Music can play an important part in our lives yet how many of us appreciate the effect it has
on our brains, bodies and moods, or understand how we can use music as a medicine?
Music has the power to reduce everyday symptoms, such as stress, insomnia, pain,
depression, and even snoring, as well as helping challenges found in neurological conditions
such as freezing and gait problems, and difficulties with voice and swallowing.
With modern advances in technology, scientists are now able to measure the precise
effect of music on body and brain. Music as Medicine presents many research studies
which have examined the effect of music on various conditions, and offers clear
suggestions as to how readers can use music to reduce various symptoms, whether a
person thinks themselves musical or not. It covers three aspects of musical involvement:
listening to music, moving to music and making music.
Daphne Bryan, PhD, takes a special look at the benefits of music for neurological
conditions, Parkinson’s in particular. Music stimulates many areas of the brain and
in the case of damaged brains, it can activate alternative pathways to act in the place
of damaged ones. Many of the symptoms discussed are also experienced by
people with other diagnoses and by those who are otherwise fit and healthy so this
book contains much that is relevant to all.
Information about the Book
Title: Music as Medicine
Author: Daphne Bryan PhD
Genre: Non-Fiction
Publication Date: 20th April 2020
Page Count: 112
Publisher: Clink Street Publishing
Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53232737-music-as-medicine
Read an Extract
Using music to heal body and affect mood is not new. In the course of human history, music has been
used not only as an art form but also as a tool for healing. Frescoes dating from 4000 BC, depicting
harp playing priests and musicians, are probably the oldest examples which suggest that music
was believed to have healing properties at that time.
In the Bible’s Old Testament, Saul was said to suffer from depressive symptoms and his
servants suggested that they find someone who was a “cunning player on the harp”
(1 Samuel chapter 16 v 16 Revised Version).
“And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took the harp, and
played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from
him.” (1 Samuel Chapter 16 v 23. Revised Version)
The ancient Greeks developed music as therapy, with Pythagoras proposing that body and soul could be
influenced by music, through the understanding of music’s law and order (Dobrzinska et al 2006).
The Pythagoreans employed music in their daily routine, playing music before bedtime to calm them
and provide a good night’s sleep with pleasant dreams. On waking, they would play particular compositions
on the lyre to shake off sleep and prepare them for the rigours of the day.
The philosopher Plato considered music to be “the medicine of the soul” (Gfeller 2002). He claimed in
The Republic:
“Music is most sovereign because rhythm and harmony find their way to the inmost soul and take
strongest hold upon it, imparting grace, if one is rightly trained.”
Aristotle also believed in music’s ability to heal, seeing it as providing relief from negative emotions
(Dobrzinska et al 2006). He had a theory that song, wine, and women were the three necessary
components to create an optimal environment for man (Ansdell 2004).
Many primitive cultures considered music an important part of everyday life. Native Americans
used music in their healing rituals, often in the form of singing and chanting with percussive
instruments. The United States Indian Bureau contains 1,500 songs used by Native Americans
for healing purposes. In the Middle Ages, the importance of music for keeping well was so highly
regarded that the law mandated that those studying medicine should also appreciate music.
At this time, specific musical applications were suggested for particular medical problems, for
example, music which alternated flute and harp was believed to be a remedy for gout.
A plague occurred in Germany in 1374 in which sufferers danced uncontrollably till they became
unconscious through exhaustion. Thousands died, and more outbreaks occurred across Europe
over the next two centuries. The only way of stopping the mania was to have a musician play
for the afflicted dancer (Harvey 1980). At a similar time, the illness tarantism, thought to be
caused by the bite of a tarantula, was believed to be cured by listening and dancing to the
music of a ‘tarantella’, a folk dance with a fast, upbeat tempo. It is possible that the wild dancing
helped the problem by separating the venom from the sufferer’s blood.
During the Renaissance, music continued to be used to treat mania and depression. The
Italian sixteenth century theorist, Gioseffo Zarlino, believed that musical harmony had
healing abilities. He suggested music could be used to relieve pain, depression, mania,
the plague and even restore hearing. In 1899, an article in The Lancet by J.T.R. Davison
titled ‘Music in Medicine’ led to the now growing interest in investigating music and
health (Davison 1899).
For many thousands of years, therefore, people have believed music to have a place
in healing, but what properties in music give it this power?
Author Information
Daphne Bryan began playing the piano at the age of seven and at 13 was awarded a
county scholarship to study piano and voice. She continued her studies at music
college, where she was awarded the piano prize in her second year.
After college, Daphne taught music in schools in Salford, London and Hampshire and
then in British Forces schools in Germany and Belgium. During this time, she also taught
piano privately and trained several choirs.
At the age of 51, she gained an MA with distinction from Sheffield University in
Psychology for Musicians and, four years later, a PhD in music psychology.
In 2010, she was diagnosed with Parkinson’s. Since then she has researched keenly
to find ways in which she can positively influence her health. Music has provided
many ways through which she has reduced her symptoms.
She still teaches piano and trains a choir.
Twitter: http://twitter.com/dmbryan1
Instagram: http://instagram.com/daphne__bryan
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