 

auf der Höhe der insgesamten Ekstase zu bewegen. Selbst wenn ich - geiler 

denn je - probeweise das Präputium zurückgerollt hätte, schien dergleichen 

eher von meinem ganz anderswo entfesselten Sexus abzulenken. 

Desorientiert packte ich den Schnulli wieder ein und sank gierig zurück 

ins jubelnde Volksfest, das sich auf 3 mm Großhirnrinde austobte und 

zum Kosmos ausbeutelte und nun aber etwas verdünnter jubelte (ab hier 

das Musikbeispiel wesentlich leiser drehen) -- der Teppich unter mir 

drückte jetzt etwas stärker und störender, ich wachte sozusagen auf, 

guckte ins Handspiegelchen, aus dem mir ein absurder Chinese unschön 

entgegenglotzte, mit sibirischen Schlupfaugen, spillerigem Spitzbart aus 

Drahtgewöll, sowie mitten im eindeutigen Gelbstich einem Schuß mitteleuropäischer 

Anatomie, der als Alibiprozentsatz beiläufig aufrechterhalten 

wurde, samt Gigant-Poren und Hautunregelmäßigkeiten 

weltfüllenden Ausmaßes. Ewig seltsam, daß diese unhaltbar zerlaufende 

Fratze vor wenigen Sekunden noch aus der schönsten aller Musiken und 

Seligkeiten nicht als Fremdkörper herausfiel. Sondern superharmonisch 

mittanzen und mitschwelgen durfte -- nun aber ging die Musik ohne mich 

zu Ende. (Musik klingt aus) 

B: Und ließ einen einsamen Chinesen fassungslos zurück. Der sich auf 

seinem ab sofort liegenden, statt fliegenden Teppich bewußt wurde, nach 

diesem ultimativen Meta-Erlebnis nie wieder eine andere CD hören zu 

dürfen. Schon allein, um China treuzubleiben und um nicht als Torero, 

Neger, Dudelsackbläser oder Rokokotänzer auszuscheren. Er tastete nach 

seinem Wegwerfstift, der als harte, kühle, unsympathische, leblose, 

sinnlose Plastikröhre in seiner nur wenig sinnmachenderen Hand lag. 

Und den er gleich wieder unbenutzt von sich warf. Minutenlang blieb er 

Radiosendung 401



ohne Außenreize liegen -- und es geschah nichts. Von selbst kam -nichts. 

(Kunstpause von soundsoviel Sekunden.) Und auch danach kam 

nichts. Restlos nichts. Aber auch nicht die Spur. Kein tiefes Innenleben 

wölbte sich hervor. Alles blieb leer -- aber nicht angefüllt mit schöner 

meditativer Leere, sondern alles blieb -- unangenehm leer. Um nichts 

schöner als Musik klang diese unhörbare Musik. Das verwaiste Bewußtsein 

gierte nach Reizen, nach einem Quentlein Akustik, als Mittel, als 

Instrument, um sich irgendwie heraufzuranken, Seele zu produzieren, am 

Faden der Vorgaben, der hörenswerten CDs. Ein paar aussagelose, 

unwichtige Regentropfen plätscherten am Fenster herum, liiert drei Welträume 

weiter mit einem homöopathisch aufschwellenden Mini-Millimum 

diffusen Verkehrslärms -- die ausgehungerte Wahrnehmung stürzte 

sich drauf, mit dem Durst eines Löschblatts, das seit Jahrhunderten 

keinen Fleck fand. Doch die Minimalismus-Tropfen gaben nichts Besonderes 

her. Gaben überhaupt nichts her. Das leichte Rauschen ging quer 

durch die brachliegende, ausgehöhlte, kaum noch vorhandene, fast 

erloschene Psyche alias Seele hindurch, Individualität im Ruhestand, der 

Ex-Mann ohne Eigenschaften, der nichts-nichts-nichts beizusteuern hatte 

zum einstmals blühenden, nie wieder rekonstruierbaren Leben -- nie war 

irgendwas so blöd und erbärmlich hohl und leer gewesen wie diese Hohlform 

einer durchsichtigen, klanglosen, bescheuert herumliegenden 

Hülse, grenzenlos ausgewaschene Niete und Null: entseelt, entgeistert, 

entkörpert, enthirnt, sprachlos, saftlos, tonlos und vor allem musiklos. 

Restlos definierbar als Reizverarbeitungssystem und flüchtige Durchgangsstation 

für Zufallsfutter von außen. Irgendein wesenloser, bescheuerter 

Schwundrest sandte einen Impuls in die Hand, die hierbei ein 

wenig fühlbar wurde und sogar gehorchte, dies aber nur rein pro forma. 

Und legte mit allerletzter Kraft eine weitere CD auf -- György Ligeti. 

(Es erklingt: Ligeti: Doppelkonzert für Flöte Oboe und Orchester, 

2. Satz: Allegro corrente, Dirigent: Elgar Howarth, wergo) 

C: Zuerst kamen bloß ein paar Dauertöne, die mir zunächst nichts 

sagten, sondern eigentlich nur meine Total-Entseelung bestätigten. Dann 

aber begannen sie mir doch etwas zu sagen, färbten sich hörenswert ein, 

und sofort kam wieder Leben in die Bude. Die schlafende Schlange und 

tote Hose klinkte sich in Sekunden problemlos wieder ein ins Dasein, 

zwar diesmal nicht in Bude und Lebenslust, dafür aber in hohe Himmelsräume, 

farbig sich drehende, verschiebende Universen... Bei 

geschlossenen Augen durchschritt, nein: durchflog, nein: durchschwebte 

ich - oder wer das sein sollte - luzide Welten, in immer noch leuchtendere 

Radiosendung 402



hinein, deutlich, doch fern; hell -- aber oh! wie kalt! Irgendwo ein 

raschelndes Flügelschlagen von Myriaden leicht abschilfernder Vögelflügel 

oder Engelsflügel...Nichts störte, auch nicht der vorbeigleitende, 

ungemein friedlich in die Himmelssphären hineinbrummende LKW. Binnen 

einer Minute war ich in der esoterikerseits sogenannten „anderen 

Welt“ angekommen, im begehrten, berühmten „weißen Licht“, das wahrlich-wahrlich 

alles hinter sich ließ, was mir sonst so als Himmel und 

Überhimmel immer nur ausblieb. Das ist's, und weiter kann's keinesfalls 

gehen, das ist das Höchste und Letzte, woran Psychonauten und Sterbende 

inkompetent zu nuckeln wähnen, und dann ging's doch weiter, und 

ich glitt sehr transformatorisch in ein noch weißeres Weiß hinein und 

noch eins, eine ganze Kette, irgendwie gekoppelt an das Nachmittagslicht 

vor meinen Augenlidern. Wenn ich jetzt gestorben wäre, wäre das nur 

eine Randverzierung des Geschehens gewesen. Nie wieder würde ich 

zurückkehren, um irgendeiner Frau Prof. Elisabeth Kübler-Ross 

irgendwas Nahtodliches, Superlativisches und Unzutreffendes vorzuschwärmen. 

(Ab hier die Minutenzahl 2:40 desselben Ligeti-Satzes) Und 

in der kristallinen Höhenluft schwirrte wie angestochen eine dürre Oboe 

herum...wie ist die in den Himmel gekommen? Andere Insekten mischten 

sich vogelhaft quäkend hinzu, wie schön, daß sich der Olymp nicht in 

Pathetik und Repräsentanz erschöpfte, sondern daß da Schwärme komischer 

Vögel kein Hausverbot hatten, sondern randalieren, sich summieren, 

flirren, schwirren, Quäkteppiche bilden durften! Da verdünnte sich die 

Göttlichkeit, erneut spürte ich den Teppich unter mir, und irgendwen auf 

ihm liegen, z.B. mich, aber nicht sehr grundsätzlich, sondern als Nebenstimme, 

gebündelt im Fuß, sobald ich den zufällig bewegte. Nur fror ich 

jetzt, lag zitternd auf dem Teppich, was aber sehr zu den kalten Himmeln 

paßte. (Ab hier erklingt Ligeti: San Francisco Polyphony, 01:58 Min., 

Dirigent: Elgar Howarth, wergo) Und zu den Dissonanzwolken, die jetzt 

die ohnedies stratosphärisch schwer assimilierbare Atemluft zustaubten; 

ich schlotterte so für mich hin und rang nach Atem, erstickte mit 

Staublunge und rausquellender Zunge, schleppte röchelnd mich zum CD- 

Player, fand wohl nicht den Knopf. (Es erklingt aus demselben Werk der 

Passus ab 7:06 Min.) Durchschaute aber plötzlich, mitten in mitzitternden 

Frequenzen und Vibrationen, den Himmel - oder wie man den 

nennen könnte - als eine Art Fabrikware, maschinell erzeugt, und sah 

überall in den kleinsten Zellen und Hohlräumchen Resonanzbündel, 

Mitarbeiter, Flügelseelchen eingelagert, die sich epileptisch eins runter 

vibrierten und zitterten, und ich -- ich wurde hineingezogen in diese 

Bataillone, in diese Legebatterien aus eingezwängt und uniform oszillierenden, 

bibbernden, mitratternden Belegschaften, in eine eigene Vibrierund 

Isolierzelle, allwo auch ich mir eins runter zu vibrieren hatte, mit 

ausgeleierten, galvanisch belebt mitschlenkernden Kiefern und Gliedern 

-- nichts wie raus hier, nur wie? 

Radiosendung 403



B: Erneut streckte er die Parkinsonpranke zum Off-Knopf, erwischte 

wohl die falsche Sensortaste: (Ligeti bricht abrupt ab.) 

(Abrupte Ein- und Ausblendung eines beliebigen Werbespot- 

Fragments; direkt anschließend abrupte Ein- und Ausblendung 

eines beliebigen Nachrichten-Fragments, am besten vom heutigen 

Tag mit einem/einer bekannten WDR-Sprecher/in). 

A (sehr sachlich): - Leistungsdruck der modernen Gesellschaft müssen 

es gleich mehrere Gipfel sein. Vor allem, wenn das Wetter schnell 

umschlägt, geht das nicht immer gut. Ungeachtet aller Gefahren zieht der 

große Treck weiter. 400 Personen täglich treten im Gänsemarsch den 

Aufstieg an. 24 Stunden müssen die Notärzte im Basislager einsatzbereit 

bleiben. Vor allem der Abstieg kostet wesentlich mehr -- 

B (sehr sachlich): -- unsere pluralistische Welt mit den vielfältigen Lebensinseln 

Familie Freizeit, Beruf, Kirche und der Fülle an unterschiedlichen 

Wertvorstellungen und Sinnabgeboten dem einzelnen Bürger eine 

hohe Flexibilität bei großer Eigenständigkeit ab. Identitätsschwache Personen 

freilich wehren sich gegen solche Offenheit -- 

D: Tot ist nun, die mich erzog und stillte, 

Tot ist nun die jugendliche Welt, 

Diese Brust, die einst ein Himmel füllte, 

Tot und dürftig wie ein Stoppelfeld. 

(Abrupt eingeblendet, erklingen die letzten zwei Minuten des 1. 

Satz aus dem Schubertquartett: „Der Tod und das Mädchen“) 

C: Das ist ja eigentlich bloß Schubert...klingt aber moderner, einsamer, 

dissonanter, kälter, leerer, schrecklicher als jede Musik des 20. Jahrhunderts, 

zehnmal zeitgenössischer als der vergleichsweise märchenhafte, 

warm blühende György Ligeti...kurz vorm absoluten Torschluß war 

irgendwas getötet worden, wurde zu Grabe getragen, ich weinte, und die 

Radiosendung 404



Bratschen taten grinsend so, als trauerten sie, jaulten scheinheilig drüber 

hinweg -- ich rief immer wieder einen Satz: „Das könnt ihr doch nicht 

machen!“ 

B (mit allerlei Hintergrundsverschnitt): Um sich zu erholen, und auch, 

um eventuell an weitere und andere Wahrheiten oder wenigstens Evidenzen 

zu gelangen, legte der unersättliche Drogen- und Musikkonsument 

sich weitere CDs auf: Mozart-Quartette, die aber die leere Kälte von 

Schuberts Kosmos nicht mehr übertünchen konnten und die er sowieso 

umgehend als flitzende Zwirnmaschinchen entlarvte. Dann flüssige 

Architekturen Maurice Ravels, der als untief oder auch oberflächlich 

Verschrieene, der neulich, beim vorigen Trip, alle Tiefen und Untiefen 

tiefsinniger Schönheit bereitgehalten hatte, nicht im mindesten zu tändeln 

oder bloß zu französeln oder apart oder sinnlich zu bleiben pflegte, 

sondern zuständig für zarteste Seelenhaftigkeit und Seele, und behutsame 

Liebe, nichts als Liebe, und hummeligen Vogelflug über blitzende Landschaften 

aus Wolken, Daunen und Watte -- (Aus Ravels „Ma mère 

l'Oye“, Orchesterfassung, der 2. Satz, das 1er Tableau: „Danse du rouet 

et scéne“) -- doch diesmal mußte die Musik zugeben, daß sie auch nur 

ein luftig nachzitterndes Trostpflästerchen aus Schönheit und sommerlichen 

Flöten wie aus Tschaikowsky zu bieten hatte, über unversöhnlichsten 

Abgründen, und der arabische Tanz der Nußknacker-Suite und die 

kuriose dudelige Holzbläser- und Englischhorn-Passage aus dem 4. Satz 

der „Rapsodie espagnole“, die neulich so närrisch flennend als butterweich 

durchgenudelte Dali-Spieluhr zerflossen war, eingelegt in weltumplätschernde 

Heiterkeit, mutierten jetzt zum Zuckerüberzug auf einem 

Ozean aus Blut und Flüssigmetall, über den sich auch der kurz 

angetestete Bolero eher sehr roh und ungehobelt sowie der Sopran aus 

Schönbergs „Luft von anderem Planeten“ oberflächlich, nämlich bloß 

ästhetisch hinwegbegab, von hinnen ringelte, pflanzenhaft, lianenhaft mit 

irgendeiner Bratschenlinie um die Wette -- alles bloß Kunst...alles bloß 

Musik... 

C: An Alban Bergs drei düstere, Orchesterstücke wagte ich mich nicht 

heran, wegen deren Auslösetauglichkeit und Umkippqualität in Richtung 

Horrortrip. Beim 2. Satz von Beethovens Opus 130 rief ich plötzlich: 

„Ein Wahnsinniger!“ Lustloses Runterfiedeln -- wozu? 

B: Auch das Brahms-Reqiem erwies sich als eher unangenehm, als 

katzensilbriger Pseudo-Dom. Auch Bach outete sich, jedenfalls im Italienischen 

Konzert, als vergleichsweise farbloser Mechaniker und Biedermann, 

der über graues rituelles Hochzeitsgetue nicht hinauskam. Auch 

eine angeknipste Mozart-Sinfonie wollte partout nicht herausgucken, aus 

ihrem 18. Jahrhundert-Korsett, aus ihrer unpsychedelischen Bewußtseinsverengung. 

Radiosendung 405



C: Oder fand ich in neu Aufgelegtes nicht mehr hinein? Entweder tönte 

solcher Mozart schwächer als alles Vorhergehende, oder allmählich ließ 

die psychedelische Wirkung nach, zugunsten des vor Jahrtausenden verklungenen, 

gnostisch versunkenen, unsagbar legendären Anton Bruckner? 

Fiebernd kramte ich die herumfliegenden CDs nach Bruckner ab, legte 

den 4. Satz der 6. Sinfonie von Gustav Mahler auf, der aber überschwül 

dräuend aus allen Nähten platze, alptraummäßig würgend und dröhnend. 

B: In La Sacre steckte schon in der ersten Minute soviel Fieses, 

Vorstadt-Kriminelles, bösartig-piratenhaft sich Verziehendes, daß auch in 

diesem Fall umgehend die CD gewechselt werden mußte, und schon 

röhrte im „Lied der Erde“ im endlosen Zug leidender, jüdisch jaulender 

Menschheit Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau als überartikulierender Platzhirsch, 

vor allem bei: 

D: -- auf Wegen, die von Gräsern schwellen. 

C: Nirgendwo eine Spur des schönen alten China. Druckstellen und 

Kopfschmerzen kamen durch. Plötzlich spürte ich wie im „Tod und dem 

Mädchen“ Blut, eine unnennbare Untat zwischen den Zeilen der Musik. 

Aufgeschreckt aus meinem muffigen Dusel, lauschte ich hin, aber es ging 

bloß um die Zeile: 

D: Der Bach fließt voller Wohllaut durch das Dunkel. 

C: Beim späteren Kontrollieren fand ich die Blutstelle nicht wieder. 

Nein, das alles war allzu abendländisch -- reines unschuldiges Märchenchina 

mußte her, Dschuang Dsi, Li Tai Bo; dann würde alles-alles gut. 

Hinweg mit den Problemen des verirrten Europa! Ich legte eine chinesische 

Laute auf, von der Hugo Masters-CD „plucked strings“, durch 

deren spillerige Enge mal wieder die ganze verblassende Welt hindurchmußte. 

Sie führte nicht weit, also wühlte ich Ravi Shankar herbei, der 

aber ebenfalls nur noch ein ziemlich ausgeblichenes Indien draufhatte, 

also die arme Menschheit auch nicht mehr weiterbrachte und den ich teilweise 

verdöste. 

Daß so ferne dir die Heimat liegt, D: Das erfuhrst du nicht in frohen 

Tagen, 

Armes Herz, du wirst sie nie erfragen, 

Wenn dir nicht ein Traum von ihr genügt. 

C: Irgendeine Flöte breitete ihr Schicksal aus, ging in die Knie, richtete 

sich immer wieder auf, hoch, runter, hoch, runter, und wurde regelmäßig 

Radiosendung 406



vom einfallenden Kehrreim-Orchester plattgedröhnt. Ich sehnte mich 

romantisch zurück zum chinesischen Streichinstrument, damals, vorhin, 

die schöne harmonische Volksgemeinschaft...ich verfrachtete mich vom 

Teppich ins Bett, riß mir die Kleider vom Leib -- 

A: ...hoch, runter...hoch, runter... 

