Mojet, Fanny
(2023)
Transforming the Self through Music: Musicking as a Spiritual Exercise in Philo of Alexandria.
Master thesis, M Religion & Pluralism.
Abstract
This thesis brings together two disciplines which, at first sight, appear to have little to do with one another: musicology and religious studies. The distance between these fields of research, however, is smaller than we may initially think. Musical practices and practices of worship and meditation, religious rituals, and mystical teachings are often found in close proximity. From the religious compositions of Johann Sebastian Bach and the mystical works of Hildegard of Bingen to the whirling dervishes of the Sufi Mawlawiyya order and ancient Hindu traditions on the relationship between musical notes and deities, music and worship have been closely connected in religious traditions of all times and places.
The Jewish philosopher Philo of Alexandria, who wrote in Greek in the first century CE, offers unique insights into the connections between music and Judaism within the ancient Alexandrian diaspora. This is a segment of music history about which we have little knowledge, so that authors like Philo are a priceless source of information for those attempting to understand what the Alexandrian Jews thought about and did with music in relation to their religion, and for students of ancient musical practices in general. While some studies on Philo and music have appeared over the years, there is still much research to be done, especially when it comes to connecting the author’s ideas about music to his broader Jewish philosophy. This thesis fulfills a small part of that task.
With a background in both musicology and religious studies, I was able to draw from both these disciplines to shed light on Philo’s ideas about musical practice as a source of self-transformation within a Jewish framework. I have employed Pierre Hadot’s model of ancient philosophy as a way of life in my approach of Philo as a religious philosopher. This model allowed me to broaden my definition of philosophy to include more than just thinking about difficult questions: according to Hadot’s model, practical activities are an integral part of ancient philosophy, as they help students to align their way of living with whatever school of thought they subscribe to. By extension, practical activities are integral to a religious philosophy like that of Philo. I hope this case study convinces the reader that a model like Hadot’s, which integrates practical and spiritual life, can help us understand the deep connection between music and religion in other contexts, too.
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A word of thanks goes to my supervisor dr. Arjen Bakker at the University of Groningen, without whose help, advice, and patience the completion of this thesis would not have been possible. I also want to thank all the other teachers and students at the University of Groningen who have helped and inspired me along the way. Special thanks go to all those who were present at the 2023 Groningen-Leuven-Oxford Encounter on the Dead Sea Scrolls, for giving me the opportunity to share some of my research with them and, more importantly, to learn from their work. Finally, I want to thank the friends and family who stood by me throughout the process of completing this thesis.
| Type: |
Thesis
(Master)
|
| Supervisors (RUG): |
| Supervisor | E-mail | Tutor organization | Tutor email |
|---|
| Bakker, A.F. | | Faculteit GGW, Faculteit Godgeleerdheid en Godsdienstwetenschap | a.f.bakker@rug.nl |
|
| Degree programme: |
M Religion & Pluralism |
| Academic year: |
2022-2023 |
| Date of delivery: |
16 Nov 2023 15:04 |
| Last modified: |
16 Nov 2023 15:04 |
| URI: |
https://ggw.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/764 |
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