The Healing Energies of Music

Rating:
Summary: This book needs to get Jazzed up
Review: Hal Lingerman does a good job at defining classical music pieces to relieve tension, boredom, grief anxiety and depression, and those compositions which might help one relax, meditate or pray. He also gives quite a menu for musical pieces to give strength and courage, facilitate clear thinking and release anger.

Unfortunately, beyond mostly classical music, other genres of music are either omitted altogether or are severely underrepresented. He does however include a chapter representing some world music, women's music and the music of nature. An interesting chapter on personality temperaments, musical preference and the elements of fire, water, air and earth is also included but not enough to save this book from a severe lack of diversity in musical style.

After a chapter that basically bastardizes rock and roll, it becomes clear that Lingerman (who is also a minister) is on his own subtle musical pulpit. The music he preaches and advocates is without a doubt, slanted towards the classical genre and angelic in nature. Jazz compositions are virtually omitted altogether.

A good book for those with a preference for receiving the healing energy of classical music.

Rating:
Summary: This book needs to get Jazzed up
Review: Hal Lingerman does a good job at defining classical music pieces to relieve tension, boredom, grief anxiety and depression, and those compositions which might help one relax, meditate or pray. He also gives quite a menu for musical pieces to give strength and courage, facilitate clear thinking and release anger.

Unfortunately, beyond mostly classical music, other genres of music are either omitted altogether or are severely underrepresented. He does however include a chapter representing some world music, women's music and the music of nature. An interesting chapter on personality temperaments, musical preference and the elements of fire, water, air and earth is also included but not enough to save this book from a severe lack of diversity in musical style.

After a chapter that basically bastardizes rock and roll, it becomes clear that Lingerman (who is also a minister) is on his own subtle musical pulpit. The music he preaches and advocates is without a doubt, slanted towards the classical genre and angelic in nature. Jazz compositions are virtually omitted altogether.

A good book for those with a preference for receiving the healing energy of classical music.

Rating:
Summary: General discussion plus lengthy lists.
Review: THE HEALING ENERGIES OF MUSIC. By Hal A. Lingerman. 292 pp. Second Edition. Wheaton, Il.: Quest Books (The Theosophical Publishing House), 1995. ISBN 0-8356-0722-4 (pbk.)

The title of this book might lead one to expect the sort of deep exploration plus practical treatment of music and sound that is found, for example, in the books of Jonathan Goldman, Don G. Campbell, and Katharin Le Mee. These are important books that bring us astounding knowledge about the nature of sound and the powerful and important effects it has on us, knowledge that will be complete news to most. The present book, in contrast, is rather superficial, and does not really tell us anything about sound and music that we don't already know. In fact, this book is little more than a catalogue, and one with a powerful Christian agenda. Each of its twelve chapters follows the same pattern - general (and occasionally gushing) comment followed by a discography. The twelve chapters are as follows :

1. Music and you - A Closer Relationship; 2. Music for Better Health and Well-Being; 3. Finding Your Music; 4. Music for Daily Life; 5. Music for Home and Family; 6. The Music of Nature; 7. Angelic Music; 8. Music and Global Spirituality; 9. Gallery of Great Composers : Composer Keynotes; 10. The Deeper Mysteries of Music; 11. Music for the Future; 12. Women Composers.

The book is rounded out with three Appendices, and with a Bibliography in which I note the striking absence of Katharine Le Mee's extremely important book on Gregorian Chant.

Although personally I haven't found the slightest use for this book at all, I can see how it might be of some value to people looking for advice about what to listen to. Its intended audience would seem to be the Christian who either has extremely deep pockets or access to an enormous library collection of recordings.

My biggest problem with this book, however, is that it assumes a totally passive audience, an audience that simply wants to listen while waves of beautiful sound wash over them. Not that there's anything wrong with this as such, but nothing at all is said about our own power to create music by using the finest instrument that is available to anyone - her or his own God-given voice.

Few of us have the ability to sing well. But all of us can learn how to tone, to produce single notes of amazing power and beauty. And I wonder whether the production of such a note, simple and modest as it may seem, may not be doing as much or more for us than a mere passive listening to even the most ravishing symphony or concerto.

