Effect of Western Classical Music on a mind inhabiting a consumptive body

Thomas Mann wrote "The Magic Mountain" (1924) for which he won the Nobel Prize for Literature. It describes the stay of a young Engineer, Hans Castorp, who visits his cousin in a Swiss Sanatorium. However, shortly after arrival, he also is diagnosed with an incipient form of consumption & stays there for 7 years.

The most "magical" chapter of this book appears towards the end of the book, when the managing doctor orders a record player (then a novelty)  & a set of 144 records (total playing time around 15 hours) to entertain the patients.

The other patients quickly tire of the novelty, but Hans Castorp takes upon himself the task of organising & playing the shellac records. These comprise the whole gamut of Western Classical Music from Offenbach's Overtures, Mozart's "The Marriage of Figaro", a Soprano singing airs from "La Traviata" & lilting melodies of Viennese Waltzes. There were also single movements from symphonies & concertos.

So addicted was Hans that he played it till late in the night & went with a consumptive flush to bed, where he dreamed of the magical musical box. On getting up, he would listen some more before breakfast. After dinner, he would be joined by some desultory wandering listeners who would drift away after sometime.

But for Hans Castorp, this opened up a wonderful new world of the greatest music, spurring his imagination & memories.