C: -- und legte jene wunderbare chinesische Klassik auf, diesmal allerdings 

wind instruments: 

(Es erklingt von der CD „the hugo masters, an anthology of chinese 

classical music, Stück 3, san wu qi) 

C: -- seltsame Mundorgeln und Flöten, die aber ebenfalls stets sehr lieb 

und geeignet gewesen waren, und unschuldig, zierlich behagliches 

Zwitschern, und siehe, es gelang doch noch mal: ich versank einigermaßen 

darin und mochte kaum noch auftauchen, als ich auf einmal, in 

eher dumpfe Oberflächen-Trance eingepackt, gewahr wurde: da ist etwas 

Ungutes drin, ein knallendes Holz als Rhythmusinstrument, eine 

Peitsche, und bisher stets durchgehend niedlich gebliebenes Getänzel, 

wunderfarbig und schön, wandelte sich auf einmal deutlich in atavistischen 

Opfertanz, fernab schamanistischer Folklore, an der man sich auf 

Kunst-Ebene musisch ergötzen könnte. Diese Musik hatte etwas noch 

Heilloseres an sich als Schubert und Mahler; mit Gewalt raffte ich mich 

auf warf den Finger auf Off. 

(Abrupte Ein- und Ausblendung einer beliebigen Reklame- 

Spots, eines ganz anderen als vorhin) 

A: -- wir recht herzlich gratulieren: Sie haben einen Geschenkkorb 

gewonnen! Und sind somit unter den ersten 100 Einsendern, denen wir 

heute -- 

C: Die gequetscht zerfratzte Näsel-Oboe war sofort weg, doch ich war 

in irgendwas hineingerutscht. Was sich auch durch harmlose Coca-Cola- 

Spots nicht überspielen ließ, blanken Schrecken, Panik-Attacke, wozu 

ich als Kontrollmensch eigentlich nie neige, und was sich mit dem 

Radiosendung 407



Brahms-Trio für Klarinette, Cello und Klavier nicht mehr überspielen 

ließ. Hinter dem klassischen Wohllaut spürte ich die angetippten, 

umsonst ungeglaubten Quasi-Schamanismusgeister, die immer nur nette 

durchschaubare Poesie gewesen waren, übel hervordrücken. Ich machte 

Brahms aus, was aber auch nichts mehr nützte. Ich sprang auf, warf mir 

Kleider über, fraß Gegenmittel, löffelweise Honig, was aber auch nichts 

mehr aufhielt. Etwas Gehetztes preschte aus mir hervor. Sobald ich die 

Augen schloß, quirlten ungeheure Welten über mich weg, in summa: die 

andere Welt, so schrecklich und derart präsent, weit und breit das einzig 

Vorhandende, daß ich nur als fortgeblasener Schnittpunkt am Rand stand, 

als Hülse, derweilen alles, was sonst die Welt und mich konstituiert, 

Sprache, Fühlen, Denken, Sex, Ich, alles-alles entwertet wurde, ausgemustert. 

Ich lief auf die Straße, um mich am offiziellen Leben zu erden, 

zu stabilisieren, zu normalisieren -- dort sah ich in 20 m Entfernung Frau 

Laabs im Vorgarten hantieren. Die ich vor lauter schlapper laabsartiger 

Deformiertheit praktisch nicht wiedererkannte. Lediglich an irgendeiner 

Formalie der bläulichen Textilien identifizierte ich Frau Laabs als ebendiese 

Frau Laabs. Frau Laabs, dieses Musterbild gemütlicher, harmloser 

Menschheit, Brille, brettharte Dauerwelle, camembertfarbenes 

„Gesicht“, gehörte in die wesenlose Masse des dalihaft Verzerrten und 

Liquidierten hinein, nichts tröstete oder milderte, auch nicht die durchaus 

mich balsamisch umschmeichelnden, wundersam spürbaren Luftlamellen. 

Das Grauen tröpfelte von allen Enden her durch die eigentlich 

tröstliche Kulisse aus Frischluft und Lichtglanz. Ich lief in den Park, sah 

betäubt der blauen Laabsfigur hinterher. Spürte zuinnerst: dies war ein 

Abschied für immer gewesen. Nie würde ich Frau Laabs wiedersehn, und 

auch sonst keine Frau Laabs. Frau Laabs ging zu ihrer definitiven, streichquartettgepeitschten 

Beisetzung. Eingebettet in objektiv leuchtende 

Natur, die mir wenig half. Alles weitere stand unter dem Stichwort 

Abschied. Von jedem Holzstapel, jedem Himbeerstrauch nahm ich 

Abschied. Von einem Hochstand oben am Eichenwald sah ich unten im 

Tal ampelrot ein Mini-Auto hupen. Ich lief auf dem Höhenweg - am 

Rückersfelder Waldfriedhof vorbei - Richtung Hülsa, immer weiter aufwärts, 

rundum die Abschiedsszenerie mitleidheischend in Spätlicht 

getaucht, in verklärt übersonnte Abendlandschaft. Im Baumrauschen 

hörte ich die einander hetzenden und auslöschenden Welten -- jenseits 

aller Bildungsreminiszenzen wilde Jagd, apokalyptische Reiter usw. Ich 

jammerte nur: „Ich kann es nicht steuern“, sah mich als letztes Arschloch, 

das eigentlich fast eingeweiht worden wäre, aber die falsche Tür geöffnet 

und diese nicht mehr zugekriegt hatte, unreif fürs Eigentliche, Fehlinitiand, 

ich, der ich doch eigentlich in allen menschenmöglich erreichbaren 

Himmeln geschwelgt hatte, nur waren die lang nicht so schön erlösend 

gewesen wie jetzt das Entsetzliche entsetzlich war und blieb und nicht 

abebbte. Ich eilte durch Rapsfelder, Schlängelwege, sah Schindeldächer 

von oben, nahm Abschied von dieser Welt. Ich setzte den Walkman auf. 

Radiosendung 408



Ich stellte Opus 132 ein, a-moll, aus meiner einsamsten Zeit, 1974 in Bad 

Hersfeld, jetzt war ich wieder so einsam, für immer, und die ersten 

Schmerz-Akkorde enthüllten sich sofort als musikalische Umrahmung 

der Trauerfeier. Nicht nur Frau Laabs war nicht mehr unter den 

Atmenden, sondern alle primären Bezugspersonen: Mutti, Jojo, Antje, 

Viera, Herbert Müller: alle-alle galt es haltlos zu beweinen, und ihnen 

nachzusterben. Ich rannte mit Opus 132 den Steinpilzweg hinauf in die 

Wälder, zu Reni's Ruh, mit erneut hervorstürzenden Tränen, a-moll -- die 

Klänge wurden schneidender, da merkte ich: die verstellen sich, die 

trauern gar nicht! Ihr simuliertes Weinen zog sich mit elektronischem 

Beigeschmack in die Länge -- da erkannte ich die Musiker als die fiesen 

Fiedler aus Schuberts „Tod und das Mädchen“! Kalt jaulend sich eins 

runterschrubben, diese Kadaver verscharrenden und hierbei musizierenden 

Mörder! Leises technisches Schleifen im Apparat, scheinheilig 

aufgespachtelte Musik, immer blecherner tönend, ich fingerte nach Tempotüchlein, 

Rotz rann mir in den chinesischen Bart. Jeden Moment 

konnte der Strom ausgehn, die Musik absaufen. So konnte den Fieslingen 

das Maul gestopft werden, andererseits bestand die ganze Welt aus 

diesem verzerrten, höhnischen Opus 132! Jetzt, wo alle meine Lieben 

bereits komplett unter der Erde lagen, blieb dieser perfide Nekrolog als 

einziges übrig. (Eventuell ging das verzerrte, halleffektversetzte Opus 

132 bzw. Ausschnitte aus L. Berios Beethoven-Quartett-Musik in Y. 

Xenakis-Elektronik „Orient/Okzident“ irgendwie über.) Ohnedies klang 

der akustische Mischmasch aus entfernten Autos, Glocken, Vogelrufen, 

Kinderstimmen leicht metallisch, dosennahrungshaft, zwar digital schaltknacks- 

und staubbefreit, alles ineinander vermanscht und verhallt, tingiert 

mit technischem Grundfluidum, alles elektronisch erzeugt, trotz 

naturidentischer Aromastoffe doch arg synthetisch, so als hätte das was 

zu bedeuten, daß LSD und kybernetische Musik einigermaßen gleichzeitig 

entdeckt wurden -- daher auch die cellophan flowers of yellow 

and green, (eventuell gesungen auf die Beatles-Melodie) towering over 

your head! Fieberhaft sann ich auf Auswege: nach Kümmerode wandern, 

mich bei Herbert Müller auszuschluchzen? Doch sind 13 km mit einer 

Rauschdroge, die 50 m zu ewigkeitsträchtigen Tageswanderungen dehnt, 

praktisch unüberwindlich. Jogger kamen mir entgegen, genauer: eine 

Radfahrerin fuhr neben einer Joggerin -- and the Band plays on! Bescheuert 

muß ich ausgesehen haben: verschleimt, verschwollen; ich versuchte 

zu grüßen. Ließen sie sich anmerken, daß sie nichts merkten? 

Womöglich sah ich nur so aus wie immer. Jedenfalls ging oben, auf der 

Hochebene, der Abschied weiter: Die aufgegangene Sichel stand genau 

über dem jungen Pferdchen, das ans Gatter seines Freigeheges kam, und 

auch hier stand ich zum letzten Mal davor, also weinend, denn: Dies war 

genau jenes Pferd, das ich zum 7. Geburtstag in Gestalt eines 10 cm 

großen Eselchens aus Kunststoff geschenkt bekam! Zum letzten Mal 

schritt ich am Ententeich vorbei und dann durchs dämmernde Tal über 

Radiosendung 409



Steindorf langsam zu meinem Haus zurück, wobei mein - frei nach 

Gustav Mahler - lüstern ausgekostetes Abschiednehmen nur ein Erlebnis 

auf künstlerischer Ebene blieb; nichts wirklich Schlimmes war geschehen. 

Auch das vor Durst und Euterentzündung horrormäßig schreiende, 

blökende, dröhnende Milchvieh auf den dämmernden Weiden kurz vor 

Steindorf konnte mir jetzt nichts mehr anhaben -- ich hatte jetzt alles im 

Griff. Ich streichelte Pferdeschnauzen, stellte mich vor einer Krüppelgruppe 

auf, nun schon im Mondlicht, sonderbar windverdreht neben 

Kuhweiden: gebückt, zerknirscht, gelähmt und kopflos, Jammergestalten, 

unlinderbar, versteinerte Veteranen aus Gustav Mahlers chinesischer 

Krüppelparade, blindtaubstumm, friedlich die Luft anhaltend, 

gesättigt von Windstille, am asphaltierten Wegrand. Ein Einzelbäumchen 

mittendrin rauschte heftiglich vor sich hin, so als ginge ein Wind, der sich 

aber an anderen Bäumen überhaupt nicht ablesen ließ. Da wußte ich: Zittern 

von Espenlaub! Jedes Blättchen ruderte vor sich hin: in ganz verschiedenen 

Abstufungen raschelte, fächelte, paddelte, dschunkelte, 

winkte alles nebeneinander, durcheinander, übereinander, sehr anthropomorph, 

wundersam beseelt, hier aufgeregt, dort somnambul nachlässig, 

in gefönten Wechselgruppen und Kleingruppen, jedes Einzelblättchen 

eine Individualität für sich, manche am Rand schwindelig verbissen in 

den eigenen Drehwurm, andere um luftbewegte unsichtbare Achsen kreisend, 

oder nur einen gedachten Kopf taumelig hin und her rollen lassend; 

die einen staccato, die andern Bauchtanz: orkangepeitscht, 

angehaucht, sich wegdrehend und zurückfedernd, nicht nachlassend im 

Strom des allgemeinen Fähnchenschwenkens -- 

A (somnambul): ...wegdrehend, zurückfedernd...wegdrehend, zurückfedernd... 

C: -- Wimpelschwingens, Winkens, grünen Tempotüchleinflatternlassens, 

ja, auch hier Abschied: ganz unpathetisch und unverheult und 

preßwehenlos, nein, kindlich überdreht, flatterhaft, unangewiesen auf 

Windnachschub, ohne Nachbarbäume anzustecken, angefärbt jedes Blättchen 

vom Silberlicht -- 

A (noch somnambuler): ...wegdrehend, zurückfedernd...wegdrehend, 

zurückfedernd... 

C: Da löste sich mir der angesammelte Krampf meiner Leidensstationen 

und Abschiede, hier wurden alle meine Begräbnisse umgepolt, hypermotorisch 

zerraschelt, versöhnt von putziger Botanik, von diesem meinem 

Lieblingsbäumchen und seinem abendfüllenden, nachtfüllenden, weltumfassenden 

Winkewinke. Als ich heimkam, sah ich in den Spiegel: an 

meinem Gesicht war nichts zu sehen, kein Gelbstich, kein Energieverlust, 

Radiosendung 410



kein Funke im Auge, und nicht die Spur Nachhall oder Abglanz meiner 

verpufften, überaus unbeschreiblichen Wonnen, Taten und Leiden. 

B (sehr sachlich): Einerseits sind die Anregungen der Hippiebewegung 

in die widerspenstige, schwerfällige Gesamtgesellschaft durchaus breit 

eingeflossen, absorbiert, akzeptiert worden: WGs, wilde Ehe, Vegetarismus, 

Frauenrechte, Bioläden, Naturheilkunde, Meditation. Andererseits 

begann die Hippieculture bereits beim Entfalten ihrer yellowsubmarinefarbenen 

Scheinblüte sofort zu verwelken, nach kurzer C & A-Vermarktung. 

Mächtige DNS rief. Weit vom Baum gefallene Äpfel rollten zum 

Stamm zurück. Hippies und Yippies verwandelten sich in Ex-Hippies mit 

Familie, Karriere, Kontoauszügen, oder in T-shirt-Kaufleute. Vom TV- 

Sessel aus sahen sie alternd den wenigen unbeirrbaren Alt-Hippies, Veteranen 

der Rebellion, Oldtime/longtime-Revoluzzern und Ex-Idolen 

beim Älterwerden zu. Bee Gees, Donovan, Mick Jagger ließen sich - 

wenig anders als Rex Gildo oder Heino - von den dreißig Jahren, die binnen 

kürzester Zeit verstrichen, nicht weiter stören und tanzten als 

Dauergäste verjährter Jungbrunnen auf den Gräbern der Frühvollendeten 

-- Elvis Presley, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Brian Jones. 

D: Comeback-Versuche in den 70ern scheiterten für McKenzie auf der 

ganzen Linie - der Troubador der Hippie-Kultur war nicht mehr gefragt - 

; zu manieriert und altbacken kam er im Blümchenkleide daher, ein 

Image, von dem er sich bis heute nicht losgelöst hat. 

A: Trau keinem über 30! 

D: Lieber 60 und würzig 

als 20 und ranzig. 

B: Als ewige Comebackler und Grabflüchter, als lederne Fossilien, 

Mumien und Nachzügler ihrer selbst, mit 59-jährigen Gesichtern bei 

weiterhin 23-jährigen Stimmen, mit Frisuren wie am ersten Tag, zeitlose 

Idealbezahnung inclusive, anachronistisch schillernd zwischen Lifting- 

Messias und Gefrierbrand-Lazarus, frisch aufgetaute Strawberrys forever. 

D (müde): Der Rock'n Roll der 60-er verabschiedet sich nunmehr langsam 

ins Altersheim, wie es der Lauf der Welt will, auch wenn es manche 

nicht wahrhaben wollen. 

B: -- stand im Juli 2000 in der Festival-Zeitung des Burg Herzberg- 

Open Air 2000, herausgegeben vom langhaarig reanimierten „Movement 

of the Hippies“, allwo jährlich 30000 Nonstop-Freaks, Zottelköpfe, 

Radiosendung 411



Dealer, Uralt-Hippies, Feierabend-Hippies, Quasi-Hippies, Zuspät-Hippies, 

Sympathisanten, Nostalgiker zusammengetrommelt werden, sich 

bejahrte Stelldicheins geben, mit John Kay & Steppenwolf, deren Bandmitglieder 

seit über 30 Jahren dieselben Namen tragen, bei wechselnd 

sich verjüngenden Gesichtern, dauerhaft born to be wild. 

A: Drum sagen wir es noch mal richtig: 

B: Der Hanf ist ganz unglaublich wichtig 

C: -- im Reich der angenehmen Klänge, 

D: -- Triolen, Noten und Gesänge! 

(Es erklingt die 2. Hälfte des Fliegenpilz-Liedes von Christof 

Stählin -- ab der Zeile: „Auf dem Mons veneris als Crem 

gestrichen wirkt er angenehm“) 

(Fast alle der gereimten Zitate stammen aus dem Zweitausendeins-Buch: 

„Hanf im Glück. Das Hohe Lied vom hehren Hanf“, 

1996, von Gerhard Seyfried und Mathias Bröckers -- und der 

Fliegenpilz-Song von Christof Stählin, von 1972.) 


Holbein, U. (2006) Glitzernd...pulsierend...eine endlose Zeit lang - Wie 

verändert sich Musik unter Drogeneinfluß? Music Therapy Today 


This article can be cited as: 412 

*



The pleasure of being 

“differently able”: 

Integration through music 

therapy in primary schools 

Esperson, Paola Pecoraro 

Abstract 

This presentation is a review on how group music therapy can help the 

integration as well as the development of “differently able” children in 

regular schools. More specifically, it reports the experience of music 

therapy in a primary school based in Rome with children aged from 6 to 

11. The integration and development process for “differently able” children 

is carried out through a music therapy workshop (Bi-weekly meetings 

of approx. 50 minutes, for the duration of one year groups of 6 to 12 

children comprising one or two children with special needs – mental and/ 

or physical.). Music as non-verbal language (games based on music, 

sound and motion, sound dialogues, etc.) is used to create an “emotional 

container” and an “integrational background” within which diversity 

can more easily be accepted and welcomed and relationships encouraged. 

