Music and Psyche

Book excerpt: Book & CD. The way that the diverse-seeming fields of music and psychoanalysis inter-penetrate is a growing area of interest and exploration. This book comprises a selection of essays and interviews that explore various aspects of this interface. The papers cover various perspectives within the analytic spectrum. There are contributions by classical Jungian analysts, Jungian and other analysts concerned with the theories of Bion, Winnicott and Lacan, and also two music therapists. What is shared by these disparate authors is a loving involvement with music. This vital compilation suggests many areas for further exploration. To make the experience more vivid, an accompanying CD provide some examples of the music described in the text. The primary aim of the book has been to show how music, and an understanding of the psyche, can enrich each other.