Tarantism in a music therapy perspective: dialogue between traditional music and psychic suffering.

Authors:

Simona Nirensztein Katz & Adriano Primadei

Abstract:

From medieval times to the mid seventies in rural southern Italy women periodically fell in a form of possession. Common belief was that this possession was caused by the bite of a spider called the Taranta.
The soothing of the pain was conferred to experienced musicians. In the sixties the anthropologist and
ethnologist Ernesto de Martino created the basis for a anthropological, musical, socio- economic and
psychological analysis of this phenomenon. Since his work, and of late in particular, Tarantism creates
a growing interest. This research analyses this therapeutic musical process in the perspective of
psychodynamic Music Therapy.
 

Biographical details:

Simona Nirensztein Katz is a music therapist (AIM teacher and supervisor) and a pianist. Piano
Diploma in Conservatorio Cherubini, Florence, Artist Diploma in Rubin Academy and Music Therapy
degree in David Yellin College (Jerusalem). She is the Co-founder of the Professional Association of
Psychodynamic Music Therapy “Shir”, and develops a new training course in Florence. She works with
children and adults with emotional or psychiatric disorders and with women facing cancer, in the private
clinic and in the public health services.
 

Adriano Primadei, Italy
Adriano Primadei is a music therapist, (AIM teacher and supervisor) and musician. He studied electronic music, composition and got his music therapy diploma in Florence. He is co-founder of the Professional Association of Psychodynamic Music Therapy “Shir” and is promoting and developing a new Music Therapy training course in Florence. His clinical work as Music Therapist with children and adult patients is psychodynamically oriented.