Emotionally significant relationships motivate children towards 

participation and commitment. 

413

Pecoraro Esperson, P. (2006) The pleasure of being “differently able”: Integration through music therapy in primary 

schools. Music Therapy Today (Online) Vol.VII (2) 413-429. available at http://musictherapyworld.net 

Introduction 

This presentation is a review of how group music therapy can help with 

the integration as well as the development of “Differently Able” children 

in regular schools. 

In Italy since 1977, children with special needs, regardless of the sever- 

ity, have been allowed to attend regular schools on the basis that they 

hold the same rights to education as “normal” children. 

Experimentation and research on handicapped children in regular 

schools, began in the seventies (Falcucci Commission): The outcome of 

these studies was that the progress and development of these children is 

significantly higher when they attend classes formed by “normal” chil- 

dren. 

With the law no. 517 of 1977 and subsequent explanatory circulars, hav- 

ing children with disabilities, attend compulsory schools takes on a more 

profound meaning: there is the need to integrate these children and not 

just make do with their presence. The school is at the service of the for- 

mative needs of every child-individual, to promote the development of 

his/her personality (new programs of the primary schools of 1985). Each 

child-individual is the center of interest of the educator who operates to 

promote the harmonic development of their personality, placing particu- 

lar attention on emphasizing the individual potentials. The philosophical 

and pedagogic orientation defined by the new programs of the primary 

schools (1985) and subsequent orientations of maternal schools (1991), 

stress the importance of diversity as the source of motivation for acquir- 

ing knowledge. 

In Italy, where special needs schools and institutes for rehabilitation are 

practically non-existent, regular schools are responsible for providing 

Introduction 414



education and training to these children. The Italian National Health Ser- 

vice is responsible for only a few, specific therapies (speech therapy, psy- 

chotherapy and physiotherapy) which are undertaken only a couple of 

hours per week. 

Integrative Music Therapy 

The first great impediment which we have to overcome, to even begin the 

educational and habilitational route, is that of the integration, and the 

application of integrative music therapy can be a valid help. 

The passage from attending to integrating, even to this day creates confu- 

sion and is the cause of difficulties. Integration is not a “simple affair”, 

since it is hard to understand what is actually meant by the word. Many 

believe that integration means including, being with children of the same 

age, being in the same place, whereas others think it signifies conforming 

to norms, where one tries to “make normal” and to adapt “disabled” chil- 

dren’s performance to the parameters of “healthy” ones. Still others think 

that integration is impossible to attain. They pose the question as to why 

these “different” children are there, since they are unable to carry out 

many things their peers are able to. At times this distance appears to be so 

great that it is impossible to imagine a single point in common between 

those who are “different” and the others. 

The present theory of integration emphasizes the specific differences of 

each individual. The integration of these children in their classes and 

schools, is not carried out by conforming to the standard “norms” and 

behaviours, but by contributing to the growth and cohesion of the group, 

through the development of their abilities and potentials “in learning, 

communication and in forming relationships, and socializing…” (art 3, 

par3, Law 104/92). 

Integrative Music Therapy 415



In these years, the value given to the process of integration has changed 

the focus from the single individual bearing a handicap, to all the 

diversely able individuals present in a group. Each child is integrated and 

takes part in the process of integration of the group contributing with his/ 

her experience and culture. Every single difference is a source of stimula- 

tion and proposal, reflection and discovery of one’s identity. 

Integrating diversity in a group signifies, from and educational strategy 

point of view, planning a “background” in which this diversity is not 

emphasized, but to the contrary obtains greater value. The actions of the 

individual should never be out of context, for this reason in different con- 

texts reality does not have the same meaning. The background in which 

we move conditions our perception and our thinking modes, changing the 

background changes the meaning of the situation in which we live. 

Changing the Background changes the meaning of the situation in 

which we are living. In other words the relationship between “figure/ 

subject” and “background/reality”. 

“The radical and sudden change of background puts personal 

integration into difficulty, values and abilities, which made existence 

possible and gave it a meaning, become therefore unusable 

…A fundamental educational problem will consist in a programme 

which aims at structuring a context which favours processes 

of integration, that is, of one so desires, the perception of 

oneself as an integrated personality, in constructive relationship 

with reality and the others.” (Zanelli, 1986). 

Music therapy labs for integration have always held as the prime objec- 

tive the establishment of “integrative backgrounds”. This background 

encourages the structuring of integrative contexts, it therefore facilitates 

the development of the child creating an “environmental container” even 

from an emotional point of view. The “emotional container” helps the 

construction of a motivational relational context, which allows the child 




to find a connection between the emotional and cognitive elements and 

facilitates the emotional development. 

With music therapy it is possible to create an integrative background by 

sneaking recognizable material such as dance, music and informal impro- 

visation, which allows children to perceive the cyclic nature of the tasks/ 

exercises/instructions and to interpret them as elements of the environ- 

ment in which the activity is taking place. An environment made of peo- 

ple and objects, a recognizable and recognized environment permitting 

the creation of significant relationships and which motivate the individ- 

ual, emotional, cognitive and social development. 

In particular, the type of conduction of the groups suggested by G. Orff 

(1992), promotes the structuring of the “Backgrounds for Integration”. 

Orff suggests organizing the meeting following five points, (keeping in 

mind the elasticity of the intervention): 

1. A ritual of sonority and movement so as to create an “environmental 

climate”, which characterizes the setting emotionally and affectively 

as “the place where music is played”. 

2. A new element (new dance, new musical game…) 

3. The development of the situation, accepting the spontaneous creative 

contributions of the children. 

4. Eventual changes and elaboration of ideas. 

5. An organic conclusion. 

The theoretic and methodological references, which sustain the interven- 

tions of integrative music therapy, are the result of an integration of vari- 

ous authors as well: 

K.E. Bruscia (1992) and E.H. Boxill (1991) have been my guides during 

the phases of observation (verification), of the planning of the interven- 

tion (treatment) e the evaluation of the results. 




Bruscia (1992) defines music therapy as “…the systematic process of 

intervention, in which the therapists aids the client in improving their 

health utilizing the musical experiences and the relationships which 

develop through them as dynamic forces of change”. 

Boxill suggests a model of musical therapeutic evaluation the application 

of which is particularly effective in an educational and integrative envi- 

ronment as it runs through again the various areas of development, which 

have generally already been investigated with other grids of observation 

by the teachers. Through this model, we observe the general characteris- 

tics of behaviour, handicap and the physical situation, the emotional, 

motor, communicational, cognitive and perceptive domains, the specific 

musical behaviours. 

Such observations, as suggested by Boxill, are then compared with those 

of the other utilised grids. In our case the most utilized is the grid of Pel- 

lerey. 

Even the protocol is the one proposed by Boxill. It should be compiled as 

a “report” of every session and should contain a description of the meet- 

ing, its objectives and the musical therapeutic activities, the response 

from the subject, the degree of participation, the verification of the out- 

come of the meeting relating to the purpose of the laboratory. Boxill 

expects moreover monthly an annual reports. 

Music therapy in its globality of languages of Stefania Guerra Lisi (1977) 

has guided my observation of the “human potentials” and the psycho- 

motor-sensory behaviours for the translation of each language in music. 

Gertrud Orff (1982) has inspired the choice and adoption of the many 

musical therapeutic techniques, and in particular how the groups were 




conducted, which helped with the structuring of the “backgrounds of 

integration”. 

Case studies 

The specific experience refers to my work carried out in a primary school 

in the outskirts of Rome with children aged between 6-8 years. The 

classes involve had two children with grave psychomotor disabilities, 

which I will call Leo and Theo, who were both unable to communicate 

verbally and had just began to communicate with gestures spontaneously 

(Leo had 10 lexical gestures whereas Theo had one gesture). The obser- 

vation of the work carried out has been done following the musical thera- 

peutic model of evaluation of E. H. Boxill. 

The activity of group music therapy for integration was organized in the 

following way: meetings held twice a week lasting 50 minutes; no more 

than four “normal” children from either Leo’ s (7/8 year-olds) or Theo’ s 

(6/7 year-olds) plus the special needs teacher. Theo’ s teacher had never 

attended music therapy sessions. Her task was to try as much as possible 

to comply with the progress of the work with no verbal interventions, 

whereas I observed and complied with eventual “interferences” tied to 

the educational project set to cater for Theo’s specific needs, of whom his 

teacher was directly responsible. We had both been working together for 

the first time. The filming was carried out by an apprentice in music ther- 

apy, of the triennial course of Music Therapy of Rome, organized by the 

Cultural Association FO.RI.FO. legally recognized by the Ministry of 

Public Education. The apprentice had only been employed in April, since 

we deemed necessary to begin our work in a climate of extreme tranquil- 

lity due to the gravity of the cases and the facility with which the group 

Case studies 419



tended to become distracted. The labs referred to in these few video 

images were carried out in the month of October. 

The setting was in a very spacious class full of light and with inappropri- 

ate furnishing comprising three cupboards, containing special educa- 

tional material, the Vayer (1973, 1976) blocks for psychomotor activity 

(which we utilized as percussion instruments) and other musical instru- 

ments, three desks, some chairs. Our GOS (operational instrumental 

group, see Benenzon 1997) was composed of a kettle-drum, a pole of 

templar blocks from the Orff instrumentation, a bag containing simple 

rhythmic instruments of easy manipulation: wooden blocks, various 

types of rattles, cymbals and oscillating cymbals, two-tone blocks, guiro, 

triangles, tambourines, castanets with and without handle, maracas. 

Italian State schools have very little space, and means, so we were lucky 

even to have a classroom for our exclusive use, and a good assortment of 

instruments from the Orff instrumentation. These had been purchased 

using the State funds destined to the project “Music Therapy for Integra- 

tion”, which had already begun the preceding year, when he started 

attending the first year. 

I met Leo, which is the fictitious name I have given to the first child with 

special needs, when he arrived in the first year in primary school. 

He was suffering from a severe cognitive retardation, with a grave lan- 

guage deficit and an accentuated retardation in his motor co-ordination. 

He could not communicate verbally and used three to four spontaneous 

gestures (to indicate some people such as his mother, father and his pri- 

mary physiological needs). The severe handicap of Leo manifested itself 

in an insecure motor control and walk about, which was not entirely 

autonomous, in a tendency to isolation and with his lying forward onto 

Case studies 420



his desk in a passive manner with no reaction to any stimulation and 

coaxing from either individuals or groups. He did not allow any visual 

contact during communication, neither to people nor to things. 

His entry into the year of elementary school had been very difficult for 

Leo his classmates and his teachers, the latter had never had a child with 

such severe handicap, so “difficult to understand”. Moreover his class- 

mates were afraid of him and did not even have the courage to touch him, 

nor take his hand. 

The first year of music therapy had been fundamental in aiding Leo and 

his schoolmates to get to know each other and trust each other. We had 

worked from October to May, holding 40 group encounters, during which 

there had been some very important though slow progress. During this 

period, Leo had developed a good relationship not only with myself, he 

started to look for both eye and physical contact, but also with the chil- 

dren Leo had allowed to enter into his visual field, during the music ther- 

apy labs. Moreover even in the class, he starting to show some preference 

towards two-three children. His classmates had stopped fearing him and 

nearly all of them would go near him without showing any anxiety. 

At the end of the first year of elementary school and at the beginning of 

the second year (the year in which this video refers to) the music-thera- 

peutic evaluation using Boxill’s method can be synthesized as follows 

(verification): 

MOTOR CONTROL Leo needs to be guided and sustained, he looks for the containing physi- 

cal contact of the music therapist. It would be advisable to encourage a 

greater autonomy in his movement and choices. His neurologist however 

advises us to “be his body” guiding his movements to allow him to inter- 

nalize the necessary praxis. 

Case studies 421



COMMUNICATION 

CONTROL: 

he communicates using eight gestures which he begins to use spontane- 

ously to make requests and to express his needs. The language therapist 

suggests we utilize his gestures in the songs. 

COGNITIVE CONTROL: he understands simple messages, he carries out exercises only if inter- 

ested. 

EMOTIONAL CONTROL: he hardly ever expresses his emotional states with facial expressions, 

SOCIAL CONTROL 

(RELATIONAL): 

SPECIFIC MUSICAL 

BEHAVIOURS: 

during some dances he begins to show some brief smiles of “surprise”, he 

does not cry, at times he shouts using acute tones with “iiiis” to show his 

ill ease. The group of therapists considers it useful to work on his choices 

which could help him become aware of that which pleases him or dis- 

pleases him. 

He always asks for contact and sustain from adults, only in very few situ- 

ations does he search for contact with his peers, pulling them from the 

sleeves or making gestures aimed at communicating with them. The 

communicative and interchange contexts should be increased, to allow 

Leo to perceive-express his “likes and dislikes”. 

Listening . he shows attention during the entire activity, he likes to listen 

to the recorded music which is offered to him, he is attracted to the 

sounds made by his classmates contemporaneously. 

Voice. he rarely utilizes his vocal voice “iii” “aaa” “ooo” “io” are always 

spontaneous, never on request. 

Instruments. - he prefers “xylophone” and “idiophonic”, in particular 

rattles, wood blocks and oscillating cymbals. 

Rhythm. - the mirror of his rhythm and participation is characterized by 

the alternation of activity and stasis, rhythmic impetus and silence. 

Case studies 422



Following the musical therapeutic evaluation, which has just been illus- 

trated above, we devised the plan of intervention (treatment). 

The aim of the integrative music therapy laboratory was the follow- 

ing: 

• Encourage the process of integration of the group 

The general objectives for Leo were the following: stimulate and 

motivate Leo to relate both to adults and to his peers. 

(Notwithstanding his progresses Leo still tended towards isolation) 

• Stimulate voluntary actions-reactions during musical activities 

• Encourage individual expression, particularly in expressing his 

“ability to choose”. 

• Encourage the development of “rough” movements, particularly 

by stimulating his gestures on request (e.g. song) and/or through 

imitation, improving his static and dynamic balance. 

For his classmates, the general objective was: 

• Encouraging the development of the relationship amongst peers 

and accepting diversity. 

Whereas the specific and most meaningful objectives were: 

• Encouraging communication/expression and listening amongst 

peers 

• Encouraging the development of the spirit of belonging to a group 

• Developing their skills of attention and memory 

• Encouraging individual expression 

• Developing the skills of interaction in musical games while being 

attentive to the work of the group (e.g. respecting other’s turns, 

alternating roles) 

Through these activities, we help children become more aware and to be 

able to make use of their own physical, expressive and communicative 

means. The exploration and search for rhythm, sounds, and space to be 

shared with the group aid children in feeling betters with themselves and 

with others. 

Case studies 423



Amongst the musical and motor activities available we find the follow- 

ing: 

1. Activities which facilitate group integration. Games in circles which 

do not require any adaptation to one’s own rhythm or that of others, 

conducting a group or a peer or, conversely, allowing others to guide 

us leaving them the responsibility of this guiding (the concept of 

“guiding-following” is very important, the continuous passage from 

one role to another may encourage the skills of expression and comprehension 

of oneself and others, in children). Emotionally significant 

relationships motivate children towards participation and commitment. 

2. Activities aimed at developing perception and sensoriality. Sensitivity 

can be developed by allowing one sense to prevail on the others (perceiving 

by using only the sense of touch without looking, listening 

with one’s eyes closed, observing in silence, etc.) 

3. Activities which stimulate concentration and memory. That is the ability 

to reproduce shapes, routes, movements, rhythms and/or sounds 

subsequent to their perception. 

4. Activities tied to cognitive development. Games that stimulate the 

organization of logical thought, where elements of topology are 

present (internal-external, opening-closure etc.), of evaluation (distance, 

speed, etc.) of relativity (position in relation to…) of transposition 

(from symbols to movement and vice-versa), of mathematical 

logic (classification, series.), of verbal language (breathing, use of 

nursery rhymes, songs using gestures) 

These activities encourage the establishment of relationships with vari- 

ous aspects of the personality of the child, with a global approach, and 

facilitate interdisciplinary work. When utilized in a musical therapeutic 

environment they can be a valid tool in helping to further the integration 

of differently able children.Activities which improve fantasy and non- 

verbal skills of expression. Children are helped to utilize and interchange 

various languages: sound, vocal, graphic, corporeal mimicking, sounds 

are transformed in movement and vice-versa, they are transformed in 

drawings, in shapes, in colours. 

Case studies 424



Conclusion 

As the years went by, I realized how this music-therapeutic work carried 

out and which I still carry out at school, is useful not only for children 

bearing a handicap but also for “normal” ones (it is also useful for myself 

as I continue to “grow” with them). The aspect which struck me the most 

was the way in which the work organized around the difficulties of the 

individual, gave everybody the way to put into evidence their differences 

and necessities. Thanks to “handicap”, the greatest “diversity” of all, 

which creates the most anxiety and ill-ease, especially amongst adults 

and, in a different way, amongst children, I discovered that, in the groups 

that I conducted, the objective became not that of “integrating” the child 

with a disability, but integrating the differences of all the participants. 

The 90s moreover a new need became apparent, that of organizing a mul- 

ticultural school, the problem of children with disabilities became of sec- 

ondary importance, the “pedagogic” and didactic attention was now on 

all types of differences, as stimulus and richness. The scholastic popula- 

tion, all the “differently able” children have become the center from 

which to start planning the school of integration and music therapy in the 

schools. 

Conclusion 425



FIGURE 1. tripartite model 

The music therapy interventions at school could not however be included 

tine the tripartite model (preventive, habilitational -rehabilitational, ther- 

apeutic) , but the absence of a definition of ambit did not signify that it 

did not exist. So we decided to give a new name, to give this ambit a 

sense of reality. Italy, in the last few years, has started to mention also 

Integrative Music therapy to indicate all those interventions carried out in 

the schools in aid of the integration of all those who are “differently 

able”. 

