Music, psychotherapy, and the soul: thoughts on singing Beethoven's Missa Solemnis.
Norman A Clemens
Journal of Psychiatric Practice May 1, 2011 DOI: 10.1097/01.pra.0000398414.51868.8e (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key points | Argues that religious choral music can evoke feeling states relevant to psychotherapy themes of death, the oceanic feeling, and the quest for ultimate reality. |
Abstract
The author draws upon the experience of singing Beethoven's Missa Solemnis to explore the feeling states aroused by religious choral music, especially the Mass. He relates them to working with patients in psychotherapy around issues of dying, death, the "oceanic feeling" of the religious experience, the human quest for knowledge, and yearning for an eternal, intelligent, and all-knowing entity in the ultimate reality.