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Musicology of Religion: Selected Papers on Religion and Music
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Musicology of Religion: Selected Papers on Religion and Music

A special issue of Religions (ISSN 2077-1444).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2024) | Viewed by 12326

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Guy Beck

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Religious Studies, Loyola University New Orleans, New Orleans, LA 70118, USA
Interests: religious studies; musicology; Asian religions; Hinduism
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The conspicuous neglect of music in the field of religious studies, as well as the general avoidance of religion in musicology and the social sciences, stands in contradiction to the rapidly rising interest in the combined topic of “religion and music”. For generations, religious studies scholars have proclaimed religion a ‘universal phenomenon’, and musicologists have regarded music as ‘universal’. Yet the fact that religion and music have been frequently linked throughout history and topography has not, despite the importance of music in the early stages of religious studies, garnered enough attention to consider their combined presence as a separate area of study and research. Since this topic is gaining a critical mass of information and beginning to receive proper attention in the academy and in the public sphere, there is a growing need for more research.

In partial response to this need, we are pleased to invite papers as part of a new field, Musicology of Religion, with themes that are explored within one tradition or in a comparative framework. This Special Issue welcomes research on any aspect of the confluence of music and the sacred, or on any aspect of theory or method in the study of religion and music.

This Special Issue enlarges upon the Guest Editor’s forthcoming book, Musicology of Religion: Theories, Methods, and Directions (May 2023), in which the topic of religion and music is surveyed and developed methodologically in terms of a distinct subject area. The rationale for this subject area is driven by historical precedent. While there are well-developed fields of anthropology of religion, psychology of religion, and philosophy of religion, the widely recognized connections between religion and sound, chant, and music warrant a comparable academic home. Drawing upon theories and methods in the study of both religion and music, addressing challenges posed by critics, and referencing examples from world religious traditions, the proposed field for religion and music, Musicology of Religion, has answered the call to address the rapidly growing interest in both the academic and public spheres. Grounded in the scope and methods of phenomenology and comparative analysis, Musicology of Religion is a new form of interdisciplinary study that is enriched by other disciplines in the social sciences and humanities.

In pursuit of this direction, this Special Issue features contributions on the presence of music or musical thought in religion. Papers are invited that attempt to explore themes involving religion and music within one culture or across more than one culture or tradition. Seeking to articulate the depths of one tradition, or to find common ground or identify differences between traditions, the methods of approach may include phenomenology, history of religions, philosophy of music, aesthetics, theology of music, ritual studies, liturgical studies, social sciences, ethnomusicology, and cognitive studies. Any form or manifestation of the confluence of religion and music worldwide is welcome, including spirituality and music, sacred songs and chants, musical instruments, and liturgical action---all contributing to specific ‘sacred soundscapes’. These topics may relate to specific groups or communities within the major world religions, or to historical time periods in the musical development of areas like Europe and Asia. The emphasis should be on the overall dimension of music in religious experience rather than on technical aspects of musicology. In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews of research are especially welcome.

Among the possible topics are concepts of music as sacred, religion as musical, musical experience as religious, music as Divine Gift, musical angels, music in heaven or the otherworld, music in the afterlife, music as basis of ethical and political life, musical instruments as sacred objects, music in ritual or liturgical action, music as meditation, melody and rhythm as manifestations of the sacred or as windows into the divine.  

I look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Guy Beck
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Religions is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • religion
  • music
  • musicology
  • ethnomusicology
  • sacred sound
  • chant, ritual
  • liturgy
  • phenomenology
  • theology