Using music therapy in the schools is not so simple, specific training is 

needed which includes knowledge of the stages of child development and 

learning, good knowledge of group dynamics and of the laws… and 

more. For this reason, four years ago we set up a three year Music ther- 

Conclusion 426



apy course authorized by the Ministry of Education and organized by the 

cultural association FO.RI.FO. in Rome. 

Not all of those who are trained in music therapy are automatically able/ 

ready to work for integration, normally the reference model is that of 

rehabilitation and/or therapeutic. A music therapist in a school very fre- 

quently accepts to work only with the disabled, which then leads to the 

creation of new “differential” classes (only for the disabled), but this is 

not our aim. 

In Italy all children are offered a unique and exceptional experience and 

our aim is to utilize always and to its best this special opportunity. 

The encounter with the handicap becomes a stimulus for everybody, we 

learns to be tolerant, first of all towards ourselves, we faces our fears and 

discover that diversity is not so dreadful, we discover together that every- 

body has something to express and teach.. and it is wonderful to discover 

and know ourselves, just like looking at ourselves in a mirror, but this 

time we are looking at and listening to others! 

To work for the development of the person and his/her well being , the 

starting point is “listening” to “diversity”, originality, the uniqueness of 

each of us. In music therapy and in life every single emotion and experi- 

ence are precious goods for the development of human potentials. 

The pleasure of being differently able is a powerful engine which helps 

us grow and change for the better. 

Conclusion 427



Author information 

Paola Esperson Pecoraro: Music therapist, musician, specialized for 

teaching children with physical/mental/sensorial disabilities, master in 

art therapy, since 1998 director of the FORIFO Music Therapy Course , 

approved by the Ministry of Education, University & Research, Rome, 

Italy , forifo@libero.it 

References 

Benenzon R.O. (1997) La nuova musicoterapia. (ed. italiana) Roma: 

Phoenix. 

Boxill, E. H. (1991) La musicoterapia per bambini disabili. (ed. italiana) 

Torino: Omega. 

Bruscia, K.E. (1992) Definire la musicoterapia. (ed .Italiana), Roma: Gli 

Archetti. 

Orff, G. (1982) Musicoterapia Orff. (ed italiana), Assisi: Cittadella 

Guerra Lisi, Stefania & Balzan, Burchi Parrini (1977) La musicoterapia 

nella globalitá dei linguaggi. (ed. italiana), Bologna: Fuori Tema 

Vayer, P. (1973) Educazione psicomotoria nell’età prescolare. Roma: A. 

Armando. 

Vayer, P. (1976) Educazione psicomotoria nell’età scolare. Roma: A. 

Armando. 

Zanelli P. (1986) Uno sfondo per integrare. (ED. Italiana ), Bologna: 

Cappelli editore. 

Author information 428




Pecoraro Esperson, P. (2006) The pleasure of being “differently able”: 

Integration through music therapy in primary schools. Music Therapy 

Today (Online) Vol.VII (2) 413-429. available at http://musictherapy- 

world.net 




Biomedical Music 

Therapy: Research-Based 

Foundation of the Effects 

of Music - An interview 

with Dale Taylor 

Kern, Petra 

Introduction 

The idea of doing an interview with Dr. Dale Taylor was born, when I 

was teaching “Theories in Music Therapy” at the University of Windsor 

in Canada. My students became very excited about Dr. Taylor’s explana- 

tions of the functioning of music on the human brain, as described in 

Darrow’s textbook Introduction to Approaches to Music Therapy, which 

we used in class. The content resonated with all of us, as it takes “the 

myth and magic out of music therapy.” Having known Dale for more 

than four years through AMTA’s International Relations Committee 

(IRC), I decided to interview him in order to lift his theory out of the text 

book, and give it life through his voice, his personal experiences and 

anecdotes. 

Dr. Taylor earned his bachelor degree at the University of Kansas, 

worked in general hospitals and psychiatric institutes during his clinical 

career, served 35 years as founding Director of the Music Therapy Pro- 

430

Kern, P. (2006) Biomedical Music Therapy: Research-Based Foundation of the Effects of Music - An interview with Dale 

Taylor. Music Therapy Today (Online) Vol.VII (2) 430-435. available at http://musictherapyworld.net 

gram at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Clair, served 8 years as Chair of 

the Department of Allied Health Professions, as well as Editor of the 

International Journal of Arts Medicine. He served as the Secretary/Trea- 

surer of the International Arts Medicine Association, over two decades on 

NAMT and AMTA Assembly of Delegates, as AMTA’s Certification- 

Registration Committee Chair, as National Coordinator of Student 

Affairs (USA), and as President and Vice President of AMTA’s Great 

Lakes Region. He is the originator of the Biomedical Theory of Music 

Therapy, authored Biomedical Foundations of Music Therapy, and his 

research is published in Music Therapy Perspectives, the Journal of 

Music Therapy, and in many books edited by colleagues. 

During this year’s AMTA Regional Music Therapy conferences, I took 

the opportunity to meet with Dr. Taylor and his great wife Jennifer at the 

Sheraton hotel in Detroit to talk about his motivation behind the develop- 

ment of the Biomedical Theory of Music Therapy, as well as his founding 

principles, applications, and much more. In this interview, Dale tells his 

story and shares his vision with readers and listeners of Music Therapy 

Today. Join me in the quest to understand the power of music on the 

human brain. 

Interview 

Question: What is Biomedical Music Therapy? 

TAYLOR_TEXT 1.mp3 (1,6 MB) 

Question: What was your thought process and motivation behind devel- 

oping the Biomedical Theory of Music Therapy? 

Interview 431




Question: What are the biomedical foundations of music as therapy? 

TAYLOR_ TEXT 3.mp3 (2 MB) 

Question: What happens when we utilize music therapy interventions? 

And what is the role of a music therapist? 

TAYLOR_ TEXT 4.mp3 (1,7 MB) 

Question: Where do professionals successfully apply the Biomedical 

Theory of Music Therapy? 


Question: Is there any research regarding what happens in the brain? 


Question: What does it take to practice Biomedical Music Therapy? 


Interview 432



Question: What is the difference between Biomedical and Neurological 

Music Therapy? 


Question: What is the current status of Biomedical Music Therapy in the 

broader picture of music therapy? 


Question: How does the medical field respond to Biomedical Music 

Therapy? 


Question: What is your vision? Where do you want to see Biomedical 

Music Therapy headed in the future? 

TAYLOR_ TEXT 11.mp3 (1 MB) 

Thank you, Dale, for making this interview happen, and for giving the 

field of music therapy a framework for understanding the effects of 

music. 

Interview 433



INTERNET SITES 

REFERRED BY DR. DALE 

TAYLOR: 

Topic related resources: 

Altenmüller, E., Gruhn, W., Parlitz, D., & Kahrs, J. (1997). Music learn- 

ing produces changes in brain activation patterns: A longitudinal DC- 

EEG study. International Journal of Arts Medicine, 5 (1), 28-33. 

Darrow, A.-A. (Ed.). (2004). Introduction to approaches in music ther- 

apy. Silver Springs, MD: The American Music Therapy Association, Inc. 

Pratt, R. R. (1999). Listing to music during surgery: A program of inter- 

mountain health. International Journal of Arts Medicine, 6 (1), 21-30. 

Pratt, R. R. (1989). A brief history of music and medicine. In M. H. Lee 

(Ed.), Rehabilitation, Music and human well-being (pp.1-12). Saint 

Louis, MO: MMB Music, Inc. 

Spintge, R. & Droh, R. (1987). Effects of anxiolytic music on plasma 

levels of stress hormones in different medical specialties. In Pratt (Ed.), 

The Fourth International Symposium on Music: Rehabilitation and 

human well-being (pp.88-101), Lanham, MD: University Press of Amer- 

ica. 

Taylor, D. B. (1997). Biomedical foundations of music therapy. Saint 

Louis, MO: MMB Music, Inc. 

Hope E. Young, MT-BC 

http://www.centerformusictherapy.com/ 

Terra E. Rowley, MM. MT-BC 

http://www.healthandharmonymusic.com/ 

Rena Zellner Burr, MT-BC 

Topic related resources: 434



THIS ARTICLE CAN BE 

CITED AS: 

http://members.aol.com/musictherapycc/page4.html 

About the Author 

Dr. Petra Kern MT-BVM, MT-BC is a member of the Music Therapy 

Today editorial board. She is currently a faculty member at the School of 

Music, University of Windsor, Canada. In addition to her research in 

early childhood, inclusion, and autism, she is interested in developing 

innovative teaching strategies. Petra can be contacted at PetraK- 

ern(at)prodigy.net. 

Kern, P. (2006) Biomedical Music Therapy: Research-Based Foundation 

of the Effects of Music - An interview with Dale Taylor. Music Therapy 

Today (Online) Vol.VII (2) 430-435. available at http://musictherapy- 

world.net 

About the Author 435



Instituto Música, Arte Y 

Proceso - Music, Art and 

Process Institute 

del Campo, Paxti 

The Institute 

The Instituto Música, Arte y Proceso (Music, Art and Process Institute) is 

celebrating an anniversary this year. This Institute has a lot of experience 

organizing courses, summer schools and congresses, among them the VII 

Music Therapy World Congress. But this is a special year since it cele- 

brates the organization of the XX AgrupArte Summer School. 

During the past 20 years many international music therapists have partic- 

ipated in these Summer Schools, including Tony Wigram (UK & Den- 

mark), Helen Odell (UK), Amelia Oldfield (UK), Gianluigi di Franco 

(Italy), David Aldridge (Germany), Denise Grocke (Australia), Melisa 

Mercadal (Spain), Inge Nygaard Pedersen (Denmark), Jaakko Erkillä 

(Finland), Juha Salo (Finland), Alice Ann Darrow (USA), Daniela Laufer 

(Germany), etc. 

It was in July 1987 when the Institute started to hold the Music Therapy 

Summer School in Vitoria-Gasteiz and we have held it every year since 

436

Del Campo, P. (2006) Instituto Música, Arte Y Proceso - Music, Art and Process Institute. Music Therapy 

Today (Online) Vol.VII (2)436-439. available at http://musictherapyworld.net 

then. In 1989 we also started to hold the European Music Therapy Semi- 

nar due to the interest awaked among the different international associa- 

tions of professionals. It was during the Third European Music Therapy 

Seminary in Vitoria-Gasteiz in 1991 when the European Music Therapy 

Committee was created. Helen Odell, Gianluigi di Franco, Tony Wigram 

and Patxi del Campo (see figure 1) were the founders. 

FIGURE 1. 

In 2004 XVIII Summer School AgrupArte 2004 held the 30 th anniversary 

of the ISME Commission on Music in Special Education, Music Therapy 

and Music Medicine. 

“Rhythm” will be the theme of this XX Summer School, as it will repre- 

sent the “2 decades we have spent behind the rhythm”. This year we also 

have various teachers from all around the world who will give confer- 

ences and workshops around this theme. 

The Institute 437



TABLE 1. 

1987 AgrupArte 2006 

FIGURE 2. 

To conclude the celebrations in September, Vitoria-Gasteiz will host the 

EMTC General Assembly. This assembly, which will take place on 28 th 

and 29 th September, will be followed by an International Music Therapy 

Congress, on 30 th September and 1 st October. 

For more information about the Music, Art and Process Institute and the 

courses and events it organizes see the following website: www.agru- 

parte.com 

1987 AgrupArte 2006 438




Del Campo, P. (2006) Instituto Música, Arte Y Proceso - Music, Art and 

Process Institute. Music Therapy Today (Online) Vol.VII (2) 436-439. 

available at http://musictherapyworld.net 




Odds and ends - themes 

and trends 

Doch, Tom 

Permissions for Reuse Information entropy of 

humpback whale songs 

Source: http://scitation.aip.org/getabs/servlet/GetabsServlet?prog=nor- 

mal&id=JASMAN000119000003001849000001&idtype=cvips&gifs=Y 

es 

©2006 Acoustical Society of America 

The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America -- March 2006 -- Vol- 

ume 119, Issue 3, pp. 1849-1866 

The structure of humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) songs was 

examined using information theory techniques. The song is an ordered 

sequence of individual sound elements separated by gaps of silence. 

Song samples were converted into sequences of discrete symbols by both 

human and automated classifiers. 

440

Permissions for Reuse Information entropy of humpback whale songs 

This paper analyzes the song structure in these symbol sequences using 

information entropy estimators and autocorrelation estimators. Both 

parametric and nonparametric entropy estimators are applied to the sym- 

bol sequences representing the songs. 

The results provide quantitative evidence consistent with the hierarchical 

structure proposed for these songs by Payne and McVay [Science 173, 

587–597 (1971)]. 

Specifically, this analysis demonstrates that: (1) There is a strong struc- 

tural constraint, or syntax, in the generation of the songs, and (2) the 

structural constraints exhibit periodicities with periods of 6–8 and 180– 

400 units. 

This implies that no empirical Markov model is capable of representing 

the songs' structure. The results are robust to the choice of either human 

or automated song-to-symbol classifiers. 

In addition, the entropy estimates indicate that the maximum amount of 

information that could be communicated by the sequence of sounds made 

is less than 1 bit per second. 

OUTDOORLINKS: Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering Dartmouth 

http://www.umassd.edu/engineering/ece/research/ece_research.cfm 

"Information Theory & Whale Song" 

Science journalist David Baron reports on new research using informa- 

tion theory to codify the patterns of whale song. 

Odds and ends - themes and trends 441

Musical Healing 

http://www.abc.net.au/rn/science/ss/stories/s140922.htm 


Source: www.cbsnews.com/ April 16, 2006 

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/04/16/sunday/main1501200.shtml 

©MMVI, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. 

Glenn Schifano is a music therapist - one of five thousand in the United 

States. He "performs" at Schneider Children's Hospital in Long Island 

and his audiences are children with life threatening diseases like cancer 

and heart disease. He plays not for money, not for fame, but to heal and 

offer hope. "It seeks to dispel some of the frustrating, suffering that goes 

on here," Schifano tells CBS Sunday Morning correspondent Dan Rather 

of his music. "A child that really can non-verbalize some of their angst, 

some of their pain can really verbally, through music, express that," he 

says. "It can be very healing." Schifano started his rounds on this day 

with 5-year-old Jake Brower, who less than two hours earlier had his 10th 

brain operation. "To put the shaker in his hand and then to get him to 

shake on his own, I think it was empowering for him and also empower- 

ing for parent," Schifano says. Baby Sekura is suffering from a head 

injury and Schifano is playing for both the baby and her father. "You can 

just imagine dad feeling overwhelmingly anxious -- they both got into 

this kind of lull and that is the hope, what you wanna do. That's, you 

know, the baby to feel that the father is calm, the mother is calm, there is 

safety there, there is security there," Schifano explains. 



When it comes to 18-year-old Ashley Crawford, who suffers from leuke- 

mia, Schifano doesn't have to figure out what music she needs. She was 

spelling it out to me: 'I wanna learn 'Ode to Joy.' Teach me 'Ode to Joy.' If 

it was last thing she did on this planet that is what she wanted to do, that 

was it. Give her that joy," Schifano says. For sick children well enough to 

live at home but still needing check ups, Schifano is the first person they 

meet in the hospital, even before their doctors "Children come in, kids 

sign in, get blood drawn and go on to treatment area. That finger stick 

room dictates what happens that day," Schifano says. If music therapy 

only makes treatment less painful and sickness more bearable, it would 

seem to be enough. But music therapy does more: it sometimes can save 

lives. Just ask Dr. Mark Atlas, who heads the hospital's transplant unit, 

where the survival rate for children is only 40 percent. "The children in 

transplant tend to have difficulties with high blood pressure, both from 

medications and from pain. Relaxation, enjoyment, good positive mental 

state can help decrease blood pressure which actually improves their out- 

come," Atlas explains. 

Music can sometimes improve the outcome even with the youngest of the 

young. Ashton Webster arrived a perilous 10 weeks early, weighing less 

than one and a half pounds Up is bad; down is good in terms of the baby's 

breathing. The more Schifano sang, the more Ashton's mother and hospi- 

tal staff could see "down" All those differences were reason for hope said 

Dr. Dennis Davidson, chief of the neonatal unit. "These small, premature 

babies while they are in their hospital stay can develop neurologically," 

Davidson claims. "The sucking reflex becomes better, they gain weight 

faster and ultimately they are out of the hospital faster." 


Infants can organise visual information at just four months 

Music therapy began not with children, but World Wart II soldiers suffer- 

ing from battle-induced stress and trauma. Today music is medicine for 

all ages. At Beth Israel Hospital in New York City, a leading music ther- 

apy training center, nurses and aides often join in to help the elderly han- 

dle fear or depression. Premature children hear whooshing sounds to 

sooth their too quick transition from their mother's womb to the real 

world. Even the therapist handle their own stress with music. Schifano 

knows that melodies can not forestall the finality of death. Despite all 

medical and musical efforts, he sees both the old and the young some- 

times finally succumb. "I try not to get concerned with that," Schifano 

says. "I try to keep in here and now, keep the child in here and now and 

be there for the family, musically and emotionally." 

Infants can organise visual information at just four 

months 

Source: www.alphagalileo.org/27 Apr 2006 

http://www.alphagalileo.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=readrelease&releaseid=511896 

Research investigating attention in infancy has revealed that, at just four 

months old, babies are able to organise visual information in at least three 

different ways, according to brightness, shape, and how close the visual 

elements are together (proximity). 

These new findings mean that very young infants are much more capable 

of organising their visual world than psychologists had previously 

thought. 



The study also has implications for understanding certain developmental 

disorders such as Williams syndrome. 

The findings emerged from Economic and Social Research Council 

funded research investigating different styles of visual attention in babies 

from the age of two to eight months. 

Paying attention to visual stimuli is important in the development of 

object recognition, and is also needed for the development of memory, 

motor skills and other key abilities. 

