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I'm not religious but am interested in discovering music with a spiritual dimension of any sort - from any religion or none. What does it for you?

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John Taverner.

Anything plainsongy from the Middle Ages.

Well for me actual church music does it - especially early music. So I like plainchant and also choral polyphonic music from the renaissance period - Palestrina, Victoria, Byrd, Tallis and co.

Plus modern stuff - some John Tavener, and if I had to pick a single piece that had a profound effect on me when I first it it would be Morton Lauridsen's "O Magnum Mysterium" sung at St Albans Abbey one Christmas.

Snap!

African Sanctus is good as well.

I must also confess to a fondness for real Gospel music.

Ave Verum

Misere

Spiegel im Spiegel, by Arvo Part
Beautiful

bit of a top ten for everyone!

oh I want links for them all
great thread franch

this is the arvo part

it is very lovely wonderstuff, never heard it before

Heard it on classic fm. Chills me out it does

african sanctus

this is heavenly katisha

Wonderful response everyone, thanks so much. Am working my way through the suggestions. Found the African Sanctus here - beautiful

Any less obviously religious music? I've heard drum music can be very spiritual for example but wouldn't know where to start.

Cross post stuffit

Well there's Japanese Kodo drumming for example, but it doesn't do much for me.

Taize, but its religious.

I always thought Enya sounded quite spiritual.

"O Magnum Mysterium" is lovely Katisha

Yes it is.

Still does it for me years after first hearing it and playing it to death on CD.

But I try to restrict it to Christmas as it's a Christmas piece!

ooo good thread!

one of my favourite gospel tracks east st louis gospelettes - take care of you

and some favourite reggae tracks -

ras bull - guide i jah

the abyssinians - satta massa gana

the congos - open up the gate

i always find gaelic psalms ver moving too. they are so raw, being unaccompanied by music. and you can hear the undulation of the tides in their voices.

Agree with so many on this thread but this is my fave. Espiecally when the tenors start singing the chorus.

I've got hairs standing on the back of my neck now.

Eric Whitacre's "Water Night", although not spiritual, feels as though it ought to be. Water Night

Oh i love that gerontius

Never heard it before

Try this
Even better. Though it depends who you are.
or this. Gorgeous.

Low. They're Mormons but not obviously religious in their music; however, what they make is so beautiful and touching that always moves me, and I have no beliefs at all.