Why did medieval listeners weep at the sound of holy music?
In short: Medieval sources frequently describe audiences moved to tears by music. Professor Christopher Page explores why this emotional response was so common, looking beyond simple social norms to understand the deeper connection between sound and the medieval imagination.
Professor Christopher Page examines the phenomenon of musical weeping in medieval society. While social mechanics like ideals of masculinity and general religious mores provide context, they do not fully explain why holy music specifically triggered such intense emotional responses. The lecture explores how musical sound relates to patterns of fear, delight, and awe within the medieval experience.
The lecture takes place in St Sepulchre-without-Newgate, a rare London church to survive the Great Fire of 1666. Page, a renowned musicologist and performer, brings his expertise—including his work on the first thousand years of Christian singing—to analyze the intersection of art and human emotion.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Tears and Faith - Professor Christopher Page
- Also: www.sid.cam.ac.uk — Professor Christopher Page
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