The sacred choral works of J.S. Bach are regularly performed on secular stages, and are enjoyed by people of many religions, as well as atheists. Yet there is no getting around the fact that Bach, a devout Lutheran, saw his passions, cantatas and other pieces as an outgrowth of his personal faith.
With that in mind, do the best performances of Bach – or of any sacred work – come from musicians who identify with their spiritual message? And how do your personal spiritual beliefs impact how you listen to a piece of sacred music?
On this week's show, we put these questions to three choral music experts.
Segment Highlights:
K. Scott Warren, who directs the music programs at the Church of Saint Ignatius Loyola and Temple Emanu-El, says that he encourages performers to connect the music's texts to their everyday lives. "We do have some Jewish members of the choir of St. Ignatius Loyola," he notes, "and anyone who is Jewish or Muslim has the same human experiences that a Christian would, or a non-believer. Those are the experiences we tap into."
But John Nelson, the music director of Soli Deo Gloria, finds that a personal religious background can certainly motivate a performer. "I think atheists who have a great voice and a love for the repertoire can sing just as well as believers," he said. "But if you put them on the same artistic level, I think that the believer will bring something because his heart is there." Nelson's organization, which promotes and presents sacred choral music, will be presenting interfaith concerts at the Church of St. John the Divine and Temple Emanu-El on Nov. 21 and 23.
Mark Shapiro, music director of the Cecilia Chorus and artistic director of Cantori New York, notes that all performing is a form of acting. "Sometimes, if you have a deep commitment to a particular message of a text, you may find that to be constricting in your delivery," he said. Rather than deal with theology in rehearsals, Shapiro says he'll explore concepts such as the seasons, the passage of time and charity for the poor.
Nelson notes that, in the final analysis, "music of the sacred tradition should be music full of love. I think we can all enter into this completely whether we agree technically or theologically."
Our guests also consider the question of the St. John Passion, one of Bach's most controversial works, because of its content. Listen to the full segment at the top of this page and share your comments in the box below.