Led by psychologists Dr Emily Farran at the University of Reading and 

Dr Janice Brown at London South Bank University, the initial aim of the 

research was to investigate the underlying reasons why some babies are 

‘short-lookers’ and shift visual attention rapidly, while others are ‘long- 

lookers’ who keep their attention fixed for longer. 

Previously, these categories were thought to be relatively stable traits 

indicative of individual differences, with links to later cognitive develop- 

ment. 

However, the research revealed that babies often move between these 

two categories over the timescale studied. 

“The literature talks about the short-looking and long-looking categories, 

and links to later abilities are suggested. Unusually, we looked at this lon- 

gitudinally, so we were able to pick up that these categories weren’t sta- 

ble” says Dr Farran. “So these differences can’t be indicative of 

differential brain development, or predictive of later abilities.” 



Some of the research was designed to test whether infants are able to 

organise visual stimuli into groups based on similar attributes: bright- 

ness, shape, and proximity. 

To take part in the visual grouping experiments, each baby was placed in 

a car seat facing a screen onto which images were projected. 

Overhead cameras recorded how long each infant looked at images on 

the screen. 

The infants were shown an array where the stimuli were arranged by sim- 

ilarity in either horizontal lines or vertical columns. For example, for 

grouping by shape, an array of horizontal lines (or vertical columns) 

made up of squares and circles was used, constructed so that shape dis- 

crimination would be needed to ‘see’ lines or columns in the array. 

To test if visual grouping had occurred, images of plain bars of horizontal 

lines and vertical columns were then shown. If the infants looked for a 

longer time at either the line or column bars on average, this would indi- 

cate an effect of the earlier lines or columns made up of squares and cir- 

cles, indicating grouping. 

The results showed that grouping by brightness emerges first: it was 

observed at two months, in line with previous observations that this abil- 

ity is present in newborn babies. 

At four months, two further grouping abilities emerged: grouping by 

shape and by proximity. 



Proximity grouping had not been tested in infants prior to this research, 

and grouping by shape had previously been seen only at six or seven 

months. 

Dr Farran argues that it’s important to understand the development of 

low-level processes such as attention from early on in order to understand 

how higher-level processes such as object recognition – which requires 

grouping by several different visual characteristics – develop. 

But the researchers also have a further interest: having established this 

pattern of development in normal infants, they intend to turn their atten- 

tion to what happens in infants affected by developmental disorders. The 

research group already has a new ESRC-funded project under way with 

Williams syndrome infants – a condition where attention and visual per- 

ception are particularly affected. 

Visual grouping research, Dr Farran argues, is essential to providing a 

proper starting point for the new research. 

“In many atypical disorders, people look at what’s happening in adults 

and assume that the same patterns of performance would be observed in 

children”, says Dr Farran. ”But often there are quite different patterns. In 

cognitive development, small differences can cascade over time, so it’s 

very important to get a grip on what’s going on at the start and how it 

develops longitudinally, so we can see how the developmental trajectory 

grows.” 

According to Dr Farran, until recently Williams syndrome children were 

rarely diagnosed at an early enough stage. Now diagnosis is often earlier, 


Nonconscious semantic processing of emotional words modulates conscious 

plus there is a genetic test – but interventions are still something for the 

future. 

“If we can find out about cognitive development from infancy onwards in 

today’s Williams syndrome children, the next generation will benefit 

from this”, she predicts. 

OUTDOORLINKS: Economic and Social Research Council 

http://www.esrc.ac.uk/ESRCInfoCentre/index.aspx 

Dr Emily Farran 

http://www.personal.rdg.ac.uk/~sxs01ekf/ 

Dr Janice Brown at London South 

http://www.lsbu.ac.uk/psycho/staff/brown.shtml 

Nonconscious semantic processing of emotional 

words modulates conscious access 

By Raphaël Gaillard, Antoine Del Cul, Lionel Naccache, Fabien Vinck- 

ier, Laurent Cohen, and Stanislas Dehaene 

Source: www.pnas.org/ April 28, 2006 

http://www.pnas.org/cgi/content/abstract/0600584103v1?etoc 

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 10.1073/pnas.0600584103 


Nonconscious semantic processing of emotional words modulates conscious 

Whether masked words can be processed at a semantic level remains a 

controversial issue in cognitive psychology. 

Although recent behavioral studies have demonstrated masked semantic 

priming for number words, attempts to generalize this finding to other 

categories of words have failed. 

Here, as an alternative to subliminal priming, we introduce a sensitive 

behavioral method to detect nonconscious semantic processing of words. 

The logic of this method consists of presenting words close to the thresh- 

old for conscious perception and examining whether their semantic con- 

tent modulates performance in objective and subjective tasks. 

Our results disclose two independent sources of modulation of the thresh- 

old for access to consciousness. 

First, prior conscious perception of words increases the detection rate of 

the same words when they are subsequently presented with stronger 

masking. 

Second, the threshold for conscious access is lower for emotional words 

than for neutral ones, even for words that have not been previously con- 

sciously perceived, thus implying that written words can receive noncon- 

scious semantic processing. 

OUTDOORLINKS: Raphaël Gaillard 

E-mail: raphael.gaillard(at)normalesup.org 

Laurent Cohen 


Brain Reader Part 1: Researchers can now see what your brain is doing just by 

http://www.ceremade.dauphine.fr/~cohen/ 

Fabien Vinckier 

http://cognivence.risc.cnrs.fr/adhesion/member.php?id=275 

Stanislas Dehaene 

http://www.edge.org/3rd_culture/bios/dehaene.html 

Brain Reader Part 1: Researchers can now see what 

your brain is doing just by shining beams of light into 

your head 

Source: www.sciencentral.com/04.28.06 

http://www.sciencentral.com/articles/view.php3?article_id=218392782 

They still can't read your thoughts just by looking at you, but researchers 

can now see what your brain is doing just by shining beams of light into 

your head. 

A ScienCentral News video explains. 

Seeing Our Thoughts? 

It kind of looks like a motorcycle helmet from the future; divided into 

sections with colored stripes, drilled full of holes, and stuck full of fiber 

optic cables. 

But don't be fooled -- it's actually a new brain imaging technique. Cogni- 

tive neuroscientists at the Beckman Institute at the University of Illinois, 



Gabriele Gratton and Monica Fabiani call it EROS and explain that it 

works by using harmless beams of light. 

EROS stands for event related optical signal. It's optical because it uses 

light reflections and it's event-related because the signals it produces mir- 

ror events in the brain. 

So how can light give you an accurate picture of what's happening in the 

brain? 

"Even though we are not transparent, light does penetrate into tissue," 

Fabiani explains. 

So just like pressing a red laser pointer against your finger makes it glow 

red, shining light on your scalp also makes your brain give off faint 

reflections. 

As reported in "Scientific American Mind" magazine, EROS catches 

these reflections to create a picture of the activity in brain cells, or neu- 

rons. 

Gratton and Fabiani explain that each fiber optic cable going into the hel- 

met is either a light source or a detector. The helmet holds them in place 

directly on the scalp so that they touch the skin in between hairs. When 

the light sources are turned on, the light diffuses through the head and 

ultimately reflects back, getting picked up by the detectors on the way 

out. 

When neurons are active they swell with water, causing the light to travel 

through them in a very different way when they are firing than when 

they're resting. "The particles of the light take bounces all around the tis- 



sue and depending on whether the neurons are active or inactive the 

bounces will change," Fabiani says. 

Gratton says they can tell whether brain cells are active by how long it 

takes for the light to travel from the sources back to the detectors. 

"So light, of course, moves very quickly, but we can, with our instrumen- 

tation, detect changes in the time light takes to move through the head," 

he says. 

A computer program can then create statistically-generated images of 

brain activity by mapping these delays. 

But you can't use just any color of light -- only certain wavelengths pro- 

duce reflections. If you try pressing a green laser pointer against your fin- 

ger rather than a red one, you'll see that it doesn't make your finger glow. 

That's because, green light, which is actually a higher-energy (but shorter 

wavelength) kind of light than red, gets mostly absorbed by the tissues 

inside our bodies. 

Red light and near-infrared light (longer wavelengths), on the other hand, 

get reflected back out. "Near-infrared light, which is a low-energy light is 

very useful for imaging because the substances that are in the human 

body tend to absorb very little light at this particular wavelength," Grat- 

ton says. 

Using such low-energy light, makes EROS particularly safe. Gratton says 

that in fact, much more light travels through our heads when we're just 

sitting indoors under normal lighting than during any of their experi- 

ments. 



So what makes EROS special? 

Science already has multiple other ways to view brain activity, but every 

method has its own set of limitations. 

Functional MRI (fMRI) is a brain-imaging method based on showing 

where blood is flowing in the brain. It's based on the assumption that 

blood will flow to the areas of the brain where neurons are active. 

However, it takes much more time for blood to flow than it takes neurons 

to be active. "So you present a stimulus and you wait one, two, three, four 

seconds… and now you see a response of the brain by using functional 

MRI," explains Gratton. 

Fabiani says that although four seconds may not seem like a lot of time, 

it's ages in terms of brain activity. 

The brain acts in the range of milliseconds rather than seconds. So 

although fMRI gives you a very good picture of brain structure, and 

where in the brain activity is happening, it suffers from a time delay. 

Other methods of visualizing brain activity do work in the milliseconds 

range, such as electrical measures like ERPs and electroencephalography. 

But, unlike fMRI, they don't show very accurately where the activity is 

happening. 

The type of images they produce are more like line graphs showing the 

intensity of activity over time, but that don't tell researchers in which 

region it's happening. 



EROS overcomes both of these issues -- where and when activity is hap- 

pening -- at the same time. As Gratton says, "With EROS we obtain this 

type of combination of spatial and temporal information, and the advan- 

tage is that we can get a single technology to do these two things 

together." 

The result is that EROS can generate almost real-time movies of brain 

activity. 

"I believe that this may have very beneficial effect in the long run, both in 

terms of medical and clinical applications, but also in human engineer- 

ing," says Gratton. 

For example, he says cars and other everyday machines can eventually be 

improved based on how our brains process what we see. 

Nevertheless, EROS does have some limitations. 

For example, it can't be used to visualize the deepest parts of the brain 

and the signal it produces is fairly small. Because of the faintness of the 

signal, readings have to be taken multiple times to produce the statisti- 

cally-generated images. 

OUTDOORLINKS: Beckmann Institute 

A recent study done by the researchers used EROS to show how older 

brains are more easily distracted.However, using it together with other 

techniques like electrical measurements and fMRI has shown that it is 

just as accurate in showing what the brain is doing. Gratton and Fabiani 

are already using it to shed new light on complex brain activities. 


Brain Reader Part 2: As we age, our brains start to pay too much attention to 

http://www.beckman.uiuc.edu/ 

A ScienCentral News video 


Gabriele Gratton 

http://www.beckman.uiuc.edu/profiles/faculty/grattong.html 

Monica Fbiani 

http://www.beckman.uiuc.edu/profiles/faculty/mfabiani.html 

Brain Reader Part 2: As we age, our brains start to 

pay too much attention to things that might not be 

important. 

Source: www.sciencentral.com/04.28.06 


Scientists have found that as we age, our brains start to pay too much 

attention to things that might not be important. 

As this ScienCentral News video explains, this hyper-attention can actu- 

ally make us more distractible. 

DISTRACTED BRAINS Staying focused in a world full of ticking clocks, clicking keyboards, and 

beeping smoke detectors is not as easy as you might think. Our brains 

have to decide what information is important enough to be introduced 

into our conscious minds and filter out all the rest. 



In other words, it has to know to tune out the sound of that crinkling 

paper and keep streaming in the words you're trying to read. 

If you've ever tried reading with a dripping faucet in the background, you 

probably know that sometimes this process doesn't always work per- 

fectly. 

"All of us can be annoyed by something like that at times, but most of us 

are able to block such things out," says Monica Fabiani, a cognitive neu- 

roscientist at the University of Illinois. 

But Fabiani has shown that how successful we are at ignoring back- 

ground information might actually be connected to how old we are. 

In a recent study, she showed that people over seventy years of age have 

a tougher time tuning out such distractions. (See OutDoorLink above!) 

Fabiani and her team at the Beckman Institute used a new brain imaging 

technique known as EROS. Fabiani and her husband Gabriele Gratton 

are pioneering the use of EROS, which has some distinct advantages over 

other imaging methods. 

"EROS is a technique for looking at the brain in action," says Fabiani. 

"It's based on the diffusion of light into the tissue." Using reflected light 

patterns to show brain activity, EROS gives the researchers a good idea 

of both the timing and location of brain events, all in a single technology. 

Fabiani and her team measured brain activity in sixteen young and six- 

teen older volunteers who read a book of their choice while distracting 

tones played in the background. They adjusted the volume of the tones so 



that all the volunteers heard them at the same level, irrelevant of the qual- 

ity their hearing. 

"The tones come in trains of fives, so that you have basically beep beep 

beep beep beep and then there is a pause," explains Fabiani. 

The researchers took two different measurements of brain activity -- both 

EROS and a measurement of electrical activity in the brain. 

Both techniques produced similar brain activity patterns -- volunteers in 

their twenties only responded to the first tone in each sequence and then 

ignored the rest, but the older adults' brains responded to all five of the 

tones. "And so presumably that might have an influence on their reading, 

and on their performance of their main task," Fabiani says. 

With EROS, the researchers could also see which regions of the older 

adults' brains kept responding to the sounds. 

Fabiani describes the electrical measurements as being diffused over the 

cortex. EROS, on the other hand, allowed them to see where in the brain 

activity occured - in this case, in the auditory cortex. 

Without EROS, she says, "We would not have the information that there 

are clear patterns of this type in auditory cortex, we would know that 

there are responses of this type, but we wouldn't be sure where they are 

coming from." 

It might seem intuitive to guess that the patterns would be found in the 

auditory cortex, since the responses are directly related to hearing, but 



Fabiani says this provides validation for using EROS in more compli- 

cated experiments where it would be impossible to guess in advance 

where the brain activity will happen. 

Fabiani says their study helps to reveal why our mental performance 

starts to naturally deteriorate as we age. She says there are many different 

changes in our brains as we age, but this simple experiment shows one of 

those ground-level changes. 

"This suggests that older adults may be more distractible and therefore 

some of their resources might be devoted to things that are not as impor- 

tant," she says. 

And figuring out what's normal is the first step in being able to diagnose 

abnormal diseases -- like Alzheimer's disease. Although Fabiani says 

EROS is not yet suitable as a diagnostic tool, the kind of information it 

provides about brain activity may one day be very useful in many clinical 

situations. 

OUTDOORLINKS: Newsletter InfoNutrient-Archiv 

http://www.tomdoch.de/work/newsletter/archiv/index.html 

Monica Fabiani 

http://www.beckman.uiuc.edu/profiles/faculty/mfabiani.html 

Reduced Suppression or Labile Memory? 

Mechanisms of Inefficient Filtering of Irrelevant Information in Older 

Adults 


Neurogenesis Not Needed for Environmental Enrichment Effects 

http://jocn.mitpress.org/cgi/content/abstract/18/4/637 

Beckman Institute 

http://www.beckman.uiuc.edu/ 

Neurogenesis Not Needed for Environmental 

Enrichment Effects 

By Pat McCaffrey 

Source: www.alzforum.org/30 April 2006 

http://www.alzforum.org/new/detail.asp?id=1385 

Happy mice, raised in cages filled with toys and exercise wheels, are bet- 

ter learners and show less anxiety than their less privileged littermates 

housed in standard bare cage conditions. Happy mice also display more 

neurogenesis in their hippocampi than standard-caged mice, because 

exercise and environmental stimulation seems to crank up the birth of 

new neurons in the subgranular zone of the dentate gyrus. 

These new neurons have been assumed to contribute to environmental 

enrichment effects. But do they? 

A paper in today’s Nature Neuroscience online suggests that hippocam- 

pal neurogenesis is not required for mice to display better spatial learning 

and lower anxiety in an enriched environment. 

The results, from Rene Hen and colleagues at Columbia University in 

New York, stand in direct contradiction to a study published last year by 



French researchers, which found that turning off neurogenesis blocked 

environment-induced memory enhancement in rats. 

While differences between studies, or the existence of different pathways 

to learning, might account for opposite outcomes, the new evidence 

means the jury must re-evaluate the role of adult neurogenesis in modify- 

ing learning and behavior. 

The verdict is of interest to Alzheimer researchers, because environmen- 

tal enrichment has been shown to decrease both amyloid pathology and 

cognitive defects in mouse models of AD. 

To investigate the role of neurogenesis in environment, joint first authors 

Dar Meshi, Michael Drew, and their colleagues used targeted radiation to 

kill off neuronal progenitors in the hippocampus before upgrading their 

mice to deluxe accommodations. 

The researchers showed that bromodeoxyuridine and doublecortin—neu- 

rogenesis markers that otherwise appear in the hippocampus after envi- 

ronmental enrichment—were absent from irradiated animals. 

Six weeks later, the irradiated and control mice were put through several 

behavioral tests, including those for anxiety, habituation to a new envi- 

ronment, and for spatial learning in the Morris water maze. 

In each case, environmental enrichment improved the animals’ perfor- 

mance, and that improvement was unaffected by previous irradiation. 

From this the authors concluded that, at least for these tasks, the effects 

of environment do not require adult neurogenesis. 



The findings contrast those of Elodie Bruel-Jungerman and colleagues, 

who reported that ablating neurogenesis by injecting the anti-mitotic drug 

methylazoxymethanol acetate (MAM) totally blocked the improvement 

in long-term memory that followed environmental enrichment in rats. 

The studies use different species, and different ways of knocking out neu- 

rogenesis, leading Meshi et al. to speculate that the systemic administra- 

tion of MAM versus localized irradiation may be one explanation for the 

discrepancies. 

The studies also tested the animals on different tasks, raising the possibil- 

ity that some behavioral changes require neurogenesis while others do 

not. 

