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Music and Religious Experience: Developing a Theological Approach to Composition
Music can serve as a model to demonstrate aspects of religious experience such as 'original religious experiences', revelation, transcendence of I-It dualisms, temporality and partial fulfilment. Listening to music may be a religious experience in itself, depending upon the mode of listening, and upon the subject's openness to music and to religious ideas. Informed reflection on what I read has influenced and continues to influence my approach to composing religious music. During the research, I developed an increasingly theologically-informed approach. NB: This paper was written for an MMus which emphasised "artistic research" and "personal development," and as such contains chapters of personal reflection.
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Across time and geography, people have known the power of music for evoking God and acquiring spiritual insight. Whether arising as a text less chant by a single voice or a percussive auditory event for ritual dance, music in its various modes is a virtually ubiquitous companion to spiritual practices and commitments. Not only a constant accompaniment to one's spiritual trek, musical compositions from the great oratorios of Handel to the soundtrack to the Christian calendars, rituals, occasions and worship also serve as powerful metaphors and inspirations for music and its vitality in spirituality.
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DOI: 10.21276/sjahss.2017.5.9.6 Abstract: The paper explores the possibility of integrating faith and the learning of music against the background of opposing worldviews in the contemporary society. This paper will concentrate on the Christian faith whose basis is the bible. The bible is believed to be the word of God that defines a Christian’s lifestyle in all his/her operations in spheres of life. From the time of great philosophers like Socrates to the current time of postmodernism, knowledge and truth has kept on evolving as each new movement challenges the other. But the word of God still stands as the truth as it comes to pass in due course. In Mt. 5:18, Jesus says, “For truly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the law until all is accomplished.” This makes the word of God credible and reliable in informing a Christian’s life and influencing the learning of music. Music is one of the forms of art designed by God for His glori...
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