The modern world is filled to overflowing with experts, whose main effect seems to have been to convince everyone that everything is best left to them. This, however, may not be altogether true, and may have helped to destroy a great deal of individual initiative and creativity. We all have a voice and the innate power of producing marvelous sounds. If, after reading Lingerman and enjoying some of the very fine listening he recommends (his lists, so far as they go, are excellent), you'd like to learn about the real mysteries of sound and how to make hugely enjoyable sounds of your own, try taking a look at these titles :

HEALING SOUNDS : The Power of Harmonics. Revised Edition. By Jonathan Goldman. New York : Harper Collins, 1996 (1992). ISBN: 1852308486 (pbk.)

THE ROAR OF SILENCE : Healing Powers of Breath, Tone & Music. By Don G. Campbell. 134 pp. Wheaton, Ill.: The Theosophical Publishing House, 1994 (1989). ISBN 0-8356-0645-7 (pbk.)

CHANT : The Origins, Form, Practice, and Healing Power of Gregorian Chant. By Katharine Le Mee. 169 pp. New York : Bell Tower, 1994. ISBN 0-517-70037-9 (hbk.)

The wise understanding of sound shared by these books goes further than anything in the present book, and since practical instruction is given in the first two, you may discover that you didn't really need Lingerman's lists after all.

Rating:
Summary: General discussion plus lengthy lists.
Review: THE HEALING ENERGIES OF MUSIC. By Hal A. Lingerman. 292 pp. Second Edition. Wheaton, Il.: Quest Books (The Theosophical Publishing House), 1995. ISBN 0-8356-0722-4 (pbk.)

The title of this book might lead one to expect the sort of deep exploration plus practical treatment of music and sound that is found, for example, in the books of Jonathan Goldman, Don G. Campbell, and Katharin Le Mee. These are important books that bring us astounding knowledge about the nature of sound and the powerful and important effects it has on us, knowledge that will be complete news to most. The present book, in contrast, is rather superficial, and does not really tell us anything about sound and music that we don't already know. In fact, this book is little more than a catalogue, and one with a powerful Christian agenda. Each of its twelve chapters follows the same pattern - general (and occasionally gushing) comment followed by a discography. The twelve chapters are as follows :

1. Music and you - A Closer Relationship; 2. Music for Better Health and Well-Being; 3. Finding Your Music; 4. Music for Daily Life; 5. Music for Home and Family; 6. The Music of Nature; 7. Angelic Music; 8. Music and Global Spirituality; 9. Gallery of Great Composers : Composer Keynotes; 10. The Deeper Mysteries of Music; 11. Music for the Future; 12. Women Composers.

The book is rounded out with three Appendices, and with a Bibliography in which I note the striking absence of Katharine Le Mee's extremely important book on Gregorian Chant.

Although personally I haven't found the slightest use for this book at all, I can see how it might be of some value to people looking for advice about what to listen to. Its intended audience would seem to be the Christian who either has extremely deep pockets or access to an enormous library collection of recordings.

My biggest problem with this book, however, is that it assumes a totally passive audience, an audience that simply wants to listen while waves of beautiful sound wash over them. Not that there's anything wrong with this as such, but nothing at all is said about our own power to create music by using the finest instrument that is available to anyone - her or his own God-given voice.

Few of us have the ability to sing well. But all of us can learn how to tone, to produce single notes of amazing power and beauty. And I wonder whether the production of such a note, simple and modest as it may seem, may not be doing as much or more for us than a mere passive listening to even the most ravishing symphony or concerto.

The modern world is filled to overflowing with experts, whose main effect seems to have been to convince everyone that everything is best left to them. This, however, may not be altogether true, and may have helped to destroy a great deal of individual initiative and creativity. We all have a voice and the innate power of producing marvelous sounds. If, after reading Lingerman and enjoying some of the very fine listening he recommends (his lists, so far as they go, are excellent), you'd like to learn about the real mysteries of sound and how to make hugely enjoyable sounds of your own, try taking a look at these titles :

HEALING SOUNDS : The Power of Harmonics. Revised Edition. By Jonathan Goldman. New York : Harper Collins, 1996 (1992). ISBN: 1852308486 (pbk.)

THE ROAR OF SILENCE : Healing Powers of Breath, Tone & Music. By Don G. Campbell. 134 pp. Wheaton, Ill.: The Theosophical Publishing House, 1994 (1989). ISBN 0-8356-0645-7 (pbk.)

CHANT : The Origins, Form, Practice, and Healing Power of Gregorian Chant. By Katharine Le Mee. 169 pp. New York : Bell Tower, 1994. ISBN 0-517-70037-9 (hbk.)

The wise understanding of sound shared by these books goes further than anything in the present book, and since practical instruction is given in the first two, you may discover that you didn't really need Lingerman's lists after all.