Investigation of Music in Therapy from Biblical Times Until the Beginning of the Middle Ages
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University of Montana ScholarWorks at University of Montana Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers Graduate School 1984 Investigation of music in therapy from Biblical times until the beginning of the Middle Ages Cochavit Elefant The University of Montana Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd Let us know how access to this document benefits ou.y Recommended Citation Elefant, Cochavit, "Investigation of music in therapy from Biblical times until the beginning of the Middle Ages" (1984). Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers. 7276. https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd/7276 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at ScholarWorks at University of Montana. It has been accepted for inclusion in Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks at University of Montana. For more information, please contact [email protected]. COPYRIGHT ACT OF 1976 Th is i s an unpublished m a n u s c r ip t in w h ic h c o p y r ig h t su b s i s t s . A ny further r e p r in t in g of it s co ntents must be a ppro ved BY THE AUTHOR, MANSFIELD L ib r a r y U n iv e r s it y of Montana Date : ----------- 3 ^ 9 . 8 - 4 -------- Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. An Investigation of Music in Therapy From Biblical Times Until the Beginning of the Middle Ages by Cochavit Elefant B.M. Rubin Academy of Music, Jerusalem, 1977 B.A. Michigan State University, 1983 Presented in partial fu lfillm e n t of the requirements for the degree of Master of Music Education University of Montana 1984 Approved by; Chaiairman. Board of Examtnèjpfti^^ Deatr, Graduate ScMTTol TDate ' Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. UMI Number: EP38077 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. UMT O kw N W om UMI EP38077 Published by ProQuest LLC (2013). Copyright in the Dissertation held by the Author. Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code ProQuest ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106 - 1346 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Elefant, Cochavit, May 1984 Music An Investigation of Music in Therapy from Biblical Times Until the Beginning of the Middle Ages. (41 pp.) Director; Dr. Zoe Kelley p. The purpose of this study was to find the ea rlies t recorded examples of music used in therapy during the early Biblical period, Greek and Roman Antiquity, and during the beginning of Middle Ages within the Judaic and Islamic cultures. The study also examined the d ifferent kinds of music and musical instruments that were used for the purpose of therapy by each culture, and the role of the healer and the patient in each of these periods. A limited amount of the literature used in this study was writ ten in Hebrew and obtained in Israel, The information was collected, analyzed, translated and explained. As a result of this study i t was found that music played a prominent role in people's lives and was an influential and an integral part of the therapy process. Also, the study demonstrated that certain kinds of music, specific instruments, and relationships between the healer and the patient appear to have had an effect on the results of the therapy. 11 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The writer wishes to express her appreciation to Dr. Zoe Kelley of the University of Montana for her assistance and guidance as well as additional time given throughout the course of this study. She is also grateful to Dr. John Ellis and Dr. Joseph Brown of the University of Montana for their many fine suggestions. Special thanks to Alayne Dolson, who assisted in the editing of this manuscript and to David Hirshberg, her father, who has been helpful in collecting material per tinent to this study. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE ABSTRACT ii CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION Statement of the problem and the need for the study........................................................................................... 1 Definition of terms..................................................................... 4 Related Literature and delimitation of thestudy.... 6 2 THE USE OF MUSIC IN THERAPY AS REFLECTED IN JEWISH HISTORY DURING THE PERIOD OF THE OLD TESTAMENT........................................................................................... 10 3 THE USE OF MUSIC IN THERAPY DURING CLASSICAL ANTIQUITY IN GREECE AND ROME.................................................. 19 4 THE USE OF MUSIC IN THERAPY AS REFLECTED IN ISLAM AND JUDAISM AT THE BEGINNNG OF THE MEDIEVAL PERIOD 28 5 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS............................................................. 36 BIBLIOGRAPHY................................................................................... 39 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. CHAPTER 1 Statement of the Problem and the Need for the Study Introduction The purpose of this project was to locate the earliest recorded examples of music used as therapy from the beginning of the Hebrew C ivilizatio n through Greek and Roman Antiquity, and the influence of those cultures on the Judaic and Islamic medieval periods. The primary focus of the research centered on Biblical citatio ns, philosophical studies by Greek and Roman scholars, and commentary from the Talmud and Islamic lite ra tu re concerning medical use of music's curative powers. Music therapy is a re la tiv e ly new fie ld of formal study "that has moved a long way toward greater scientific respectabi1ty since its inception."! Until recently, descriptive and experimental studies have been the focus for research in the profession, and there appears to be a lack of basic historical research in music t h e r a p y . 2 Little historical research has been done in the area of music therapy on the use of music as a form of therapy except for the works of Ju liette Alvin3 and Ruth Ic . K. Madsen and C. H. Madsen, J r., Experimental Research in Music (Raleigh, North Carolina: Contemporary Publishing Comp., 1978), p. 35. 2a , I. Solomon and G. N. Heller, "Historical Research in Music Therapy: An Important Avenue for Studying the Profession," Journal of Music Therapy, XIX, 3 (Fall, 1982), pp. 161-177. 3 ju lie tte Alvin, Music Therapy, (New York: Basic Books, In c., 1975). pp. 7-70. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 2 Boxberger.^ This writer found historical research of particular interest, saw it as a logical starting point for a fuller understanding of music therapy, and considered it to be a validation of the use of music therapy. Historical research is imperative i f one seeks a comprehensive and meaningful definition of music therapy. In order to understand what music therapy is today, one must understand its origins and its evolution. "Historical knowledge is awareness of cause and e ffe c t, progression through time and antecedents and consequences."5 Since music therapy as a science is in its infancy, the fu ll power and potential of music as a form of therapy has not been realized and understood. However, the "healing power" of music has been recognized throughout the ages. Music was used as a means of communication, for religious purposes,,for sociological reasons, and as a form of p oliti c k expression. The w riter found, through historical examples, the potential of music as a form of therapy for physically, mentally, and emotionally impaired people. There are numerous examples of music being the only form of therapy that is successful in reaching autistic c h i l d r e n . 6 This gives us minimal awareness of the fu ll potential of music therapy and can lead to a greater understanding of its use. One of the ea rlies t examples of music used as a "healing power" is David and Saul. 4Ruth Boxberger, A Historical Study of the National Association for Music Therapy. Doctoral dissertation. University of Kansas, 1963. ^Solomon and H eller, p. 166. ^Michael H. Thaut, Music Therapy as a Treatment Tool for Autistic Children, (M.M. Thesis, Michigan State University, 1980). Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. In the story of David and Saul, music was used to relieve a neurotic depression. Thus, David was one of the f ir s t musi cians to be called in and to use his musical s k ill with a mentally affected person.? Unfortunately, most of the examples found in the Bible do not describe in detail the therapeutic value of music, but rather describe the importance of music and its powerful effect on people. In many accounts of the use of music, one can only assume that music had a therapeutic influence. In addition to obtaining a definition of music therapy, establishing a clearer understanding of music therapy as practiced today, and realizing the potential of music as a form of therapy, further information may be obtained from a comprehensive historical search. This w riter attempted to answer such questions as: what kind of music was used as therapy, what instruments were used, who was the healer, what was his role in the society, who was the patient and what was his role in the society.