Скачать или смотреть Can Music Mean Anything? | Talk 1/5 | Mark Meynell

In this thought-provoking talk from the Chalmers Institute’s January Conference on Music & Meaning, Mark Meynell explores the deep emotional and spiritual power of music. Drawing on examples from composers like Hector Berlioz, Richard Strauss, and Sergei Prokofiev, he examines how music moves us beyond words, shaping our emotions, beliefs, and even our understanding of beauty and suffering.

Through striking musical excerpts, Meynell discusses how composers have historically used sound to tell stories, evoke deep emotions, and even confront evil. He reflects on the role of program music, the ways in which context influences interpretation, and how music can serve as both an escape and a confrontation with reality.

This talk is a fascinating blend of music history, theology, and philosophy, providing valuable insights for musicians, theologians, and anyone interested in how music shapes meaning in our lives.

Topics Covered:
• The impact of program music on interpretation
• How music can communicate beyond words
• The interplay of joy and despair in classical compositions
• Shostakovich, Stalin, and music as resistance
• The emotional weight of Brahms’ Fourth Symphony

Featured Music:
• Symphonie Fantastique – Hector Berlioz
• An Alpine Symphony – Richard Strauss
• Fourth Symphony – Johannes Brahms
• Seventh Symphony – Sergei Prokofiev

👉 Subscribe for more talks from the Chalmers Institute.

#MusicAndMeaning #ChalmersInstitute #MarkMenald #ClassicalMusic #MusicHistory #TheologyAndMusic