In support of this, the Cornell group previously showed that hippocampal 

irradiation blocks the ability of antidepressant drugs to reduce the anxiety 

response in mice. For the neurogenesis-independent effects, increased 

levels of growth factors, dendritic branching, or synaptogenesis are all 

potential explanations for the environmental enrichment observed in irra- 

diated mice. 

OUTDOORLINKS: Rene Hen 

Correspondence should be addressed to 

René Hen, Email: rh95(at)columbia.edu 

http://cpmcnet.columbia.edu/dept/neurobeh/Hen_center.html 


Cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, and respiratory changes induced by different 

Cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, and respiratory 

changes induced by different types of music in 

musicians and non-musicians: the importance of 

silence 

Source: Heart 2006;92:445-452; doi:10.1136/hrt.2005.064600 

http://heart.bmjjournals.com/cgi/content/full/92/4/445?maxtoshow=&HITS=10&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&author1=bernardi&andorexactfulltext=and&searchid=1&FIRSTINDEX=0&sortspec 

=relevance&resourcetype=HWCIT 

© 2006 by BMJ Publishing Group Ltd & British Cardiac Society 

OBJECTIVE: To assess the potential clinical use, particularly in modulating stress, of 

changes in the cardiovascular and respiratory systems induced by music, 

specifically tempo, rhythm, melodic structure, pause, individual prefer- 

ence, habituation, order effect of presentation, and previous musical 

training. 

DESIGN: Measurement of cardiovascular and respiratory variables while patients 

listened to music. 

SETTING: University research laboratory for the study of cardiorespiratory auto- 

nomic function. 

PATIENTS: 12 practising musicians and 12 age matched controls. 

INTERVENTIONS: After a five minute baseline, presentation in random order of six different 

music styles (first for a two minute, then for a four minute track), with a 

randomly inserted two minute pause, in either sequence. 


MAIN OUTCOME 

MEASURES: 

Cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, and respiratory changes induced by different 

Breathing rate, ventilation, carbon dioxide, RR interval, blood pressure, 

mid-cerebral artery flow velocity, and baroreflex. 

RESULTS: Ventilation, blood pressure, and heart rate increased and mid-cerebral 

artery flow velocity and baroreflex decreased with faster tempi and sim- 

pler rhythmic structures compared with baseline. No habituation effect 

was seen. The pause reduced heart rate, blood pressure, and minute venti- 

lation, even below baseline. An order effect independent of style was evi- 

dent for mid-cerebral artery flow velocity, indicating a progressive 

reduction with exposure to music, independent of style. Musicians had 

greater respiratory sensitivity to the music tempo than did non-musicians. 

CONCLUSIONS: Music induces an arousal effect, predominantly related to the tempo. 

Slow or meditative music can induce a relaxing effect; relaxation is par- 

ticularly evident during a pause. Music, especially in trained subjects, 

may first concentrate attention during faster rhythms, then induce relax- 

ation during pauses or slower rhythms. 

For Fulltext, picts and references please go to 

 

Correspondence to: 

Dr Luciano Bernardi, Email: lbern1ps@unipv.it or Luciano.Ber- 

nardi@ok.rcs.it 

OUTDOORLINKS: Luciano.Bernard 


Estrogen-dependent selectivity of genomic responses to birdsong 

http://ok.corriere.it/medici/bernardi.shtml 

Estrogen-dependent selectivity of genomic responses 

to birdsong 

By Donna L. Maney, Ellen Cho and Christopher T. Goode 

Source: www.blackwell-synergy.com/ Volume 23 Page 1523 - March 

2006 

http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1460- 

9568.2006.04673.x 

doi:10.1111/j.1460-9568.2006.04673.x/Volume 23 Issue 6 

ABSTRACT Behavioral responses to sociosexual signals often depend on gonadal ste- 

roid hormones, which are thought to modulate behavior by acting on 

motivational systems in the brain. 

There is mounting evidence that sex steroids may also modulate percep- 

tion of sociosexual signals by affecting sensory processing. 

In seasonally breeding songbirds such as the white-throated sparrow 

(Zonotrichia albicollis), the female's behavioral response to hearing male 

song depends on her plasma levels of estradiol (E2). 

Here, we examined whether plasma E2 also affects the selectivity of the 

song-induced zenk (egr-1) response in the auditory forebrain, which is 

known to vary according to the behavioral relevance of song stimuli. 


Power of Placebo 

Non-breeding females were held on a winter-like photoperiod and 

implanted with silastic capsules containing either no hormone or E2. 

E2-treated birds hearing 42 min of conspecific song had more cells 

immunoreactive for the protein product of zenk in the auditory forebrain 

than did those hearing frequency-matched synthetic tones. 

In birds not treated with E2, however, the zenk response to song did not 

differ from that to tones. 

We found similar effects in the avian homolog of the inferior colliculus, 

indicating that E2 may affect the processing of auditory information 

upstream of the forebrain. 

Our data suggest that in females, zenk induction in the auditory system is 

selective for song only when plasma E2 exceeds non-breeding levels. E2- 

dependent plasticity of auditory pathways and processing centres may 

promote recognition of and attention to conspecific song during the 

breeding season. 

OUTDOORLINKS: Donna Maney 

http://psychology.emory.edu/nab/maney/lab/ 


By Lindsay Carswel 

Source: Lindsay Carswel/www.sciencentral.com/ 03.24.06 




In a new example of the power of your mind, researchers have found that 

just the ritual of medical care could be important to improving your 

health. This ScienCentral News video has more. 

PLACEBO VS. PLACEBO A visit to the doctor might not be your favorite thing, but everything — 

from the time you spend talking with the doctor to the diploma on the 

wall — could be helping to make you better. 

"The ritual of medicine, the context of medicine, is important to take into 

consideration in healthcare," says Harvard Medical School's Ted 

Kaptchuk. "There's an implication that how you describe your interven- 

tion, what you tell patients, has an impact on how that intervention 

effects their illness and health." 

Kaptchuk, who studied Chinese medicine in China, has been studying 

what's known as the placebo effect. "The effect of giving someone a 

dummy treatment, a treatment that appears like a real treatment, but actu- 

ally has none of the active ingredients," he explains. 

So, Kaptchuk and his research team set out to see if different kinds of 

dummy treatments, or placebos could reduce patients' chronic arm pain. 

They compared a fake acupuncture procedure to a pill made of nothing 

but cornstarch. They found that, "A dummy procedure has a bigger 

impact on reducing pain than an oral dummy pill," he says. 

As they reported in the British Medical Journal, the study began by test- 

ing the effectiveness of two placebo treatments against active treatments 

at reducing self-assessed arm pain. "You can't give patients placebos 

without having a comparison with an act of intervention," explains 



Kaptchuk. After two weeks, the fake pill and fake acupuncture groups 

were continued and compared against each other. 

PLACEBO PILLS Acupuncture is a part of traditional Chinese medicine that has been 

shown to be effective in relieving some cases of pain and helping to treat 

illnesses. Kaptchuk's sham acupuncture used blunt needles that retract 

and don't pierce the skin. 

The volunteers receiving twice-weekly, sham acupuncture treatments 

reported significantly more pain relief than those taking a fake pill every 

day. He says it was the more elaborate nature of the acupuncture proce- 

dure that gave the volunteers more pain relief. 

"Some rituals have bigger effects than other rituals," Kaptchuk says. 

The researchers were surprised to find that almost a third of the volun- 

teers claimed to have side effects from their fake treatments. "At the end 

of the study, 30 percent of the patients, both [in the sham acupuncture and 

sham pill] arms of the study, reported adverse effects," explains 

Kaptchuk. "And what was really remarkable is that the adverse effects 

were completely different depending on, they totally mimicked what we 

told them in the informed consent." Volunteers who got the sham acu- 

puncture reported feeling pain or irritation from the trick needles, while 

taking make-believe drug resulted in side effects that included dizziness, 

restlessness, rashes, headaches, nausea and in four cases nightmares. 

"That's suggesting very strongly that how you tell people to pay attention 

to their experiences, their bodily experiences, helps form, in dramatic 

ways, what they actually experience," he says. "It was one of the nice, 

unexpected, but very important findings in the study." 


Stress, not "sick" building, may make workers sick 

Historically placebos were used to treat patients, but with the develop- 

ment of informed consent in the 1960s that was considered unethical. 

"Now placebos are only used as controls for an act of intervention in clin- 

ical experiments or basic science experiments," he says. 

So, while Kaptchuk doesn't suggest doctors give out placebos, he says 

they should consider not only how to treat a patient, but how they treat a 

patient. 

OUTDOORLINKS: Ted Kaptchuk 

Kaptchuk's research was published in the 18 February, 2006 issue of Brit- 

ish Medical Journal , and was funded by the National Institutes of Health. 

http://hms.harvard.edu/WhitePagesPublic.asp?task=showperson&id=172271375176279374177277&a=hms&r=1&kw= 

British Medical Journal 

http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/ 


By Amy Norton 

Source: news.yahoo.com/s/nm/28.03.1006 

Work-related stress, rather than building conditions, may be what's 

behind the constellation of symptoms known as "sick building syn- 

drome," according to researchers. 



http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060328/hl_nm/ 

stress_sick_dc&printer=1;_ylt=Aj1FrsYQEaFEMQmva3Nd0_0R.3QA; 

_ylu=X3oDMTA3MXN1bHE0BHNlYwN0bWE- 

In a study of more than 4,000 UK government employees, researchers 

found that high job demands and perceptions of poor support were more 

closely related to sick-building symptoms than were the physical condi- 

tions of the workplace. 

The findings suggest that "sick building syndrome" may in fact be a mis- 

nomer, the researchers report in the journal Occupational and Environ- 

mental Medicine. 

That does not mean the symptoms aren't real, but that the physical prop- 

erties of the workplace may not be a major cause, according to study co- 

author Dr. Mai Stafford of University College London Medical School. 

"The symptoms certainly exist," she told Reuters Health, "and cost mil- 

lions in lost productivity (and) sickness absence." 

Sick building syndrome refers to a cluster of symptoms, including head- 

ache, nasal congestion, eye irritation and fatigue, that appear to arise 

when a person is in a particular indoor environment. Studies, however, 

have failed to find consistent connections between symptoms and spe- 

cific physical conditions of buildings. 

On the other hand, Stafford and her colleagues report, there is growing 

evidence that job stress -- especially the combination of demanding work 

and little autonomy -- has health effects, and that the physical reactions to 

stress are similar to the symptoms attributed to sick building syndrome. 



The researchers analyzed data from 4,052 civil servants working in 44 

buildings in London. Workers were surveyed about sick-building-type 

symptoms, as well as job stress and the conditions of their work space. 

In some buildings, researchers took environmental measurements of tem- 

perature, humidity, dust, airborne fungus and bacteria, and other condi- 

tions. 

Overall, there was some evidence that the heat and humidity of the work- 

place, as well as levels of dust and bacteria, were related to employees' 

symptoms. 

But there was a much stronger relationship between symptoms and job 

stress -- namely, demanding work and a perceived lack of support from 

superiors and colleagues. 

In addition, the researchers unexpectedly found a lower prevalence of 

symptoms at sites with poor air circulation and "unacceptable" levels of 

carbon dioxide, airborne fungi and chemicals known as volatile organic 

compounds. 

None of this means that poor or uncomfortable physical conditions are 

acceptable in the workplace, the researchers add 

Problems such as excessive heat and poor ventilation, they write, "can 

and should be improved even if health outcomes are unchanged." 

And while building conditions in this study were not closely related to 

workers' symptoms, Stafford said some work sites may indeed have con- 

ditions that affect employees' health. 


OUTDOORLINKS: Mai Stafford 

Cortex Matures Faster in Youth with Highest IQ 

Stafford and her colleagues conclude that the findings suggest that the 

psychological and social environment of the workplace should be consid- 

ered when workers are bothered by headaches, fatigue and other symp- 

toms attributed to sick building syndrome. 

SOURCE: Occupational and Environmental Medicine, April 2006. 

http://www.ucl.ac.uk/epidemiology/staff/staffordm.htm 


Source: Press Release National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda/ 

March 29, 2006 

http://www.nimh.nih.gov/press/youthcortexiq.cfm 

Youth with superior IQ are distinguished by how fast the thinking part of 

their brains thickens and thins as they grow up, researchers at the 

National Institutes of Health's (NIH) National Institute of Mental Health 

(NIMH) have discovered. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans 

showed that their brain's outer mantle, or cortex, thickens more rapidly 

during childhood, reaching its peak later than in their peers — perhaps 

reflecting a longer developmental window for high-level thinking cir- 

cuitry. It also thins faster during the late teens, likely due to the withering 

of unused neural connections as the brain streamlines its operations. Drs. 

Philip Shaw, Judith Rapoport, Jay Giedd and colleagues at NIMH and 

McGill University report on their findings in the March 30, 2006 issue of 

Nature. 



"Studies of brains have taught us that people with higher IQs do not have 

larger brains. Thanks to brain imaging technology, we can now see that 

the difference may be in the way the brain develops," said NIH Director 

Elias A. Zerhouni, M.D. 

While most previous MRI studies of brain development compared data 

from different children at different ages, the NIMH study sought to con- 

trol for individual variation in brain structure by following the same 307 

children and teens, ages 5-19, as they grew up. Most were scanned two or 

more times, at two-year intervals. The resulting scans were divided into 

three equal groups and analyzed based on IQ test scores: superior (121- 

145), high (109-120), and average (83-108). 

The researchers found that the relationship between cortex thickness and 

IQ varied with age, particularly in the prefrontal cortex, seat of abstract 

reasoning, planning, and other "executive" functions. The smartest 7- 

year-olds tended to start out with a relatively thinner cortex that thick- 

ened rapidly, peaking by age 11 or 12 before thinning. In their peers with 

average IQ, an initially thicker cortex peaked by age 8, with gradual thin- 

ning thereafter. Those in the high range showed an intermediate trajec- 

tory (see below). While the cortex was thinning in all groups by the teen 

years, the superior group showed the highest rates of change. 

"Brainy children are not cleverer solely by virtue of having more or less 

gray matter at any one age," explained Rapoport. "Rather, IQ is related to 

the dynamics of cortex maturation." 

The observed differences are consistent with findings from functional 

magnetic resonance imaging, showing that levels of activation in pre- 

frontal areas correlates with IQ, note the researchers. They suggest that 



the prolonged thickening of prefrontal cortex in children with superior 

IQs might reflect an "extended critical period for development of high- 

level cognitive circuits." Although it's not known for certain what under- 

lies the thinning phase, evidence suggests it likely reflects "use-it-or- 

lose-it" pruning of brain cells, neurons, and their connections as the brain 

matures and becomes more efficient during the teen years. 

"People with very agile minds tend to have a very agile cortex," said 

Shaw. The NIMH researchers are following-up with a search for gene 

variants that might be linked to the newly discovered trajectories. How- 

ever, Shaw notes mounting evidence suggesting that the effects of genes 

often depends on interactions with environmental events, so the determi- 

nants of intelligence will likely prove to be a very complex mix of nature 

and nurture. 

Also participating in the study were Drs. Dede Greenstein, Liv Clasen, 

Rhoshel Lenroot, and Nitin Gogtay, Child Psychiatry Branch, NIMH; 

and Drs. Jason Lerch and Alan Evans, Montreal Neurological Institute, 

McGill University. 

The developmental trajectory of waxing and waning in cortex thickness 

differs as the brain matures in different IQ groups. Thickness of the area 

at the top/front/center, highlighted in MRI brain maps at left, peaks rela- 

tively late, at age 12 (blue arrow), in youth with superior intelligence, 

perhaps reflecting an extended critical period for development of high- 

level cognitive circuits. 

Source: NIMH Child Psychiatry Branch 


Effects of Music Therapy and Counselling: A Case of State Anxiety of a Ca - Hypo 

OUTDOOR LINKS NIMH Child Psychiatry Branch 

http://intramural.nimh.nih.gov/chp/index.html 

Judith L. Rapoport 

http://neuroscience.nih.gov/Lab.asp?Org_ID=134 

Jay Giedd 

http://intramural.nimh.nih.gov/research/pi/pi_giedd_j.html 

Effects of Music Therapy and Counselling: A Case of 

State Anxiety of a Ca - Hypo Pharynx Patient 

By Sundar, Sumathy 

Source: http://www.musictherapyworld.de/index_mtt.php?issue=44 

Abstract 

This paper is about a single case study of a Squamous Cell Carcinoma - 

Hypopharynx patient, to find out if receptive music therapy could be 

combined with comprehensive counseling and also if health information 

coul be provided as a cognitive beahvioral intervention to address psy- 

chological distress and situational anxiety, which are common problems 

with cancer patients in a hospital environment 

Baseline data was collected from the patient using Spielberger's State- 

Trait Anxiety Inventory. 


Music fingerprinting system is fastest yet 

Assessments were done for situational anxiety before, during and after 

the music and counseling interventions. 

Pre- and Post-test composite anxiety scores were compared, which indi- 

cated the efficacy of the treatment. 

Though the primary endpoint of the study was state anxiety, the unique 

experiences of listening to music, which could be explained only by the 

patient listening to music and the self report made by the patient when 

analysed reflected the spiritual dimensions of the music therapy sessions 

To read Fulltext please go to 

http://www.musictherapyworld.de/index_mtt.php?issue=44 

More information: 

Sundar Sumathy Email:sumusundar@yahoo.com 


A digital music identification system that can search through 17 million 

songs in under 1 second has been launched in the US. 

Source: http://www.newscientisttech.com/0 April 2006 

http://www.newscientisttech.com/article/dn8973-music-fingerprinting- 

system-is-fastest-yet.html 



MusicIP, based in California, US, announced last week that it had 

received a US patent for its method of automatically identifying, or "fin- 

gerprinting", digital music files. 

The company already offers software that analyses the music collection 

on a computer, identifies it, and makes recommendations. 

But now it will now offer its music identification feature for other com- 

panies to include in their products. 

The system can recognise a song from its audio "fingerprint" in a fraction 

of a second. This allows users to rapidly organise their music collection, 

discover more about a particular track or get new recommendations, 

through connected databases, regardless of the format of the audio file. 

