Fear of Music
Posted by Gordon on December 29, 2007
A 19th century music critic, Nikonov, is one of a number of people described by Oliver Sacks in Musicophilia to have become oversensitive to music, in Nikonov’s case to the point where ‘almost any music, however soft, would send him into convulsions’. He described his horror, his phobia, in a pamphlet he called Fear of Music [p 24].
Question: in 1979 had Talking Heads members heard of this pamphlet?
Mike Stewart said
I have had a fear of music for 6 years having enjoyed music on a deep level for 30 years. After listening to any melodic or musical line which I enjoy I very soon have headaches and I loose the ability to think coherantly, in the past or the future.This hangover can last from a few hours to days.
Has anybody experienced the same?.( I am not listening to Heavy Metal but to a broad taste of music both live and recorded.)
clovelly4208 said
Mike – you should see the long discussion of this kind of fear of music in the Oliver Sacks book – he cites a number of examples similar and not so similar to yours, and the various successful and unsuccessful treatments or management strategies people experienced.
Peter McCarthy said
Does anyone know where to find this pamphlet? I want to read it.