Musicoterapia e catarsi in Teofrasto

[Autom. eng. transl.] A new interpretation of Theophrastus is proposed, Historia Plantarum IV.11.1-9 dedicated to the description of two types of reeds for aulo: the passage has been compared with the practical experiences of construction and use of this type of mouthpiece still alive in areas greek lessons from Calabria, documented by photographs and a sound recording (accessible on the web page http://www.unicatt.it/docenti/matelli). Also in other works Theophrastus dealt with the classroom to describe its therapeutic and cathartic effects. The musical issues involved in these testimonies are explored (type of musical instrument, concepts of 'genre', 'harmony', 'rhythm'), offering some executive examples on the web page through the sound of the aulos (played by M.stro C Crucitti). Finally, the notion of 'catharsis' is studied within the philosophy of Theophrastus, where human physiology, psychology, poetics and music are theoretically connected in a unitary system. Particular importance is given to the connection of the idea of 'enthusiasm' to that of 'catharsis', both physiological and psychic experiences, and at the same time 'poetic': an intimate union connects the poetic/aesthetic experience to the psycho-physical condition of the individual.