I’ve been choosing some music that I can use during a retreat, to provide a bridge between the words of the input I’m giving and the silence of the time for personal meditation and reflection. I wanted to have a variety of styles, given the variety of participants. I’ve pretty much got the genres of Western polyphony and Catholic/Evangelical worship music covered by my CD collection, so it was good to explore some non-Western Christian music and take myself outside my comfort zone. Here are two of the pieces I chose.
You might say Rachmaninov is part of the Western canon, but in this setting of vespers he is part of a movement that is consciously trying to re-connect Russian sacred music with its roots in traditional Russian chant. This section is the Russian version of the Hail Mary, from All Night Vigil, Op. 37.
And the next piece, sung in Greek and Arabic, is an Easter Chant by Sister Marie Keyrouz, entitled “Christ is risen; in his victorious death he has given life to the dead…”
Sr Keyrouz, a Lebanese nun, is an extraordinary singer (lots of CDs on Amazon here). I first heard her music at a talk by Eamon Duffy, the Cambridge historian. He wanted to show how much of the culture and musical styles that we in the West might associate with Islam, in fact go back beyond the origins of Islam to a pre-Islamic culture. Many of the Eastern chants of Sr Keyrouz, he explained, would have stylistic roots – and possibly even some melodic lines – that stretch back to the 7th century and beyond. You certainly feel that you are being drawn into a profound and living tradition.
Stephen,
Have you tried Tavener’s ‘Prayer of the Heart’ sung by Bjork? It is a full 15 minutes long, but must be one of the most powerful pieces of spiritual music written.
Rob
Thanks for this Steve. Loved the Rachmaninov (haven’t listened to the others yet). We had a visiting Kenyan Choir a year ago and had them sing the Missa Luba mass settings during the student mass. I know it’s a bit of a hackneyed and obvious non-western choice, but it was still fantastic.
They were great Fr Stephen. At some point, where something more rousing/uplifting may be appropriate, you might consider using some Jewish music – very powerful stuff.
Father, a while ago I posted :here and here a couple of clips of “Old Roman Chant”: what scholars think pre-Gregorian chant sounded like, while still under the influence of the Temple in Jerusalem.
They might not suit a 21st century retreat in the UK though!
Thanks Tony – I like the chant a lot. Other readers: do take a listen.
Btw, what is the purpose of retreat outside lent?
Obviously, it’s to connect with God, but in what sort of a way?
Is retreat outside lent retreating from the world in general (like a lent retreat) or retreating from what is bad in the world, and thinking about how we should interact with the world and find fresh energy to do that?
So is it to connect with God in a very internal, rationalistic, of-the-soul kind of way (for our own spiritual and bodily needs in general?)
Or is it to connect with God in a very external, empirical, of-the-body kind of way (for the spiritual and bodily needs of others, in general, including the Church, our families, people in general, as well as evangelization?)
Or both?
So what is the purpose of retreat outside lent?
All of the above!!
I think a big change is happening in the Catholic Church at the moment where ordinary Catholics are becoming bolder in the world (in terms of evangelizing – not in a worldly sense).
I think. I might be wrong. I hope not.
And i think retreats should be geared more and more towards this (and, of course, never losing the traditional elements of retreats – and not forgetting that lent retreats are still, and always will be, about a cutting back on the sensual and indeed of spiritual delights – focusing on stripping everything back to the bare essentials, so that new growth can occur over the following year).
I was just being provocative (i don’t know you from Adam!) – hopefully good (not bad) provocative, as well as trying to work things out for myself.
God bless
I think you are right about the boldness; and the enthusiasm for evangelisation. Let’s hope it keep increasing.
Here’s a link to some 18th cent. Chinese paraliturgical music. It’s taken from an Astree CD recording, ’Messe des Jésuites de Pékin’. http://youtu.be/5b_ZjTnAGV8
Fascinating and beautiful – thanks!