Problem Areas of Research and Practice in Receptive Music Therapy

Journal/Book: Musiktherapeutische Umschau. 1981; 2: Stuttgart. G. Fischer Verlag. 93-105.

Abstract: In receptive music therapy, music is considered as a medium and system of communication. The concept of music as a system of communication implies in the first place a synchronic, static viewpoint. As I will show in several examples, structures of communication and reception are subject to historical change. Changes within the structures of communication and reception are quite important for music therapy, as certain pieces of music become useful or useless for therapeutical application depending on these changes. The stock of music proven to be useful in music therapy is not to be viewed as a constant, but must be adapted to current conditions so that music therapy can maintain its efficiency. Theories, methods and goals of music therapy are culturally determined. They cannot be simply transferred to different cultures. Psychotically ill people experience time and tempo quite different than non-psychotics. since the emotional expression of music is mainly defined by the tempo it is likely that psychotics experience music differently than non-psychotics due to the different experience of time.

Keyword(s): System-of-communication, therapeutic-application, psychose, historical-change, cultural-determination.

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