DOMINANT TONES Matthew Dunn, chief executive of MusicIP, claims his company's finger- 

printing technology is the fastest available and uses the largest commer- 

cial database – containing 17 million songs. 

To make a fingerprint, MusicIP quickly scans the first 2 minutes of a 

track and records frequency data every 185 milliseconds, before com- 

pressing the results into a 512 byte file. It also measures records the four 

most dominant tones in the first 30 seconds of the music. 

The program uses information about these dominant tones to narrow the 

search before searching the song database using the frequency informa- 

tion. Dunn says this allows the company to perform hundreds of searches 

each second and that the service is sensitive enough to distinguish 

between different versions of the same tune, such as live and studio 

recordings. 


ADDITIONAL 

INFORMATION 


While other companies use digital fingerprints to identify songs, the data- 

bases they claim are much smaller. Shazam Entertainment, in London, 

UK, runs a service that lets users hold their mobile phone up to a music 

source for 30 seconds, and receive a text message identifying the song 

and artist. But Shazam has a database of only about 2 million songs. 

Gracenote, in California, US, is a leading provider of online music identi- 

fication but claims to have a database of around 7 million songs. How- 

ever, Jim Hollingsworth, vice president of sales and marketing at 

Gracenote, argues that existing fingerprinting technologies are fast 

enough and that it is more important for a company to provide useful 

additional information, such as song lyrics and album-cover art. 

An alternative approach is user collaboration. Online services such as 

Audioscrobbler and Pandora, for example, recognise songs and make 

recommendations by searching through user-generated playlists. 

But Dunn hopes the speed and size of MusicIP's database will make it 

stand out. Companies must pay a license fee to access MusicIP’s Music 

Digital Naming Service service, but non-profit organisations can access it 

for free. 

OUTDOORLINKS: MusicIP 

http://musicip.com/ 


Functional Imaging of Numerical Processing in Adults and 4-y-Old Children 

Functional Imaging of Numerical Processing in 

Adults and 4-y-Old Children 

By Jessica F. Cantlon, Elizabeth M. Brannon, Elizabeth J. Carter, Kevin 

A. Pelphrey 

Source: biology.plosjournals.org/ Volume 4 | Issue 5 | MAY 2006 

http://biology.plosjournals.org/perlserv/?request=get-document&doi=10.1371/journal.pbio.0040125 

Adult humans, infants, pre-school children, and non-human animals 

appear to share a system of approximate numerical processing for non- 

symbolic stimuli such as arrays of dots or sequences of tones. 

Behavioral studies of adult humans implicate a link between these non- 

symbolic numerical abilities and symbolic numerical processing (e.g., 

similar distance effects in accuracy and reaction-time for arrays of dots 

and Arabic numerals). 

However, neuroimaging studies have remained inconclusive on the neu- 

ral basis of this link. 

The intraparietal sulcus (IPS) is known to respond selectively to sym- 

bolic numerical stimuli such as Arabic numerals. Recent studies, how- 

ever, have arrived at conflicting conclusions regarding the role of the IPS 

in processing non-symbolic, numerosity arrays in adulthood, and very lit- 

tle is known about the brain basis of numerical processing early in devel- 

opment. 

Addressing the question of whether there is an early-developing neural 

basis for abstract numerical processing is essential for understanding the 


Functional Imaging of Numerical Processing in Adults and 4-y-Old Children 

cognitive origins of our uniquely human capacity for math and science. 

Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) at 4-Tesla and an 

event-related fMRI adaptation paradigm, we found that adults showed a 

greater IPS response to visual arrays that deviated from standard stimuli 

in their number of elements, than to stimuli that deviated in local element 

shape. 

These results support previous claims that there is a neurophysiological 

link between non-symbolic and symbolic numerical processing in adult- 

hood. In parallel, we tested 4-y-old children with the same fMRI adapta- 

tion paradigm as adults to determine whether the neural locus of non- 

symbolic numerical activity in adults shows continuity in function over 

development. 

We found that the IPS responded to numerical deviants similarly in 4-y- 

old children and adults. To our knowledge, this is the first evidence that 

the neural locus of adult numerical cognition takes form early in develop- 

ment, prior to sophisticated symbolic numerical experience. More 

broadly, this is also, to our knowledge, the first cognitive fMRI study to 

test healthy children as young as 4 y, providing new insights into the neu- 

rophysiology of human cognitive development. 

To whom correspondence should be addressed. 

E-mail: jfc2@duke.edu (JFC), 

OUTDOORLINKS: Jessica F Cantlon 

E-mail: kevin.pelphrey@duke.edu (KAP) 

http://fds.duke.edu/db/aas/PBS/grad/jessica.cantlon 


Music Therapy in New Orleans 

Music Therapy in New Orleans 

By DAN SADOWSKY 

Source: DAN SADOWSKY/www.mercycorps.org/ February 23, 2006 

http://www.mercycorps.org/topics/hurricanekatrina/1119 

Sounds of bass drumbeats, rattling snares, echoing congas and ringing 

cowbells filled the Dryades YMCA cafeteria in late February, as a class 

full of seventh graders laughed, danced and thumped their way through 

Mercy Corps' first New Orleans drum circle. 

Along the storm-ravaged Gulf Coast, Mercy Corps is supporting pro- 

grams that help children recover emotionally from Hurricane Katrina and 

its still-omnipresent impact on their lives. One of the agency's own initia- 

tives is to hold ongoing drum circles for youngsters in New Orleans 

schools, neighborhoods and community centers. 

Professional percussionists, led by Mercy Corps' Ken Williams, will 

introduce kids to New Orleans' unique musical heritage and use music to 

tap into their emotions about Katrina. 

"It's total expression, a creative workshop," Williams explains. Encour- 

aging students to drum or rap about various subjects, including Katrina, 

especially might help those who are reticent to talk about their feelings of 

loss, displacement and change. 

Most of the students here at the inner-city Dryades YMCA, home to a K- 

8 charter school, lost everything in the storm. 


At Some Medical Schools, Humanities Join the Curriculum 

Many are still separated from family members and adjusting to new sur- 

roundings. " 

You'd be surprised what they go through just to be here every day," says 

math teacher Nathaniel Lang. 

But for an hour, at least, these kids found joy in creating music. 

By the end of the session, what started as a harsh cacophony had evolved 

into a steady roll of foot-tapping rhythms. 

"It was fun," says Malkia, one of the more enthusiastic participants. 

The 12-year-old says she's "just a little bit" over Katrina, and that the 

drumming helped her get her emotions out. "I felt excited. I felt like a 

star." 

OUTDOORLINKS: Mercy Corps 

http://www.mercycorps.org/ 

At Some Medical Schools, Humanities Join the 

Curriculum 

By RANDY KENNEDY 

Source: RANDY KENNEDY/www.nytimes.com/ April 17, 2006 

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/17/arts/design/ 

17sina.html?_r=1&th&emc=th&oref=login 



Art and medicine have worked hand in hand for a long time. To improve 

his art, Leonardo dissected bodies. 

To improve his anatomy treatise, Andreas Vesalius relied on the artistry 

of Titian's workshop. 

But the other day, in the European paintings wing of the Metropolitan 

Museum of Art, a group of seven would-be doctors had a different kind 

of reason to appreciate the 17th-century Dutch biblical scene before 

them: course credit. 

Three years ago, the Mount Sinai School of Medicine began an art-appre- 

ciation course for medical students, joining a growing number of medical 

schools that are adding humanities to the usual forced march of physiol- 

ogy, pathology and microbiology. 

This year, for the first time, the course is required for third-year students, 

providing them not only with a blinking-into-the-sun break from medical 

rotations but also, said Dr. David Muller, the school's chairman of medi- 

cal education, a lesson about how important, and underrated, the art of 

looking is to the practice of medicine. 

"To make a better doctor means to me — and I can't speak for everyone 

— one who sees the person and not just the patient," he said, "not just an 

organ system that is screwed up." 

The course is similar to ones established in the last few years at Yale, 

Stanford, Cornell and a few other medical schools, but traditionalists at 

Mount Sinai have not always looked favorably on it. 



When asked why, Dr. Muller said, "I think if I answered that question 

strategically, I would say that in any big medical center there is always a 

very broad spectrum of opinions." 

But at least one study, published in The Journal of the American Medical 

Association in 2001, has found that looking at painting and sculpture can 

improve medical students' observational abilities. 

It could also, wrote Dr. Irwin Braverman, a Yale medical professor and an 

author of the study, eventually help apply some salve to that long suppu- 

rating wound, health-care costs. 

Such utopian hopes seemed a distant concern for the seven students who 

gathered in the Met's lobby on a sunny afternoon. "With heightened 

observational skills," he wrote, "physicians can often ask the questions 

necessary to make correct diagnoses without relying too much on costly 

blood tests and X-rays." 

They had other things on their minds: all had survived a grueling surgical 

rotation but were approaching the time when they would have to pick a 

specialty. 

"Not only do we have to learn what we're learning but we have to remem- 

ber how to write a C.V. again and basically decide what we're going to do 

with the rest of our lives," explained Risa Small, 24, one of the students, 

summing up the year. 

So a few minutes later, standing in front of Nicolaes Maes's "Abraham 

Dismissing Hagar and Ishmael" (1653), a dark scene of high Baroque 

drama, they seemed happy to lose themselves in the painting and to won- 

der aloud what was happening in it. 



Shirley Delaleu, 25, pointed out the brooding late-evening sky in the 

background and how Ishmael's body awkwardly twisted as he descended 

a set of stairs away from Abraham, his father. 

"It just looks like there's this great big world that he has to go out into, 

and it looks ominous," she said. 

With the typical ardor of medical students, others pointed out that all 

three figures wore some red clothing, that they didn't make eye contact 

with one another, that their figures formed a triangle, that Hagar looked 

alternately angry and ashamed, that she was the only one who went bare- 

foot and that her hands were rough and manly, making it hard to tell 

whether she was a man or woman. 

Rebecca Hirschwerk, an art educator who is the course's instructor and 

one of its creators along with Dr. Muller, explained that the idea for the 

course developed while her husband was a resident at Mount Sinai. 

She began to think about how, in listening and poring over charts, doctors 

sometimes had little time actually to look at their patients, especially 

under the pressures of today's managed medical care. 

"I can't think of many places outside art where you can be in a moment, 

and just look, for as long as you can take it," she said. "Think about what 

it would be like if you were with a patient and could freeze the moment 

to really pay attention to everything that patient was trying to tell you. It's 

hard to do when you have only 15 minutes with patients, 20 times a day." 

Partly intended to make better doctors by making better-rounded human 

beings, such art courses are being joined by other, mostly elective 

humanities courses — and in some medical schools, like the one at the 



State University at Stony Brook on Long Island, whole humanities 

departments — that bring playwrights, poets, actors, philosophers and 

other imports from the liberal arts into the world of medicine. 

Ms. Hirschwerk said that in choosing the eight works that the students 

see in two visits to the Met, she tried to stay away from blockbuster 

paintings that might be too well known. 

Works like the one by Maes, she said, had enough ambiguity, body lan- 

guage and detail to reward long observation. 

On that particular visit, she next led the students to another Dutch 

Baroque work, by Gerard ter Borch, of a preening young woman and her 

maid, and then to Giacometti's spectral "Three Men Walking II" from 

1949, before ending at "The Proposal," a light-infused genre painting of a 

man and woman by Adolphe-William Bouguereau, a 19th-century 

French painter. 

Ms. Hirschwerk asked the students to study "The Proposal" for several 

minutes and then to turn away from it and recall the painting's details, 

which they did in great detail, from the cat sitting at the woman's feet to 

the almost invisible strand of thread stretched between her fingers. 

Dr. Muller said that students were not graded in the class, in part to give 

them a break from their academic grind, and so it was hard to tell whether 

their art-appreciation was improving their diagnostic skills. 

But in anonymous journal entries from previous classes, the students — 

who take the course during their geriatric rotation, making home visits to 

elderly patients — seem to pay closer, and more empathetic, attention to 

their patients. 



"It was clearly taking a toll on her, and she was close to tears several 

times during the interview," one student wrote, of seeing a patient with 

Alzheimer's disease, and talking to the man's wife. 

"Her husband sat next to her apparently oblivious to her distress. 

He was distracted, quietly picking a piece of tape with his name off his 

cane." 

For the most part, the students seem relieved to have a chance to leave 

any thoughts about medicine and disease outside the door of the Met. 

"It sort of reminds me of life before medical school, back when you were 

still a regular person," said Komal Kapoor-Katari, 27. 

But their profession was never far away. 

In front of the Maes painting of Abraham, Ms. Hirschwerk explained that 

she had chosen it because it showed a moment of decision, one that — 

according to the biblical story — would be fateful for world history. 

Then she steered that weighty theme back to the students themselves. 

"There's a chain of reaction for every decision that you make, and you're 

part of that chain yourself," she said. 

The observation was met with a long silence, one possibly filled with 

thoughts of malpractice. 

"Well, on that happy note," she said, finally breaking in, "let's go look at 

the next painting." 



OUTDOORLINKS: Metropolitan Museum of Art 

http://www.metmuseum.org/ 

Mount Sinai School of Medicine 

http://www.mssm.edu/ 

David Muller, M.D. 

http://directory.mssm.edu/faculty/facultyInfo.php?id=22857&deptid=17 

The Journal of the American Medical Association 

http://jama.ama-assn.org/ 

Irwin M. Braverman, MD 

http://info.med.yale.edu/dermatology/dept/braverman.html 

Abraham Dismissing Hagar and Ishmael (picture) 

http://www.metmuseum.org/Works_Of_Art/viewOne- 

Zoom.asp?dep=11&viewmode=1&item=1971.73&zoomFlag=0 

State University at Stony Brook 

http://www.sunysb.edu/ 

Three Men Walking II (Picture) 

http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/ho/11/euwcm/ho_1999.363.22.htm 

The Proposal (Picture) 


Neocortical Connectivity during Episodic Memory Formation 

http://www.metmuseum.org/Works_of_Art/viewOne.asp?dep=11&view- 

mode=1&item=60.122 

Neocortical Connectivity during Episodic Memory 

Formation 

By Christopher Summerfield, Matthew Greene, Tor Wager, Tobias Egner, 

Joy Hirsch and Jennifer Mangels 

Source: http://biology.plosjournals.org/perlserv/?request=get-docu- 

ment&doi=10%2E1371%2Fjournal%2Epbio%2E0040128 

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.0040128 

During the formation of new episodic memories, a rich array of percep- 

tual information is bound together for long-term storage. 

However, the brain mechanisms by which sensory representations (such 

as colors, objects, or individuals) are selected for episodic encoding are 

currently unknown. 

We describe a functional magnetic resonance imaging experiment in 

which participants encoded the association between two classes of visual 

stimuli that elicit selective responses in the extrastriate visual cortex 

(faces and houses). 

Using connectivity analyses, we show that correlation in the hemody- 

namic signal between face- and place-sensitive voxels and the left dorso- 

lateral prefrontal cortex is a reliable predictor of successful face–house 

binding. 


The mood of the Internet 

These data support the view that during episodic encoding, “top-down” 

control signals originating in the prefrontal cortex help determine which 

perceptual information is fated to be bound into the new episodic mem- 

ory trace. 


Christopher Summerfield, E-mail: summerfd@paradox.columbia.edu 

To read Fulltext go to 

http://biology.plosjournals.org/perlserv/?request=get-document&doi=10%2E1371%2Fjournal%2Epbio%2E0040128 


Source: www.nwo.nl/14. April 2006 

http://www.nwo.nl/nwohome.nsf/pages/NWOA_6NJJ78_Eng 

Dutch researcher Maarten de Rijke and his co-workers Gilad Mishne and 

Krisztian Balog have developed a new programme that can trace and 

explain significant changes in mood patterns on the Internet. MoodViews 

is a collection of instruments that maps the mood of bloggers as they 

write their message. 

Internet diaries, blogs, are an increasingly common phenomenon on the 

Internet. The opinions and experiences of tens of millions of people can 

be followed every day. 



Researchers from the Pionier project 'Computing with Meaning' think 

that subjective aspects of blogs, such as moods, play in important role in 

determining which people look at and read the blogs. 

So Gilad Mishne, Krisztian Balog and project leader Maarten de Rijke 

have developed MoodViews. MoodViews follows the moods of 2 million 

bloggers from around the world. Each day the programs pick up about 

150,000 blog messages. 

The clearly measurable responses to worldwide events suggest that these 

instruments pick up the global mood. And not only those of bloggers. De 

Rijke has already been approached by journalists, marketing specialists, 

psychologists and bankers. The Moodteam has something interesting to 

offer to all of these groups. 

At present MoodViews has three components. Moodgrapher monitors the 

global mood of bloggers. These data are converted into overview graphs. 

Moodteller uses language technology to predict the mood on the Web. 

The latest component, Moodsignals, records unusual peaks in mood lev- 

els. After this it uses search engine technology to find an explanation for 

these mood swings. 

Various other components of MoodViews are still under development. 

For example, Moodspotter will be launched this summer. This instrument 

will be able to search the moods associated with certain persons, loca- 

tions or products. 

Maarten de Rijke's research is part of his Pionier project 'Computing with 

Meaning'. The Pionier programme of NWO ran from 1989 to 2002 and 


Sparse time-frequency representations 

OUTDOORLINKS: Maarten de Rijke 

was aimed at highly experienced researchers of a professorial level. It is 

comparable to the present Vici subsidy from NWO. 

http://staff.science.uva.nl/~mdr/ 

Gilad Mishne 

http://staff.science.uva.nl/~gilad/ 

Krisztian Balog 

http://staff.science.uva.nl/~kbalog/ 


By Timothy J. Gardner and Marcelo O. Magnasco 

Source: www.pnas.org/ April 18, 2006 

http://www.pnas.org/cgi/content/abstract/103/16/6094?etoc 

PNAS | April 18, 2006 | vol. 103 | no. 16 | 6094-6099 

Published online before print April 6, 2006, 10.1073/pnas.0601707103 

Auditory neurons preserve exquisite temporal information about sound 

features, but we do not know how the brain uses this information to pro- 

cess the rapidly changing sounds of the natural world. 



