Audire Divina
- Meditatio Canticum, cum Jesu pro Heros
- Meditatio Canticum, Rex Amor Meus, Pastor Est
Origins
There is an ancient form of meditative prayer known as Lectio Divina, roughly translated, Divine Reading. Attributed to St. Benedict of Nursia and St. Gregory the Great, in essence, this method consists of selecting a short phrase from scripture or an inspirational text and allowing oneself to simply exist with, to be present with the phrase, not to understand or interpret it. (And you, perhaps, thought mindfulness was a new concept!)
Audire Divina (Divine Listening) is my musical take on this practice. Intended as a bit more than just music for meditation, Audire Divina pieces, each based on an existing hymn, folk song, melody, etc., attempt to musically contemplate the character and intent of the melody upon which they are based – the music itself as meditation.
Construction
For the serious music composer or critic, there is nothing terribly exciting about the techniques employed in writing Audire Divina; that is not the primary intent of such pieces.
Each Audire Divina is composed for a solo instrument and small string orchestra. And each is based on a well-known hymn tune, chant, carol, folk song or other melody. Most often the solo instrument is a clarinet, oboe or English horn. The solo is strictly the quoted melody augmented in time to stretch over the entire piece. The basic idea is to allow the piece to slowly ponder the development of each note of the melody and to allow the piece itself to reflect upon that pondering.
Final Thoughts
It is surely true that the meditative intent behind these little pieces will not resonate with all listeners, and that’s OK, but if even one soul finds these musical contemplations at all pleasing, I, too, will be pleased and contented.
How to listen? Any way you like, really! However you find it comfortable and enjoyable.
Beyond that, consider these few recommendations:
- Find a quiet place, find a comfortable, relaxing position.
- Use earbuds or headphones to allow you to be immersed in the music and to hear the subtle variations.
- Be present to each moment of musical time, resist the temptation to anticipate.
- For an advanced challenge, focus on the long arc of the melody in the solo instrument. It is a quote of a, perhaps familiar, hymn, chant, folk song or other melody. Can you discern it? To find out if you are correct, check out the Playlist Translated section below.
- Meditatio Canticum, cum Jesu pro Heros
- Medtatio Canticum, Rex Amor, Meus Pastor Est
- Meditatio Canticum, cum Jesu pro Heros – Meditation on “With Jesus for Hero”
- Medtatio Canticum, Rex Amor, Meus Pastor Est – Meditation on “The King of Love, My Shepherd Is”