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 732 KiB  
Article
Love and Emotions in Pietist Hymnography—From the Past to Us: Musical Examples
by Alberto Annarilli
Religions 2024, 15(8), 954; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15080954 - 6 Aug 2024
Viewed by 927
Abstract
This study aims to analyze, through religious hymns in the German-speaking area from the early 18th century, the influence that the Pietist theological movement, starting from Philipp Jacob Spener’s Pia Desideria, had on the centralization of the self in the Protestant religious [...] Read more.
This study aims to analyze, through religious hymns in the German-speaking area from the early 18th century, the influence that the Pietist theological movement, starting from Philipp Jacob Spener’s Pia Desideria, had on the centralization of the self in the Protestant religious world, through the introduction of personal feelings of love towards God. On the one hand, the origins of Pietism can already be traced back to the late 16th century in areas affected by the radical reforms of the Anabaptists. On the other hand, it is from the late 17th century and throughout the 18th century that this theological and spiritual movement destabilized orthodox Lutheranism in some symbolic cities of Protestant Germany, such as Frankfurt am Main, Halle, and the Duchy of Westphalia, up to Moravia. The extensive publication of hymnals and musical compendia for the use of individuals, lay groups (collegia pietatis), faith communities, and churches denotes a fervor and a desire to preach their way of “practicing” spirituality, which greatly contrasts with both orthodox Lutheranism and the prevailing rationalism in the religious and philosophical sphere in Germany of the mid-18th century. For the first time since the Reformation, Lutheranism saw the use, in the theology of the preached and sung Word, of personal feelings and emotions that connect the individual with God, who is made an object of individual as well as collective worship. This was one of the most significant accusations that came from the University of Wittenberg against Pietism, namely the shift of theological and spiritual focus from the centrality of God to the centrality of the self, which manifests its faith through the most intimate emotions and feelings. Through the analysis of some examples taken from hymnographic and theological production, centered on the individual feelings of the believer, this article focuses on how this influenced the religious revival movements that would pervade England and the United States of America for more than two centuries (from the First Great Awakening in the late 18th century to the Pentecostal movements of the 20th century), with a spotlight on Italian hymnody during the Risorgimento. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Musicology of Religion: Selected Papers on Religion and Music)
17 pages, 383 KiB  
Article
’Srī Gurugītā: A Sanskrit Devotional Text and Musical Yogic Practice
by Brita Renée Heimarck
Religions 2024, 15(8), 894; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15080894 - 25 Jul 2024
Viewed by 863
Abstract
This article investigates the Sanskrit hymn, ´Srī Gurugītā, from a scholarly, scriptural, historical, and ethnographic standpoint. Mystical yogic concepts such as chaitanya-shabda (Consciousness–sound) and shravana samadhi (absorption through reading or listening to holy texts) are introduced in the context of Gurugītā recitation. [...] Read more.
This article investigates the Sanskrit hymn, ´Srī Gurugītā, from a scholarly, scriptural, historical, and ethnographic standpoint. Mystical yogic concepts such as chaitanya-shabda (Consciousness–sound) and shravana samadhi (absorption through reading or listening to holy texts) are introduced in the context of Gurugītā recitation. The history of diverse lineages that practice Gurugītā recitation and several historical dimensions of svadhyaya (long-text chanting) and namasankirtana (short chants) are briefly introduced, and the works of Jeremy Morse and Antonio Rigopoulos are closely considered. This article deals with the significant elements of yogic awakening referenced within the Gurugītā text and the goal of liberation cited therein. Many scholars have researched Hinduism, Tantra, Bhakti yoga, and devotion. This article investigates musical devotion in the context of yogic communities dedicated to Gurugītā recitation with the aim of experiencing the inner Self. The democratization and dissemination of this practice have global dimensions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Musicology of Religion: Selected Papers on Religion and Music)
14 pages, 1520 KiB  
Article
Vernacular Catholicism in Ireland: The Keening Woman
by Sean Williams and Lillis Ó Laoire
Religions 2024, 15(7), 879; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15070879 - 22 Jul 2024
Viewed by 1418
Abstract
The relationship between popular vernacular Catholicism and the more official liturgical variety has varied over centuries. Following the subjugation of Ireland by the late 17th century, and the institution of anti-Catholic proscriptions, the number of priests available became more restricted. Religious observation subsequently [...] Read more.
The relationship between popular vernacular Catholicism and the more official liturgical variety has varied over centuries. Following the subjugation of Ireland by the late 17th century, and the institution of anti-Catholic proscriptions, the number of priests available became more restricted. Religious observation subsequently centered on holy days and local sacred sites including healing wells, many of them dedicated to saints. Always central figures in death rituals, women who mourned the dead—“keening women”—were so called because they lamented the dead through a combination of voice and song. We will show how the songs relate to a deep liminal spirituality that existed semi-independently of official Church norms, and how the voice served to establish their position. In the Catholic revival of the late nineteenth century, such forms were ousted by European modes of worship, but persisted at the margins, allowing us insight into their previous vigor. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Musicology of Religion: Selected Papers on Religion and Music)
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7 pages, 156 KiB  
Article
Understanding Religious Music: A Smorgasbord
by Nick Zangwill
Religions 2024, 15(4), 453; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15040453 - 3 Apr 2024
Viewed by 922
Abstract
