Musical composition and mystical spirituality

Book chapter


Inglis, B. 2019. Musical composition and mystical spirituality. in: Boyce-Tillman, J., Roberts, S. and Erricker, J. (ed.) Enlivening Faith: Music, Spirituality and Christian Theology Oxford, Bern, Berlin, Bruxelles, Frankfurt am Mein, New York, Wien Peter Lang.
Chapter titleMusical composition and mystical spirituality
AuthorsInglis, B.
Abstract

Mystical and visionary states are often associated with sound and music, from the thoroughly multimedia visions of St Hildegard of Bingen (which reportedly gave rise to her chant compositions) to Margery Kempe’s auditory vision of heavenly melodies and sweet birdsong. As a composer and scholar I am drawn to those who have experienced visions consistently, and written them down systematically. From this starting point, here I examine compositional processes and outcomes of myself and a selection of composers from different times and places (Hildegard of Bingen, François Couperin, Arvo Pärt, Peter Maxwell Davies) through the lens of mystical spirituality. The theoretical frame for this is drawn from literature, in the traditions of both religious studies and musicology, by William James, Albert Blackwell, Jonathan Harvey and Michael Tippet. I interrogate this and other literature (referencing in passing Ivan Moody and Peter Bouteneff) to consider notions of mysticism, spiritual ecstasy, and its musical encoding, for which a semiotic methodology is employed.

Research GroupMusic group
Book titleEnlivening Faith: Music, Spirituality and Christian Theology
EditorsBoyce-Tillman, J., Roberts, S. and Erricker, J.
PublisherPeter Lang
Place of publicationOxford, Bern, Berlin, Bruxelles, Frankfurt am Mein, New York, Wien
SeriesMusic and Spirituality
ISBN
Hardcover9781788746205
Electronic9781788746229
Electronic9781788746212
Electronic9781788746236
Publication dates
Print30 Aug 2019
Publication process dates
Deposited19 Sep 2018
Accepted31 Jul 2018
Output statusPublished
Accepted author manuscript
Copyright Statement

This is an Accepted Manuscript that has been published in Enlivening Faith: Music, Spirituality and Christian Theology edited by June Boyce-Tillman, Stephen Roberts and Jane Erricker in the series Music and Spirituality.
The original work can be found at: https://www.peterlang.com/view/9781788746229/chapter-03.xhtml.
© Peter Lang AG, 2019. All rights reserved

Web address (URL)https://www.peterlang.com/view/9781788746229/chapter-03.xhtml
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.3726/b14571
LanguageEnglish
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