# Violin pieces suitable for patients of PTSD?



## Jeanette Townsend

There's a facility for PTSD sufferers in my area, and they'd like for me to perform there. I'm just wondering what kind of pieces would be suitable for the patients, and if you have any experience with performing for people with PTSD.
I have a few in mind already, things like Ave Maria, basically anything by Fauré. I was also thinking of Ashokan Farewell. They have to be slow and soothing, I guess. I was wondering if the Prelude to Bach's Cello Suite would be good, as well.
I'd like to get twenty minutes' worth, if I can. I'll contact them to see how long a performance would be acceptable for. Once I have a list, I'll send it to them for confirmation.
Any help or suggestions you have would be greatly appreciated. This is my first time performing for a casual audience, certainly my first time for PTSD sufferers. 
Thanks in advance.


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## Josquin13

What a good idea. Bless you. I have no musical experience with PTSD to relate, but I'll try to make some suggestions, anyway. Unfortunately, the first music that comes to mind likely requires some kind of accompaniment--such as Massenet's "Meditation on a theme by Thäis": 



 , Vaughn Williams "The Lark Ascending": 



, & Debussy's "Reverie": 



 (or Clair du Lune: 



). Apart from those pieces, I find Renaissance Lute music to be especially tranquil and relaxing, & there's no music more calming to me than that of Josquin Desprez (whose music Renaissance lutenists were especially fond of transcribing). Would you be up to the challenge of transcribing something to the violin, if that could work? (or if not by Josquin, perhaps some other lute music?). Here's a full album of Josquin lute transcriptions, as played by lutenist Jacob Heringman>






Otherwise, would you be able to transcribe Handel's Menuet in G minor to the solo violin (from the Wilhelm Kempff piano transcription)? or Bach's Air on the G string?










My other thought is, does it really have to all be tranquil music? I think something soulful and more rhythmic would be good too. You don't want to bore them. Perhaps you could find some upbeat Blue Grass violin music to play? maybe something along the lines of the material performed by the Carpe Diem String Quartet on their album "Montana (& their Mug & Brush Sessions)--which I find so life affirming?














or a classic rock ballade transcribed to the violin? something along the lines of what Rachel Barton Pine & Nigel Kennedy do (but not so "heavy' metal", of course)? Such as an improvisation on Jimi Hendrix's song, Little Wing? Who doesn't like Little Wing?














Or, maybe a song by Simon & Garfunkel? like "Scarborough Fair"?














or, "For Emily, whenever I may find her"?






I hope I've said something that helps, & good luck!


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## Jeanette Townsend

Thabk you!
I can transcribe, so that shouldn't be an issue. I'll look at those. I love renaissance lute, as well. 
I did think that by playing just a bunch of tranquil pieces I'd bore them. I'll try Scarborough Fair, which most people in my area love, and maybe a rock/blues song. That should be fine. If it's not, I'm sending the list in to them and they can tell me, anyway.
Thanks for your kind response.


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## Larkenfield

Here's one more that might interest you-a wonderful album by Joshua Bell full of individual selections:

https://www.amazon.com/Romance-Violin-Joshua-Bell/dp/B0000DG06L/ref=ntt_mus_ep_dpi_1

The selections are beautiful and calming without being boring.


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## 89Koechel

Nice recommendation - BTW … Hey, Lark …. were you ever on the old (now-discontinued) Amazon music discussion boards?


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## Josquin13

I've been thinking, since you say that you can transcribe, maybe it would be better to transcribe directly from Josquin's works, and by pass the lute transcriptions. It might be more interesting for you, too. Of course, I don't know if it's even possible to transcribe multi-part vocal works to a solo violin? but if it could work, I think it'd be extremely interesting. If so, here's my favorite Josquin album (of many)--the Orlando Consort singing his motets: for me, this CD contains some of the most beautiful and deeply spiritual music ever composed:


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## vsm

Jeanette, this is a great project, kudos to you.

Other titles to explore are the Arioso by Bach, Ave Verum by Mozart or The Swan by Saint-Saens... Of course, there are many more, but if it is relaxing and soothing music what you are looking for, please, let me know, I'll give you more suggestions.

If you like, I'll be happy to open you a free Membership on Virtual Sheet Music. We have most of those titles on our site, ready to be downloaded and played. And if you are looking for a specific transcription we don't currently have, I'll be glad to consider to make it for you.

Please, let me know if that's something that could be useful for your purpose.

We need more people like you, please, keep it up!


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## joen_cph

Transcription idea: Thomas Tallis, O Nata Lux


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## Jeanette Townsend

Really? That would be amazing. Thank you. I would definitely use it for the PTSD facility and nursing homes. Would that be for an entire year, or just for a month?
Thank you for all your responses!


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## vsm

Jeanette Townsend said:


> Really? That would be amazing. Thank you. I would definitely use it for the PTSD facility and nursing homes. Would that be for an entire year, or just for a month?
> Thank you for all your responses!


If you are referring to the VSM Membership, that'll last one entire year. Please, send me a private message on this forums, or contact me at:

[email protected]

by sending your email to the attention of "Fabrizio Ferrari", and I'll get back to you via email with all the details about it.

Keep this fantastic thing up!

All the best,

Fabrizio


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