There is no doubt that music plays an important role in facilitating people spiritually for all kinds of religion. One of the earliest and most known examples is the Gregorian chant of the Middle ages. However, sacred music of not only Roman Catholicism, but in other denominations as well are often overlooked artistically. Thus, Lincoln Center started the White Light Festival for the fall season, its new annual fall festival that is “focused on music’s transcendent capacity to illuminate our larger interior universe.” During this festival, the “spiritual dimension of music as manifested in different cultural and musical traditions” is explored, where performances ranging from Western religions to Hinduism is played.
The festival is supposed to end tomorrow, November 18, but the performance of the Manganiyar Seduction has been rescheduled to November 22 and 23. Hindustani classical music, folk music, and songs from Sufi Muslim roots are performed on a color, multi-level set. It’s a dramatic piece that starts with a single voice, joined by another, and another, and later with an accumulation of instruments.
I wish I knew about this festival earlier, but I’ll be sure to check it out next year.
It is astounding how many different and distinct musical traditions there are around the world. (And, there are an equal number of distinct traditions in literature, art, sculpture,theater, etc.) What I find so interesting is the way that the various aspects of melody, harmony and rhythm are stretched and re-balanced in different traditions. In particular, the lack of notation leads to the lack of harmony and counterpoint in non-western music, but it generally means that melodically and rhythmically, they are very subtle and complex. this looks like a fascinating program. I considered bringing the calss to this, but we had a very full calendar (and the tickets were expensive!)
There are lots of opportunities in NY to see similar programs from other parts of the world. A good place to start is the Asia Society or another of these cultural institutions in New York:
http://asiasociety.org/
The Rubin Museum
http://www.rmanyc.org/
and the Museum of Chinese in America
http://www.mocanyc.org/
the China Institute in America
http://www.chinainstitute.org/
Taiwan Cultural Center in Flushing
http://www.nytaiwancenter.us/
Indonesia Cultural programs at
http://www.indonesianewyork.org/