Music, Witchcraft and the Paranormal, by Melvyn Willin

Synopsis: "Music, Witchcraft And The Paranormal" is a series of essays on parapsychology and psychical research with special reference to the importance of music in paganism and witchcraft. The book is excellently researched using a myriad of sources including historical and first-hand accounts, relevant publications and of course the author's own thorough investigations. Melvyn Willin, an expert on music and the paranormal or 'paramusicology', analyses the links between these fields through controlled experiments where music is used to make telepathic contact between two individuals. Spiritualists, psychics and mediums who claim their contact with dead composers allows them to write and perform music of startling similarity to the original composers' works are also scrutinised. Willin investigates too the claims of those who have heard 'ghostly' music, that is music being heard when there is no obvious sound source. Willin then discusses the place of music in pagan and witchcraft culture and ritual. Music in witchcraft before and at the start of its modern revival is examined as well as the history of witchcraft's personification in classical music.

"Music, Witchcraft and the Paranormal" concludes by bringing music in paganism up to date with details of its use in modern rituals.