Musical Religiosity
Temenos - Nordic Journal for the Study of Religion June 8, 2015 DOI: 10.33356/temenos.48554 (opens in new tab) via OpenAlex
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractMusic has qualities that correspond well with what religion, in a broad sense, aspires to be. Four musical qualities—timbre, the tonal system of Western music, time relations within the tonal network, and the non-referential nature of music—are linked to John Dewey's definition of 'the religious.' An analogy can be drawn between musical and religious experience: both composers and musicians challenge listeners to explore hidden religiosity in musical performance.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Keywords | Religiosity Timbre Analogy Aesthetics Musical form |
| Citations | 4 |
| Key finding | Argues that an analogy can be shown between musical and religious experience, with composers and musicians challenging listeners to explore hidden religiosity in performance. |
Abstract
In this essay the author explores the thesis that music is by its nature religious, or rather, that it has qualities that correspond well with what religion, in a broad sense, aspires to be. Four musical qualities are explored: timbre, the tonal system of western music, the time relations within the tonal network, and the non-referential nature of music. These qualities are linked to the definition of ‘the religious’ by John Dewey. The main conclusion is that an analogy can be shown between the musical and the religious experience: both composers and musicians challenge the listeners to explore the hidden religiosity in the performance of music.