Music Listening, Music Therapy, Phenomenology and Neuroscience

On the background of this experience, ET concluded that some of the pieces were not ideal can-

didates for a program. She found the expressivity of Messiaen’s Ascension and Bartok’s Elegy too

dominant. The sound of Gubaidulina’s piece appeared to be too distant, and some transitions be-

tween pieces implied disturbing contrasts. Nevertheless, she found two pieces suitable for inclusion

in a GIM program; Pärt’s Da Pacem Domine and Messiaen’s Garden of Love’s Sleep. She pointed

out that the nature of Pärt’s choral work appeared to be too static for a starting piece. Thus, the en-

suing task consisted in finding pieces which could fit and match Pärt and Messiaen in a program.

Music selection

Preliminary music selection

Continuing the search for appropiate music, EC listened to approximately 400 pieces by various

composers in May and June 2010. As a rule, 1-4 minutes of listening provided sufficient basis for

rejection or preliminary accept. He selected 35 pieces for further consideration by ET, preferably

orchestral and choral music, and a few pieces of chamber music. Similar to the selection of the pilot

program, criteria for inclusion were polyphony, musical space, richness of timbres, and performance

quality. According to ET’s experience of the test program, criteria for exclusion were sudden distur-

bances, too strong dissonance, and excessive expression or dynamics. The selected composers

were:

Bela Bartok (4 pieces), John Corigliano (1), Ernesto Halffter (1), Alan Hovhaness (4), Magnus Lind-

berg (2), Witold Lutoslawski (2), Olivier Messiaen (3), Per Nørgård (6), Christopher Rouse (1), Toru

Takemitsu (5), John Tavener (5), Veljo Tormis (1).

Final music selection

From the 35 pieces, compiled on CDs, ET carried out the final selection during May-June 2010.

The selection to be tested in GIM sessions consisted of;

1. Bela Bartok: An Evening in the Village (1931) 2’50


2. John Corigliano: Voyage for Flute and String Orchestra (1983) 8’00


3. Olivier Messiaen: Garden of Love’s Sleep (1948) 10’30


4. John Tavener: Lament from “The Repentant Thief” (1990) 2’15


5. Arvo Pärt: Da Pacem Domine for mixed chorus (2004) 5’30


6. Veljo Tormis: Wee Winkie Mouse (Lullaby), for mixed chorus (1970) 2’45

ET described the process in an interview with EC:

”I had no conscious intention of creating a program for a specific purpose. The program grew
gradually out of the available pieces, focusing on Messiaen’s Garden of Love’s Sleep as the
core piece. It had to be placed in the middle, but to which side of the middle?
I listened again and again for pieces that could fit with Messiaen and Pärt’s choral piece.
I had the idea of moving gradually towards Messiaen, and was very concerned about the tran-
sitions between pieces. After listening many times for sound and instrumentation, I realized
that Corigliano’s Voyage for flute and strings constituted a fine introduction to Messiaen.
I knew that a direct shift from Messiaen to Pärt would not be favorable. I needed a piece
to create the transition, and chose Tavener’s short Lament for clarinet, strings, handbells and
timpani. In the Messiaen piece, one has entered a magic, enchanted universe. It is extremely
delightful and easy to be there. There is a lot of support, and at the same time excitement and
freedom to move around. It is a piece for ”being here and now”. Its ending remains open, and
there is a need for a piece that facilitates a gradual return.
Tavener serves as the link between Messiaen and Pärt. The luminous tones of the hand-