The proposition is fascinating. The promotional literature stated that even though it may not look like it these days, Christianity s impact on our history has been momentous. Art and culture would have looked differently without Christianity. The same goes for music. Of course, this understates the case.
Every culture is based on a cult.
The cult of European culture, even in its secular form, is Christianity. The fact that it may not look like it these days simply means that Europe is losing its culture. Ironically, these musical museum visits, to what Christian culture produced when it was vibrant, may help it return to health by reminding it what the millennium is really about. So, I was off and running to Ghent and Brussels for several days of concerts, most of which related to this theme. Unfortunately, my four-day visit could not encompass performances of Gregorian chant, Hildegard von Bingen s seraphic music, Heinrich von Biber s Missa Bruxellensis, or Stravinsky s Symphony of Psalms, all of which were offered before or after my sojourn.