Pagan classical music

[Sirona.Bardin]

Dear friends,
in the first post of this thread there is short reference to "Die erste Walpurgisnacht" which means "The first Beltain's Eve".
As it might be overlooked I would like to add more details and a dream of mine.
The music was written by Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy (from Jewish descent and therefore well aware of christian attitudes towards pagans) and the text by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (well versed in Greek mythology and a rather esoteric poet).
The story is about pagans and druids that live in a christian world and want to carry on worshipping in the old way.
So the discuss about the dangers of being caught and decide to fool the christians by playing on their own fear of the not-existing devil.
One group distracts the christians by using glowing coal in the night and sound-making farmer's tools. The other group goes up into the mountains to light a fire and worship the All-Father.

The last lines go (my translation)
"And if they rob the old custom,
Your light,
Who is able to rob it!"

As there are pieces in this work who are actually sung by "druids" I would like to perform the work one day. I dream of a druid choir and orchestra in white robes who sing and play the music.
If anyone of you knows of such an initative, I would be grateful for the information, fFor I would like to join the choir as a soprano.

Translations of the text and videos of performances are available on the internet.

May you find inspiration in this wonderful music.
Sirona,
the Bard

[Jack Greenman]

I doubt that Pagan classical music is observable as a ouvre by itself, as perhaps all music is spiritual in its conception? Much like other areas in life, we see great spirit in all things.

For me, this sums it up! If the composer can evoke the Spirit of Nature or Creation, or can let us hear an echo of the Music of the Spheres, we can follow him by whatever spiritual path we have chosen.

At least, as far as instrumental music is concerned.
Vocal music is not so simple.
I suppose most normal "songs of love and war" also address emotions that Pagans and non-Pagans can share, as long as there are no allusions to one Divine intervention or another.
In classical music, however, there are also Masses, which are settings of Roman Catholic ritual, and oratorios made up largely of Bible verses set to music. And there are operas with classical Greek or ancient Germanic myths as their theme. I think all of these just represent Western European culture as a whole - the culture that produced what we call "classical music": the default religious orientation is Christian, but we are aware of the contribution that Classical, pre-Christian antiquity has made to our culture, so we also use its myths to express ourselves artistically. Hebrew, Christian, Germanic or Classical settings are interchangeable - choose the story line that allows you to say what you want to say, no matter which religion claims it as part of its mythology!

In fact, I'd say that you don't have to be Christian to write church music, and writing an opera with a Greek or Germanic mythological theme doesn't make you a Pagan. Bach and Handel, as protestants, also composed Roman Catholic masses, and Monteverdi's "Orfeo" stands alongside his Church motets; so was he Christian, Pagan or agnostic - or just a creative artist?

But sublime instrumental music (e.g. Elgar's "Nimrod" variation, or Beethoven's "Pastoral" symphony), for me, is a non-dogmatic meditation on the Divine Reality.

Blessings,
Jack Greenman

[Whitemane]

Many aspects of Hinduism are very close to Druidism with Hinduism normally considered pagan by Christianity. I find the practice of both Druidism and Hinduism extremely compatible. Indian classical music, although it involves following strict rules, is mostly improvisation and it is said to be the highest spiritual achievement in that to play truly inspired music the composer must be in a trance state to be able to become a vessel for divine inspiration. It is believed that this inspired classical music takes one closer to God than any other practice.

Anyone who has heard the likes of Pandit Nikhil Banerjee in full flight knows how true this is.