I have at times felt a desire—perhaps even “need” is not too strong a word—to compose a Mass setting. No secular text that I can think of seems to have quite the same level of solemnity (for lack of a better word) required to serve for a worthy successor to the Mass settings of the past. I’m not sure how much of this is due to a lack of imagination on my part, and how much is due to the fact that the perception of the Mass text is the result of cultural factors beyond my individual control, and beyond the content of the text itself. But in any case I fear I may be stuck with “yes, I’m an atheist, but only this would do.”
Of course, I’ll gladly take suggestions, if anyone has any.
*Have you tried to come up with a secular text? For a full five minutes? As opposed to, you know, generating reasons why there weren’t likely to be any. If so, what was your best (but ultimately inadequate) possible text?
*To what extent are you looking for ‘solemnity’ rather than ‘tradition’? Obviously no secular text will be as rich in traditional meaning and allusive power as the Mass, because no secular text has been in use for hundreds of years. But, if you choose a good one, maybe someday there -will- be a secular text that has an equally rich tradition: the one you chose and that future generations also worked with. If this doesn’t seem to be the problem, can you come up with a working definition of “solemnity?”
*To what extent are you looking for ‘solemnity’ rather than ‘tradition’?
Tradition is really the point here, now that I think about it. The bind I’m in is that while I can write string quartets, symphonies, or operas with impunity, it would feel somewhat hypocritical of me to write a Mass—even though in the context of history that’s just one more musical genre like the others I mentioned, with its own conventions that make it suitable for particular types of compositional expression.
I should probably just either get over my fear of hypocrisy in this context, or else give up on the direct traditional link and use a text of my own choice, making for a different kind of work, hopefully satisfactory in its own way, that could be perceived as (musically) “related” to the sacred genres of the past.
Write a Black Mass. Lots of attendees aren’t huge believers already, and they are in sore need of some decent ceremonial music. Plus you won’t feel intimidated by having to compare yourself to the great masters.
Have you looked into video game religious music for inspiration? The Hymn of the Fayth was profoundly moving to me, but that might be because Final Fantasy X was such a big part of my youth. It ain’t a mass, but it has a certain solemnity and implied tradition that moves me.
For me it was just the piece itself, and the way they changed the flavour of it for the different temples and whatnot. Basically I think that personally I could get away with ‘music composed in the style of religious choral pieces’ .
Just remembering it makes me wish I could track down a longer/more complete version of it. I would totally listen to a canon or whatever of it.
Seconded. The more obscure Ar Tonelico was also good at this (the game’s magic system involved singing complicated choiral pieces that were both hymns of praise to, and deliberate invocations of program code on, the world-computer that basically was the setting. Some of the characters had been doing this for a very long time.)
I’ll second the recommendation: some of the music from the Ar Tonelico series is remarkably good stuff, and I listen to it regularly. Most of it could be used as sacred music, easily.
The one problem with the Ar Tonelico music is that it’s hard to get a large group of people to sing it, because the harmony is too tricky for untrained singers. My favorite sacred music is the hardcore religious Christmas carols, when sung in a simple form by a group of ordinary people. It’s a hell of a lot more fun than any professional rendition of those songs, with the exception of Sufjan Stevens, who really gets it.
I haven’t actually had difficulty finding secular texts that inspire a sense of solemnity. If you want older language, which usually translates to a solemn tone, the St. Crispin’s Day speech in Henry V is not religious in subject, but it is solemn. There is no lack of inspiring expressions whose subject is not religious.
Atheists don’t often express themselves with the intent to inspire, but they do sometimes, and they can be fairly effective. I think Bertrand Russell did a good job, although he did write in prose. My point was that these expressions are either not absolute praise (i.e. science is a very good tool, but only a tool) or they’re not really rational (i.e. “secular religion”) or they’re absolute praise of something almost too abstract to conceive (i.e. “Thank Goodness.”)
I haven’t actually had difficulty finding secular texts that inspire a sense of solemnity...There is no lack of inspiring expressions whose subject is not religious...My point was that these expressions are either not absolute praise...
This is why I expressed discomfort with the word “solemnity”. I’m really after something more like “extreme emotions expressed with extreme dignity, in a way everyone recognizes.”
In any case I did not mean to imply that there are no secular texts of depth or inspirational power. I just haven’t yet succeeded in coming up with the appropriate successor to the musical tradition of religious settings. It feels like too specific of a genre.
A great point, which I myself alluded to here.
