In fact, the words are in Latin, so I wouldn’t understand them anyway. It is the tonal quality of the work that reaches deep inside and grabs hold of me. I find that all of Pärt’s music that I have heard affects me in the same way. His compositions are soulful, meaningful and transcend divisions of belief. This is where music is real, where it is purest.
I want to say that this is the case for his secular as well as religious music, however, I’m not sure there is a true difference. I think the case can be made that any music that is true to itself is spiritual, even if the composer does not view it that way. This is a dangerous statement as it is akin to the postmoderns who will appropriate a work and make claims about it that suit their theoretical perspective, irregardless of the content of the work itself. But there is so much in music that speaks to the numinous.
I think we seek out music that speaks to the numinous in each of us. The quality of the music differs, but the function is the same. I suppose the same could be said of any art form. It transcends our petty singularity and speaks to the diversity of human experience that, in the end, binds us all together in our common humanity. This is an idealist point of view, I know. But listening to this piece is an experience that goes beyond sitting at my computer hearing sounds come out of speakers. There is meaning here and I am fully aware that I give it to the situation and to the music. In a way, that is precisely the point.
The passion that Pärt obviously feels is transcendent. I don’t have to believe in the Christ to feel it, but I feel it because it partakes of the numinous that is Christ consciousness or Buddha Consciousness or what have you. It makes one wonder about Keat’s claim that “truth is beauty, beauty truth.” Beauty is transcendent. There are parts of truth that are transcendent, but not absolute, if there is such a thing. Which leads on to conclude that Beauty is not absolute, and in their commonality there is a kind of equality.
There is truth in the beauty of Passio. I can not directly speak it to you, but if you hear the music, you will know the truth of that beauty. It slows you down and makes time act differently. And, in truth, it makes us act differently. The slowing down makes us more deliberative, more purposive in our actions. The result is a diminution of chaos in human activity. We can all use a bit more thoughtfulness.