Repeated listening and score reading indicate that all pieces share the following common features,
which can be considered criteria for inclusion;
Polyphony
Musical space
Continuity
Movement and variability
Repetitions and similarities
Gentle flow and predominant quiet mood
Melody and harmony related to modality or tonality
Good performance quality
Negative criteria
In the preliminary music selection, EC listened to 400 pieces of music, and excluded music that dis-
played sudden disturbances, too strong dissonance, and excessive expression or dynamics.
In the final music selection, ET listened to 35 pieces, and selected six pieces as preferable for GIM.
In August 2010, ET and EC listened again to the music that had not been selected, in order to clarify
the criteria for exclusion. Discussions of the music indicated that ET’s criteria for exclusion were the
following:
The music insists too much on itself
Too strong expression or dynamics
Sudden disturbances
Potential irritation
Incessant tension
No place to dwell
Exclusion and inclusion
The difference between listening to music in a GIM session and listening to music in an alert state
give reasons for ET’s exclusion criteria. In the GIM session, music is not heard for its own sake.
In GIM, music functions as a “co-therapist” (Skaggs 1992:77-83, Bonde 2007, Summer 2009:55,
62). Thus, it is not the music’s role to insist too much on itself.^11 Furthermore, the music in GIM is
supposed to function as a ‘container’ for the client’s imagery and emotional experience (Bonny
1989/2002:134, Grocke 2002b:92). Thus, sudden or violent events that may disturb the client’s al-
tered state of consciousness are not desirable.
The criteria for inclusion in Present Moments listed above appear to be in agreement with Helen
Bonny’s characteristics of the music chosen for GIM programs. Bonny specified the characteristics in
an interview with Denise Grocke (1999:416-421). Grocke (2002b:92-95) summarizes that according
to Bonny, the music in a GIM program;
- creates tension and release, expectation and suspense
- is a fluid and flexible container, which allows a wide space for exploring emotion
- stimulates flow and movement of the imagery experience
- displays a certain amount of variability
- conveys an appropriate mood
For a concise summary of the description, see Chapter 2, pp. 50-52.
11 Ruth Skaggs explains that ”the symbolic, ambiguous nature of music is always pointing toward something not quite
clear. This leaves an opening for the client to create his own clarity and meaning. Even when one meaning is derived,
there is always the potential for another lying in wait” (Skaggs 1992:80-81)