Suggestions for Music to Strengthen Faith.

[vandermolen]

Nice thread:

Bloch's Sacred Service/Voice in the Wilderness/Israel Symphony

Howells: Hymnus Paradisi (perhaps the most overwhelming of the "spiritual" works known to me)

Durufle: Requiem

Vaughan Williams: Sancta Civitas

Novak: The Storm

Hilding Rosenberg: Symphony 4 (+end of symphonies 2 and 3)

Honegger: Symphonie Liturgique

[EmpNapoleon]

Faith?  In myself?  HAHAHAHAHA

"Suggestions for Music to Strengthen Vanity"

I felt inspired when I heard a 2pac song in my friend's car the other day.  If I remember correctly (I didn't have the libretto handy), he sings, "Smoke rising from the barrel of my shotty, I finally got revenge, now count the bodies."

Music strengthens faith momentarily.  When I listen deeply to Stravinsky, for example, I feel like a champion, then, inevitably, a idiot.  But don't let me stand in your way to heaven.  Strengthen your faith.  You'll soon find out that you are weak anyways.

I sure did wake up bitter!

[BorisG]

I'm a Unitarian in my beliefs (a form of Christianity) and I was wanting to hear some suggestions from those of you with religious beliefs (any religion) on music that you listen to that strengthens your faith or gives you spiritual fulfillment.

Religion and music share no faith relationship for me. If you will, separation of the church and the state of bliss. 0:)

[jochanaan]

First, a disclaimer: I know of no music that might convert a nonbeliever to the Christian faith by itself without a significant Holy Spirit movement.  But there are some composers whose music I find particularly strengthens, comforts and encourages me in my own Christian faith, primarily Johann Sebastian Bach, Anton Bruckner, and Olivier Messiaen.  Just about everything they wrote reflects their own deep faith and love for God.

And there are a few other individual works that do the same, although their composers may or may not be or have been believers:

George Frideric Handel: Messiah
Ludwig van Beethoven: Missa Solemnis, Ninth Symphony
Felix Mendelssohn: Symphonies #5 and #2
Cesar Franck: Symphony in D minor, Symphonic Variations
Johannes Brahms: German Requiem
Gustav Mahler: Symphonies #2 and #8
Leoš Janáček: Glagolitic Mass
Igor Stravinsky: Symphony of Psalms
Henryk Górecki: Beatus Vir
Arvo Pärt: Magnificat

I've also heard music from other religious cultures that gets me curious about them and their way of approaching God (whatever their concept of God is), most particularly from the Hindu and Zen traditions.  Not long ago I heard a recording of shakuhachi music that was very meditative, and I've also heard some New Age recordings that were surprisingly hypnotic and listenable (if you don't expect it to be anything like concert music ).

[knight66]

Spiegel im Spiegel: as mentioned it is a contemplative piece. Each phrase is longer than the preceeding one. That somehow slows down the breathing and it is a most beautiful piece.

The Bruckner Motets are like compressed symphonies. I recommend the Corydon Singers version.....might as well get the full set. A lot of recordings are incomplete.

Mike

[EmpNapoleon]

First, a disclaimer: I know of no music that might convert a nonbeliever to the Christian faith by itself without a significant Holy Spirit movement.

Oh, a Holy Spirit movement.

[Haffner]

Oh, a Holy Spirit movement.

Oy!

[BorisG]

On order.

[Haffner]

On order.

Damn that is really beautiful, Boris!

[Don]

Then there's George Strait's "I saw God today".  Nothing like a sighting to get the old religious juices going.

[BachQ]

primarily Johann Sebastian Bach [&] Anton Bruckner

agreed

[Joe Barron]

I'm another non-believer, but I imagine Mahler's 2nd would fulfill your requirements.

Same here. The closest I ever came to belief was at the end of a performance of the Mahler Second. Imagine what it coud do for you.  0:)

[Haffner]

For me, Faith is strengthened when I hear a reason to feel gratitude. Again, op. 132 gives me that. I'd have to throw in the 1st movement of Bruckner's 7th, the entirety of Mahler's 9th, Wagner's Gotterdammerung and Parsifal (the latter most explicitly), the Tannhauser Prelude, Haydn's op.76 in its entirety, Mozart's Jupiter Symphony. Throw in Brahm's 1st Symphony for some Affirming of the Neccesity of Sturm und Drang.

[Earthlight]

Bruckner's 8th. (Well, a lot of Bruckner, but that's the one I happen to be listening to the most lately.)

I've been to a few Episcopalian Evensongs and found them musically (always) and spiritually (usually, depending on how I feel about the environment) rewarding, though I can't recommend any recordings in particular.

You can start with this. I recommend it wholeheartedly.

Thanks for that; I was going to ask the same question, having heard some Orthodox liturgy in the past and wanting to hear more. So St. John Chrysostom is on my next order.

[hornteacher]

Same here. The closest I ever came to belief was at the end of a performance of the Mahler Second. Imagine what it coud do for you.  0:)

Just purchased that and will undertake listening to it soon.

[eyeresist]

Just purchased that and will undertake listening to it soon.

Which version? Trainspotters want to know!

[hornteacher]

Which version? Trainspotters want to know!

Pierre Boulez with the Vienna Philharmonic.  I currently have Boulez's version of Mahler's 1st and since I enjoyed it very much I thought I'd stay with the same conductor.

http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/album.jsp?album_id=135836