The analytical investigation examining tonal therapeutic improvisatory music (Lee, C.A., 1989) would seem to indicate that music therapy should be exploring its own investigative form of analysis. The adoption of a Schenkerian construct of analysis accommodates music therapy perhaps more clearly than the often complex statistics and pitch classes that, for the most part, concern the analysis of atonal music. The tonal infrastructure can normally be described in direct relation to its harmonic foundation. With atonality, however, such reference points are not easily available, except in serialism or similar theoretical forms of music. It is the intention of this article to investigate the diverse constructs of post-tonal analysis and consider their validity in exploring atonal issues of therapeutic improvisation. Initial focus will be on formal analysis of the improvisation, interspersed with a more informal subjective framework of enquiry endeavouring to evaluate relationships between both areas. The passage of improvisation selected is taken from a different session with the same client, thus enabling various parallels to be drawn.

This article describes the inception and progress of an experimental music therapy group at the Marylebone Music Therapy Unit. Clients were referred from either the Counselling Service or the General Practice Unit, both also located in the crypt of St. Marylebone Church, London. The article describes my search for an appropriate structure for the group and the formation of some theoretical perspectives on improvisation with such clients. In conclusion is a section containing the clients' evaluations of their experience of the group over the period of one year. Since the author does not claim in any sense to be a pioneer in this field, (whilst still acknowledging the work of other colleagues), this article is written in an exploratory style; because with these clients in this particular context, for him, it was experimental.