Simple arguments for effective use of temporal information led us to con- 

sider the reassignment class of time-frequency representations as a model 

of auditory processing. 

Reassigned time-frequency representations can track isolated simple sig- 

nals with accuracy unlimited by the time-frequency uncertainty principle, 

but lack of a general theory has hampered their application to complex 

sounds. 

We describe the reassigned representations for white noise and show that 

even spectrally dense signals produce sparse reassignments: the represen- 

tation collapses onto a thin set of lines arranged in a froth-like pattern. 

Preserving phase information allows reconstruction of the original signal. 

We define a notion of "consensus," based on stability of reassignment to 

time-scale changes, which produces sharp spectral estimates for a wide 

class of complex mixed signals. 

As the only currently known class of time-frequency representations that 

is always "in focus" this methodology has general utility in signal analy- 

sis. 

It may also help explain the remarkable acuity of auditory perception. 

Many details of complex sounds that are virtually undetectable in stan- 

dard sonograms are readily perceptible and visible in reassignment. 


Marcelo O. Magnasco E-mail: magnasco(at)rockefeller.edu 


OUTDOORLINKS: Timothy J. Gardner 

Why life oscillates – from a topographical towards a functional chronobiology 

http://www.christianacare.org/body.cfm?id=834 

Marcelo O. Magnasco 

http://www.rockefeller.edu/research/abstract.php?id=100 

Why life oscillates – from a topographical towards a 

functional chronobiology 

By Maximilian Moser, Matthias Frühwirth, Reiner Penter, Robert 

Winker 

ABSTRACT Chronobiology has identified a multitude of rhythms within our body as 

well as within each living cell. 

Some of these rhythms, such as the circadian and circannual, interact 

with our environment, while others run on their own, but are often cou- 

pled to the circadian or to other body rhythms. 

Recent evidence shows that these rhythms might be more important for 

our health than expected: 

Disturbance of the circadian rhythms by jet lag or shift work not only 

evokes autonomic disturbances but also increases the incidence of can- 

cer, as shown in this issue of Cancer Causes and Control. 

The occurrence of rhythms in the organism obviously bears several 

advantages: 


Why life oscillates – from a topographical towards a functional chronobiology 

It increases organismic stability by calibrating the system’s characteris- 

tics: Regulation curves in time and space are crucial for controlling phys- 

iological long-term stability. 

To determine its properties continuously the system varies ist parameters 

slightly over several time scales at different frequencies—akin to what 

our body does, e.g. in heart-rate variability. 

Tuning and synchronization of rhythms saves energy: 

It was Huygens who observed that clocks on a wall tend to synchronize 

their beats. It turned out later that synchronisation is a very common phe- 

nomenon observed in bodies’ rhythms and can be found, for example, 

when we relax or sleep. 

At such times energy consumption is minimal, our body working most 

efficiently. 

Temporal compartmentalization allows polar events to occur in the same 

space unit: there are polarities in the universe of our body, which cannot 

happen simultaneously. 

Systole and diastole, inspiration and expiration, work and relaxation, 

wakefulness and sleep, reductive and oxidative states cannot be per- 

formed efficiently at the same time and place. 

Temporal compartmentalization is probably the most efficient way to 

mediate between these polarities.Chronobiology and chronomedicine are 

opening a new and very exciting understanding of our bodies’ regulation. 


Neurons in the orbitofrontal cortex encode economic value 

The biological time and its oscillations gain more attention and impor- 

tance as these interrelations are understood. 

To read Fulltext see attached PDF 

OUTDOORLINKS: Prof. Dr. Maximilian Moser 

http://www.joanneum.at/de/humantechnologie/ 

kontakte_detail.php?p_iid=IND&p_oid=KONTAKT_694 

Matthias Frühwirth 

http://www.joanneum.at/de/humantechnologie/ 

kontakte_detail.php?p_iid=IND&p_oid=KONTAKT_706 

Neurons in the orbitofrontal cortex encode economic 

value 

By Camillo Padoa-Schioppa1 and John A. Assad1 

Source: www.nature.com/23 April 2006 

http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/ 

nature04676.html 

Nature advance online publication23 April 2006 

doi:10.1038/nature04676 

ABSTRACT Economic choice is the behaviour observed when individuals select one 

among many available options. There is no intrinsically 'correct' answer: 

economic choice depends on subjective preferences. This behaviour is 


Neurons in the orbitofrontal cortex encode economic value 

traditionally the object of economic analysis and is also of primary inter- 

est in psychology. However, the underlying mental processes and neu- 

ronal mechanisms are not well understood. Theories of human and 

animal choice have a cornerstone in the concept of 'value'. Consider, for 

example, a monkey offered one raisin versus one piece of apple: behav- 

ioural evidence suggests that the animal chooses by assigning values to 

the two options. But where and how values are represented in the brain is 

unclear. Here we show that, during economic choice, neurons in the orb- 

itofrontal cortex (OFC) encode the value of offered and chosen goods. 

Notably, OFC neurons encode value independently of visuospatial fac- 

tors and motor responses. If a monkey chooses between A and B, neurons 

in the OFC encode the value of the two goods independently of whether 

A is presented on the right and B on the left, or vice versa. This trait dis- 

tinguishes the OFC from other brain areas in which value modulates 

activity related to sensory or motor processes. Our results have broad 

implications for possible psychological models, suggesting that eco- 

nomic choice is essentially choice between goods rather than choice 

between actions. In this framework, neurons in the OFC seem to be a 

good candidate network for value assignment underlying economic 

choice. 

To read Fulltext please go to 

 

Correspondence to: 

Camillo Padoa-Schioppa, Email: camillo(at)alum.mit.edu) 


Meditating Brains 

OUTDOORLINKS: Camillo Padoa-Schioppa 

http://ideas.repec.org/e/ppa67.html 


by Lindsay Carswel 

Source: Lindsay Carswel/www.sciencentral.com/05.08.06 


No one can deny that taking a few minutes out of a busy day to relax is a 

good thing. But spending that time meditating could mean pumping up 

your brain, as well as relaxing your body. 

A ScienCentral News video has more. Just say OM 

Some people meditate to clear their minds or to relieve the stresses of 

daily life. Others hope to find enlightenment and reach nirvana. It's esti- 

mated that ten million Americans practice some form of meditation regu- 

larly. 

"Meditating is about training the mind in effect, it's a technique, it's a 

tool, so its training the mind to be more focused and to be more mindful 

moment to moment," explains George Pitagorsky, a management con- 

sultant who practices and teaches meditation at the New York Insight 

Meditation Centre. "It increases concentration capability — less spacing 

out, much more ability to focus on a particular chosen point of refer- 

ence," he says. 



But the benefits of meditation may not be only in the mind. Massachu- 

setts General Hospital's Sara Lazar says she can see physical changes in 

the brains of people who routinely meditate. 

"Meditation can have a serious impact on your brain long beyond the 

time when you're actually sitting and meditating, and this may have a 

positive impact on your day-to-day living," says Lazar, an assistant in 

psychology at Massachusetts General Hospital and an instructor at Har- 

vard Medical School. 

As she reported in the journal NeuroReport, Lazar and her research team 

used a MRI brain scanner to compare the brains of people who practiced 

Insight meditation every day, with non-meditators. "These are not 

monks; these are just people who choose to meditate for about 45 min- 

utes a day every day," she says. 

Insight Meditation, or Vipassana, is the practice of mindfulness and 

awareness of yourself and the world around you. The belief is that the 

practice of mindfulness is highly effective in helping bring calm and clar- 

ity to the pressures of daily life, as well as being a spiritual path. 

"Insight meditation is very user-friendly," says Joseph Schmidt, co- 

founder and executive director of the New York Insight Centre. "People 

in west can adopt this if you're a person involved in the church or a non- 

secular person or don't believe in religion." 

Lazar and her research team found that certain areas of the cortex — the 

outer layer of the brain that contains our thinking, reasoning and deci- 

sion-making functions — were significantly thicker in the meditators. 



"One of them is right up in the front of your brain right above your right 

eye, and this is an area that's involved in decision making and in working 

memory, working short term memory," she explains. 

She also saw thickening in another region of the brain, called the insula, 

that she considers "a central switchboard of the brain," connecting the 

primitive limbic cortex and the more advanced cortex, which is highly 

developed in primates and humans. Lazar says this region is thought to 

be "involved in coordinating the brain and the body and the emotions and 

thoughts," she explains. "It helps us better make decisions." 

The researchers think this thickening might help to counteract the natural 

thinning of the cortex that occurs as we get older. The brain's cortex starts 

getting thinner from about age 20 and continues to thin throughout life. 

"It's not a cure-all, but it perhaps can help prevent the loss of some func- 

tions," Lazar says. "One small part of the front of the brain does not get 

thinner with age… and this suggests that this part of the brain is not 

affected by age. And this part of the cortex is involved in short term 

working memory and cognitive decision-making." 

Their results also suggested that continuing to meditate would continue 

the thickening process. "The thickness is strongly correlated with the 

amount of experience. So the more they sat, the thicker it was," Lazar 

says. 

She says she'd expect a similar effect from other forms of meditation. She 

plans to further study how meditation might affect mental ability by test- 

ing people "at multiple time points and to test their cognitive ability to 



see if cognitive ability correlates with thickness and if that changes as the 

brain gets thicker," Lazar explains. 

The Dalai Lama advocates that neuroscientists investigate the effect of 

spiritual traditions, such as meditation, on the brain. 

People who practice meditation regularly will certainly tell you of the 

benefits. 

"I've noticed the benefit, certainly, in my own life in terms of awareness," 

says New York City writer, Andrea Louie. 

"The most profound experience I had was just after 9/11. Immediately 

after the attack here in New York, many, many people were very angry. I 

found myself really feeling equanimity with myself, I was fully aware 

that adding to the anger wasn't going to help." 

OUTDOORLINKS: ScienCentral News video Meditating Brains 


George Pitagorsky 

http://www.pitagorskyconsulting.com/ 

New York Insight Meditation Centre 

http://nyimc.org/ 

Sara Lazar 

http://lazar-meditation-research.info/lazar.html 


The GABAB1b Isoform Mediates Long-Lasting Inhibition of Dendritic Ca2+ 

Harvard Medical School 

http://hms.harvard.edu/hms/home.asp 

Insight Meditation (Vipassana) 

http://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/about-vipassana.html 

The Dalai Lama 

http://www.dalailama.com/ 

Science at the Crossroads 

This article is based on a talk given by the Dalai Lama at the annual 

meeting of the Society for Neuroscience on November 12, 2005 in Wash- 

ington DC 

http://www.dalailama.com/page.8.htm 

The GABAB1b Isoform Mediates Long-Lasting 

Inhibition of Dendritic Ca2+ Spikes in Layer 5 

Somatosensory Pyramidal Neurons 

By Enrique Pérez-Garci, Martin Gassmann, Bernhard Bettler and Mat- 

thew E. Larkum 

Source: http://www.neuron.org/18 May 2006 

http://www.neuron.org/content/article/ 

abstract?uid=PIIS0896627306003102 


The GABAB1b Isoform Mediates Long-Lasting Inhibition of Dendritic Ca2+ 

Copyright © 2006 Cell Press. All rights reserved. 

Neuron, Vol 50, 603-616, 18 May 2006 

The apical tuft of layer 5 pyramidal neurons is innervated by a large num- 

ber of inhibitory inputs with unknown functions. 

Here, we studied the functional consequences and underlying molecular 

mechanisms of apical inhibition on dendritic spike activity. 

Extracellular stimulation of layer 1, during blockade of glutamatergic 

transmission, inhibited the dendritic Ca2+ spike for up to 400 ms. 

Activation of metabotropic GABAB receptors was responsible for a 

gradual and long-lasting inhibitory effect, whereas GABAA receptors 

mediated a short-lasting (∼150 ms) inhibition. 

Our results suggest that the mechanism underlying the GABAB inhibi- 

tion of Ca2+ spikes involves direct blockade of dendritic Ca2+ channels. 

By using knockout mice for the two predominant GABAB1 isoforms, 

GABAB1a and GABAB1b, we showed that postsynaptic inhibition of 

Ca2+ spikes is mediated by GABAB1b, whereas presynaptic inhibition 

of GABA release is mediated by GABAB1a. 

We conclude that the molecular subtypes of GABAB receptors play stra- 

tegically different physiological roles in neocortical neurons. 

Correspondence: 

Matthew E. Larkum, Email: larkum(at)pyl.unibe.ch 


OUTDOORLINKS: Matthew Larkum 

Listening to music can reduce chronic pain and depression by up to a quarter 

http://pylwww.unibe.ch/~larkum/ 

Hans-Rudolf Lüscher 

http://pylwww.unibe.ch/~luescher/ 

Listening to music can reduce chronic pain and 

depression by up to a quarter 

Source: www.alphagalileo.org/24 May 2006 

http://www.alphagalileo.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=readrelease&releaseid=512402 

Listening to music can reduce chronic pain by up to 21 per cent and 

depression by up to 25 per cent, according to a paper in the latest UK- 

based Journal of Advanced Nursing. 

It can also make people feel more in control of their pain and less dis- 

abled by their condition. 

Researchers carried out a controlled clinical trial with sixty people, divid- 

ing them into two music groups and a control group. 

They found that people who listened to music for an hour every day for a 

week reported improved physical and psychological symptoms compared 

to the control group. 

The participants, who had an average age of 50, were recruited from pain 

and chiropractic clinics in Ohio, USA. They had been suffering from a 



range of painful conditions, including osteoarthritis, disc problems and 

rheumatoid arthritis, for an average of six and a half years. 

90 per cent said the pain affected more than one part of their body and 95 

per cent said it was continuous. 

Before the music study, participants reported that their usual pain aver- 

aged just under six on a zero to ten pain scale and their worst pain 

exceeded nine out of ten. 

“The people who took part in the music groups listened to music on a 

headset for an hour a day and everyone who took part, including the con- 

trol group, kept a pain diary” explains nurse researcher Dr Sandra L 

Siedlecki from the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Ohio. 

“Forty people were assigned to the two music groups and the other 20 

formed the control group. 

“The first group were invited to choose their own favourite music and 

this included everything from pop and rock to slow and melodious tunes 

and nature sounds traditionally used to promote sleep or relaxation. 

“The second group chose from five relaxing tapes selected by us. These 

featured piano, jazz, orchestra, harp and synthesizer and had been used in 

previous pain studies by co-author Professor Marion Good from the 

Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing at Case Western Reserve Uni- 

versity, Ohio.” 

At the end of the trial: 

• The music groups reported that their pain had fallen by between 12 

and 21 per cent, when measured by two different pain measurement 



scales. The control group reported that pain increased by between one 

and two per cent. 

• People in the music groups reported 19 to 25 per cent less depression 

than the control group. 

• The music groups reported feeling nine to 18 per cent less disabled 

than those who hadn’t listened to music and said they had between 

five and eight per cent more power over their pain than the control 

group. 

“Our results show that listening to music had a statistically significant 

effect on the two experimental groups, reducing pain, depression and dis- 

ability and increasing feelings of power” says Dr Siedlecki. 

“There were some small differences between the two music groups, but 

they both showed consistent improvements in each category when com- 

pared to the control group. 

“Non-malignant pain remains a major health problem and sufferers con- 

tinue to report high levels of unrelieved pain despite using medication. 

So anything that can provide relief is to be welcomed.” 

“Listening to music has already been shown to promote a number of pos- 

itive benefits and this research adds to the growing body of evidence that 

it has an important role to play in modern healthcare” adds co-author Pro- 

fessor Marion Good. 

OUTDOORLINKS: Sandra L Siedlecki 

Previous research by Professor Good and Hui-Ling Lai, published in the 

Journal of Advanced Nursing in 2005 and republished in journal’s 30th 

Anniversary issue in 2006, showed that listening to 45 minutes of soft 

music before bedtime can improve sleep by more than a third. 


Music improves sleep quality in older adults 

http://cms.clevelandclinic.org/nursing/body.cfm?id=517 

Marion Good 

http://fpb.case.edu/Faculty/Good.shtm 

Journal of Advanced Nursing 

http://www.journalofadvancednursing.com 

Music improves sleep quality in older adults 

By Hui-Ling Lai PhD RN and Marion Good PhD FAAN 

http://www.tomdoch.de/work/newsletter/archiv/05_02_04_01.html 

Manilow to drive out 'hooligans' 

Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/5047610.stm 

A council in the Australian city of Sydney is taking radical measures 

against car-revving youths - the calming tones of singer Barry Manilow. 

Officials in Rockdale say that local youths have been hanging around in 

car parks, revving their engines and generally annoying residents. So the 

council has decided to strike back. From July, Barry Manilow's greatest 

hits will be piped into one car park in a bid to drive the youths away. 

Deputy mayor Bill Saravinovski said the decision was taken because the 

youths were intimidating local people. "They are just hanging out and 

causing a nuisance to the general public," he told the AFP news agency. 

The music will be played for a six-month trial period at a car park in the 


Manilow to drive out 'hooligans' 

OUTDOORLINKS: Barry Manilow 

suburb of Brighton-le-Sands. Mr Saravinovski said it should not annoy 

residents, but would will be loud enough for the youths to hear it. "Daggy 

music is one way to make the hoons leave an area, because they can't 

stand the music," he told Australian newspaper The Daily Telegraph. 

Daggy is Australian slang for unfashionable or uncool. The music would 

not be limited to Barry Manilow, he said. "It will be all types of classical 

music and music that doesn't appeal to these people." Rockdale Council 

is not the first to employ such measures. In 1999, the Warrawong West- 

field shopping mall in Wollongong played Bing Crosby hits over and 

over again to drive away loitering teenagers. 

http://www.manilow.com/

Music Therapy Today - World Federation of Music Therapy

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