Understanding religious music is challenging. Indeed, the whole idea can seem perplexing and problematic. In this paper, a number of ways of understanding religious music are sketched. Seven main models are distinguished: the side-effect model, the ringtone model, the honey model, the addition [...] Read more.
Understanding religious music is challenging. Indeed, the whole idea can seem perplexing and problematic. In this paper, a number of ways of understanding religious music are sketched. Seven main models are distinguished: the side-effect model, the ringtone model, the honey model, the addition model, the fitting beauty model, the organic unity model, and the similarity model. Some issues concerning Bach’s Sacred Cantatas are then considered in order to see how these approaches apply in one particularly controversial and puzzling example. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Musicology of Religion: Selected Papers on Religion and Music)
24 pages, 4843 KiB  
Article
The Reverberation of the Sacred Gurbani’s Vibrations at the Darbar Sahib: The Issue of Its Television Broadcasting
by Pashaura Singh
Religions 2024, 15(4), 395; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15040395 - 25 Mar 2024
Viewed by 2501
Abstract
This essay will examine the contemporary issue of the television broadcasting of the sacred Gurbani from the Darbar Sahib to set the stage for understanding the historical context of the musical sessions (chauṅkīs) of devotional singing, followed by the process of [...] Read more.
This essay will examine the contemporary issue of the television broadcasting of the sacred Gurbani from the Darbar Sahib to set the stage for understanding the historical context of the musical sessions (chauṅkīs) of devotional singing, followed by the process of decolonizing the musical performances in modern times, including religious aesthetics and sacred time and the processional chauṅkīs in the Darbar Sahib Complex. The continuous singing of the Guru’s hymns (Gurbani kirtan) resounds inside the Darbar Sahib (“the Divine Court”), popularly known as the Golden Temple of Amritsar. This special mode of worship consists of singing and listening to the hymns of the Guru Granth Sahib, the sacred scripture of the Sikhs. The heart of Sikh devotional experience lies in the performance of scriptural hymns in a congregational setting. Notably, different sessions of devotional singing go on day and night from 2.45 a.m. to 10.45 p.m. at the Golden Temple, following a celebrated tradition established more than four centuries ago by the Fifth Sikh Guru, Guru Arjan. Even during the four-hour period of cleaning the sanctum sanctorum at midnight, the devotees recite hymns from memory, thereby making the Darbar Sahib a unique place where vibrations of sacred sound reverberate continuously for twenty-four hours a day. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Musicology of Religion: Selected Papers on Religion and Music)
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17 pages, 548 KiB  
Article
Shared Religious Soundscapes: Indian Rāga Music in Jewish, Christian, and Islamic Devotion in South Asia
by Guy L. Beck
Religions 2023, 14(11), 1406; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14111406 - 10 Nov 2023
Viewed by 2284
Abstract
Music has played a central role in Indian religious experience for millennia. The origins of Indian music include the recitation of the sacred syllable OM and Sanskrit Mantras in ancient Vedic fire sacrifices. The notion of Sound Absolute, first in the Upanishads as [...] Read more.
Music has played a central role in Indian religious experience for millennia. The origins of Indian music include the recitation of the sacred syllable OM and Sanskrit Mantras in ancient Vedic fire sacrifices. The notion of Sound Absolute, first in the Upanishads as Śabda-Brahman and later as Nāda-Brahman, formed the theological background for music, Sangīta, designed as a vehicle of liberation founded upon the worship of Hindu deities expressed in rāgas, or specific melodic formulas. Nearly all genres of music in India, classical or devotional, share this theoretical and practical understanding, extending to other Indic religions like Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism. What is less documented is how rāga music has been adopted by non-Indic communities in South Asia: Judaism (Bene Israel), Christianity (Catholic), and Islam (Chishti Sufi). After briefly outlining the relation between religion and the arts, the Indian aesthetics of Rasa, and the basic notions of sacred sound and music in Hinduism, this essay reveals the presence of rāga music, specifically the structure or melodic pattern of the morning rāga known as Bhairava, in compositions praising the divinity of each non-Indic tradition: Adonai, Jesus, and Allah. As similar tone patterns appear in the religious experiences of these communities, they reveal the phenomenon of “shared religious soundscapes” relevant to the comparative study of religion and music, or Musicology of Religion. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Musicology of Religion: Selected Papers on Religion and Music)
11 pages, 269 KiB  
Article
Sacred and Profane in Music Therapy
by Joscelyn Godwin
Religions 2023, 14(10), 1229; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14101229 - 25 Sep 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1525
Abstract
The widespread belief that music has some therapeutic potential rests partly on demonstrable, practical results. But explaining how such therapy works depends on the belief system of the explainer or practitioner. This survey of the literature shows how strongly a discipline is affected [...] Read more.
The widespread belief that music has some therapeutic potential rests partly on demonstrable, practical results. But explaining how such therapy works depends on the belief system of the explainer or practitioner. This survey of the literature shows how strongly a discipline is affected by its underlying metaphysical presuppositions. Traditional explanations, from antiquity through the nineteenth century, include participation by God or the gods; music as a bearer of sacred and harmonic numbers; the doctrine of correspondences and occult sympathies; the presence of animal spirits, subtle fluids, and other non-material elements in the human compound. The official belief system of the modern medical establishment cannot allow for any of these, hence its attempt to find materialistic explanations of how music therapy works. In the late 20th century some therapists, rejecting this constraint, returned to a more spiritual approach. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Musicology of Religion: Selected Papers on Religion and Music)
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