Smells and Bells

The week after spring break, the class entered a new unit: sound. We did this by reading the first chapters of Women, the Recited Qur’an, and Islamic Music in Indonesia by Anne Rasmussen. Qur’an recitation is a widespread practice in Indonesia when women recite passages from the central holy text of Islam. This ritual takes place in secular and religious settings. Rasmussen cites five contexts where Qur’an recitation is practiced. The first is  khatam al Qur’an , where the entire Qur’an is recited by thirty women at the same time. Pondok pesantren is when girls in boarding school learn recitation as part of their education. Qur’an recitation is also a staple of the college curriculum, where it is taught at a more advanced level. Women can then prepare to competitions in small groups, which is the fourth context. The fifth is the hafla-al Qur’an , a competition where recitations are judged by a series of experts, and prestigious prizes are awarded to the most talented Qur’an reci...

St. Johns Passion was an eruption of sound, a tremendous drama it seemed. Not being able to understand any of the words, I let the sounds wash over me, explosive in its volume and harmonies. I did not feel any particularly religious connection but I did feel the energy vibrations throughout the room increase exponentially. As the tones within the ensemble moved from full, passionate and voluminous, to calm undertones with a single voice cascading over them, I was able to feel invisible strings tugging at my emotions. I wasn't just hearing the music anymore, I was feeling the music throughout my whole body. This sensation put me in a state of feeling more connected to "something" greater than myself. This altered state of feeling includes a multitude of experiences: vibrancy, clarity, jubilance, clearance of negative feelings, being at ease and connected to everything and everyone around me. From my experience, I believe this sensation arises from being physically immer...