The Bible and Music

I really enjoyed Robert Saler’s visit to our class on Tuesday. His extensive knowledge of the Arvo Part and the intricate theology behind his compositions impressed me. I am really intrigued by and attracted to theology, due in large part to my Catholic school background. I found Saler’s descriptions of Part’s music fascinating. As I listened to Part’s music in preparation for the class, I had a hard time connecting his works with the Bible and/or the Christian tradition. It became clear to me that Saler has dedicated hours upon hours to studying Part and interpreting the musical structure of his compositions.

I wanted to know a bit more about Robert Saler’s background; for instance, I was curious about his involvement with prestigious concert venues like Carnegie Hall in New York. Similarly, I would have loved to learn about his interaction with Arvo Part. Perhaps we would have needed a much longer class period to flesh out these topics.

I really appreciated Saler’s references to other scholars who have analyzed Part’s compositions. I was particularly struck by the excerpt from a book written by a scholar at Duke (unfortunately I was not quick enough to jot down his name) about the centrality of suffering in Christian theology. I would love to explore this theme more in light of the relationship between the Bible and music.

Saler’s comments on contemporary Christian music were interesting. As a fan of some contemporary Christian music, I did not entirely agree with the argument that it tells the listener to feel a certain way. I can acknowledge the validity of the claim that instrumental music might be more conducive to personal interpretation and personal religious experience. However, I think meaningful religious experience is possible through more contemporary compositions with lyrics. For example, I have had experience spiritual enlightenment and religious awakening through Matt Maher’s song “Lord, I need You”.