Reflections of infectious diseases in music

Abstract number: K105

Peltola H.

The objective is to get a glimpse of the potential impact of infectious diseases on music, as regards to the composer's or performing musician's own disease, living conditions or other relevant elements which might have affected the end result, the music we enjoy today.

As music is an art of senses, full of drama, despair, realities of life – or just the opposite, blissful ignorance of those realities, full of romance, beauty, and delicacy – various forms of music was researched paying special attention to infections which potentially have played a significant role in the birth of that particular piece or performance. The entire research process was subjective, biased, and emotional, but done wholeheartedly. It aimed at to taking into account, not only the personal life of a composer or performing musician, but also the historical context in which the music was born.

Musical examples, served to the audience along with the essential background data, will show the extent to which infections have impacted music. Regarding the aetiology of those infections, bacterial, viral and parasitic agents are well represented. In addition, many epochs in history have played their role. Sometimes, the connections are surprising, even dramatic.

If listened to with a tender ear, music quite often turns out to be affected also by infectious diseases. As physicians we should realise the strength with which some people are driven by this demonic, divine – but altogether beautiful force: music.