I have at times felt a desire—perhaps even “need” is not too strong a word—to compose a Mass setting. No secular text that I can think of seems to have quite the same level of solemnity (for lack of a better word) required to serve for a worthy successor to the Mass settings of the past. I’m not sure how much of this is due to a lack of imagination on my part, and how much is due to the fact that the perception of the Mass text is the result of cultural factors beyond my individual control, and beyond the content of the text itself. But in any case I fear I may be stuck with “yes, I’m an atheist, but only this would do.”
Of course, I’ll gladly take suggestions, if anyone has any.
Two challenges:
*Have you tried to come up with a secular text? For a full five minutes? As opposed to, you know, generating reasons why there weren’t likely to be any. If so, what was your best (but ultimately inadequate) possible text?
*To what extent are you looking for ‘solemnity’ rather than ‘tradition’? Obviously no secular text will be as rich in traditional meaning and allusive power as the Mass, because no secular text has been in use for hundreds of years. But, if you choose a good one, maybe someday there -will- be a secular text that has an equally rich tradition: the one you chose and that future generations also worked with. If this doesn’t seem to be the problem, can you come up with a working definition of “solemnity?”
Tradition is really the point here, now that I think about it. The bind I’m in is that while I can write string quartets, symphonies, or operas with impunity, it would feel somewhat hypocritical of me to write a Mass—even though in the context of history that’s just one more musical genre like the others I mentioned, with its own conventions that make it suitable for particular types of compositional expression.
I should probably just either get over my fear of hypocrisy in this context, or else give up on the direct traditional link and use a text of my own choice, making for a different kind of work, hopefully satisfactory in its own way, that could be perceived as (musically) “related” to the sacred genres of the past.
Write a Black Mass. Lots of attendees aren’t huge believers already, and they are in sore need of some decent ceremonial music. Plus you won’t feel intimidated by having to compare yourself to the great masters.
Have you looked into video game religious music for inspiration? The Hymn of the Fayth was profoundly moving to me, but that might be because Final Fantasy X was such a big part of my youth. It ain’t a mass, but it has a certain solemnity and implied tradition that moves me.
For me it was just the piece itself, and the way they changed the flavour of it for the different temples and whatnot. Basically I think that personally I could get away with ‘music composed in the style of religious choral pieces’ .
Just remembering it makes me wish I could track down a longer/more complete version of it. I would totally listen to a canon or whatever of it.
Seconded. The more obscure Ar Tonelico was also good at this (the game’s magic system involved singing complicated choiral pieces that were both hymns of praise to, and deliberate invocations of program code on, the world-computer that basically was the setting. Some of the characters had been doing this for a very long time.)
I’ll second the recommendation: some of the music from the Ar Tonelico series is remarkably good stuff, and I listen to it regularly. Most of it could be used as sacred music, easily.
The one problem with the Ar Tonelico music is that it’s hard to get a large group of people to sing it, because the harmony is too tricky for untrained singers. My favorite sacred music is the hardcore religious Christmas carols, when sung in a simple form by a group of ordinary people. It’s a hell of a lot more fun than any professional rendition of those songs, with the exception of Sufjan Stevens, who really gets it.
Fictional religious texts were going to be my answer to Mass Driver’s question about the next best thing, but I decided that didn’t really count.
I haven’t actually had difficulty finding secular texts that inspire a sense of solemnity. If you want older language, which usually translates to a solemn tone, the St. Crispin’s Day speech in Henry V is not religious in subject, but it is solemn. There is no lack of inspiring expressions whose subject is not religious.
Atheists don’t often express themselves with the intent to inspire, but they do sometimes, and they can be fairly effective. I think Bertrand Russell did a good job, although he did write in prose. My point was that these expressions are either not absolute praise (i.e. science is a very good tool, but only a tool) or they’re not really rational (i.e. “secular religion”) or they’re absolute praise of something almost too abstract to conceive (i.e. “Thank Goodness.”)
This is why I expressed discomfort with the word “solemnity”. I’m really after something more like “extreme emotions expressed with extreme dignity, in a way everyone recognizes.”
In any case I did not mean to imply that there are no secular texts of depth or inspirational power. I just haven’t yet succeeded in coming up with the appropriate successor to the musical tradition of religious settings. It feels like too specific of a genre.
There is a portion of the Jurassic Park theme which certainly sounds liturgical...
Here’s a couple of things that might inspire you:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvA0J_2ZpIQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEMXaTktUfA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYdmdGsimew
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KjpyHX7X-o
http://www.multivax.com/last_question.html
May I suggest you format those with text in them, so people don’t have to click the links to see what you’re suggesting?
Perhaps something like: