Music

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Zenkai

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There’s this piece by the composer David Maslanka called “A Child’s Garden of Dreams”, and the 5th movement is titled “An ascent into heaven where pagan dances are being celebrated and a descent into hell where angels are doing good deeds.”

Would it be a sin to listen to a piece like this? There are no words in it (I think, anyways).

Also, in his Saxophone Concerto, the 3rd movement is “Song: “Dear Jesus, what have you DONE?!””

That title sounds angry. Here’s the description of the movement from Maslanka’s website:

“This music grows out of the chorale “Herzliebste Jesu, was hast du verbrocken” (“Dearest Jesus, what law did you break”). The chorale is the starting point for a huge upsurge of powerful emotion, cresting with the climax of the “Crucifixus” from the “Mass.” Dear Jesus, what have you done to get yourself crucified?…And then you drag the rest of us up there with you!!”

davidmaslanka.com/wind-ensemble/concerto-for-alto-saxophone-and-wind-ensemble/

What about listening to something like that? Again, there are no words (pretty sure there aren’t), as it’s a concerto for an instrument. My concern is over the titles.

David Maslanka said he’s not a Catholic, or even a practicing Christian (he says that here: davidmaslanka.com/wind-ensemble/symphony-no-5/).

However, he did write a Mass.
 
I don’t think it’s a sin. Yes, the music we listen to influences us. But I don’t think listening to this will harm you. Trust me, I have seen Priests listen to much worse than that :yup:

I hope I could help you! 🙂
 
Music evokes emotions, so one question would be what emotions you choose to entertain and encourage. There are artists who have admitted that “spirits” et cetera overtake them when they perform and they fill the listeners with what they want them to hear. Not all of this has words, so I could only offer “Listener beware.” Personally, I prefer what many refer to as Gregorian Chant or Plain Chant, which is prayer and praise to God.
 
Thank you for the replies so far.

I’ve listened to his Symphony no. 4, Saxophone Concerto, and other pieces before and it didn’t sound like it would influence me to sin.

It’s music for instruments, so there are no words that could influence me.
 
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