Music evokes an emotional response in people, and at the very core of all healing is emotion.
If you feel better you are better. Even in the face of terminal diseases, almost all people turn to music for solace and comfort. It is the one thing in the world I know of where the solitary heart can find peace. Above all other art forms, music is the one form enabling the communication of emotion without dilution. I don' t have to know what Pavirotti is singing to feel the depth of his heart when he sings.