"Musica sacra" in the context of modern research

Krikščioniškosios Europos istorijoje „musica sacra“(„šventosios muzikos“) samprata kito muzikos kūrybos raidai koreliuojant su visuomenės tikėjimo ir religinės raiškos dinamika/kaita. Iš pradžių „musica sacra“ sieta vien su religinėmis apeigomis – liturgija, tačiau ilgainiui pradėta kurti ir autonomiškų, nebetinkamų apeigoms koncertinių kompozicijų pagal kanoninį ar kitokį religinį tekstą. Įgyvendinant XIX a. „Kunstreligion“ idėją išreikšti Anapusybę pačioje muzikoje ir per muziką, ieškota naujų muzikos kalbos „teologinių terminų“ – Neapsakomą, Nesuvokiamą dieviškumą atspindinčių išraiškų (muzikinių hierofanijų). Tačiau XX a. Vakarų kultūroje įsigalėjęs individualizmas kelia klausimą, ar apskritai įmanoma kokia nors viena šiuolaikinė, daugumai suprantama ir priimtina muzikos kalba, skirta Dievui garbinti ar Jį „apreikšti“. Vatikano II Susirinkimo inicijuoti katalikų liturgijos (rito) pokyčiai taip pat prisidėjo prie „musica sacra“ sampratų įvairovės. Šiame straipsnyje, svarstant minėtus religinės muzikos raidos reiškinius, mėginama suvokti šiuolaikinės liturginės katalikų kūrybos galimybes/perspektyvasExplorations of "sacred music", which is suitable for glorifying God, involve questions about the origin, purpose and impact of religious music, as well as the concept of sacredness itself. Sacredness as a phenomenon in connection with art/culture in the 20th century is not only a theological subject but also research into aesthetics, philosophy, religion science, psychology and sociology. Religious music emerges at the intersection of two forces that negate each other: on the one hand, communication with God always involves some "tremendum" and "majestas" experience - unavoidable apprehensive tremble in the face of the mysterious Majesty which is far beyond human conception, whilst on the other hand, sacred music should serve as a contemplation of a tender, thrilling dialogue between the members of the Trinity. From historical perspectives, an important peculiarity of the development of church music is seen in a constant tension between the tradition (normative structures) and stylistic novelties. Today Christians can enjoy the immense abundance of artistic inventions coming from nearly all previous epochs. However, many authors dealing with the issues of modern religious music stick to the opinion that authentic music, to which a harmonic dimension of previous centuries could be applied, is hardly possible in the face of scientific achievements , terrible brutality of 20th century's wars and the nuclear war that have badly impaired the feeling of safety of mankind. In modern works, harmony of triads and modal scales are approached with suspicion as a reactive escapism and autism, but "aesthetics of disharmony" does not conform to the spirit of the Eucharist as the act of giving thanks. Explorations of the religious music of the 20th century make an attempt at distinguishing manifestations of the "sacredness" of music. Some musicologists use such categories as sacrum-profanum or adjectives "sacred"/"church", which refer to the purpose or function of a musical composition rather than to its substantial aspect whilst others emphasise a dimension of sacrality, which lies in music itself and manifests in "unusual flashes of musical substance", and look for a long-living "idiom of sacrality" in musical substances, data conveyed in the language of music (primarily in the peculiarities of church monody), archetypical structures, psychological effects, etc. Emphasis is placed on a structural complexity whose presence is inevitable in sacral music: diverse inner relationships enabling the composer to handle religious symbolism. Looking back to the past and the presence of church music, one has to admit the impossibility of the sole "true" church style. Compositions attributed to the church music of the 20th century are stylistically highly divergent: old and new spiritual chants (canticles), spirituals, gospel songs, chansons, jazz and hits, organums and classical polyphonies, tonal, atonal, neo-modal, serial compositions, dodecaphony music, electronic, sonorous and other compositions as well as folk (national) religious music. […