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CD Review: Opening Doors To Faith
by Dorothy Chia Graphics taken from CD of Table of Plenty by John Michael Talbot |
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WHAT DOES A ROCK STAR turned Christian musician and an atheist turned Catholic priest have in common? Proof that “music based on faith, can take the listener on a closer walk with God, actually taking them into the heart of the Lord.”1 The name of the ex-rock star is John Michael Talbot and the name of the Catholic priest is Fr. Edward Yew.
I first came across the name John Michael Talbot in Fr. Edward Yew’s sharing of his conversion story. Fr. Yew said: “Hindsight reveals that John Michael Talbot's music did play a part in my later conversion to the Catholic faith.”2 This spurred my curiosity. I wanted to find out for myself what was it in Talbot’s music that carried such a strong evangelical force. And so, with the help of a friend from the choir, I purchased my first John Michael Talbot CD, Table of Plenty. Initially I was disappointed with my purchase for two reasons. Firstly, Talbot composed none of the songs in this album. Secondly, the selection of songs was too common. For example, ‘Be Not Afraid’, ‘Here I Am Lord’, and ‘Glory and Praise to our God’. I have heard these songs sung countless times in church. Surely Talbot’s version could not be any different from those that I have heard before? I was to be proven wrong. In this recording, Table of Plenty, Talbot adopted a world music approach. He borrowed rhythms and harmonies from folk cultures around the world. This is most evident in his rendition of the 1993 World Youth Day song, ‘We are One Body’, which is inspired by the African style. The musical introduction has snippets of Gregorian Chant from parts of the mass, accompanied by drums playing multi-tiered rhythms. Talbot’s tenor vocal is harmonised in parallel 3rds and 6ths by the choir, inducing a colourful and rich choral texture. There is a clever play on the lyrics as parts with different lyrics are superimposed onto one another to produce a spiritual quodlibet. The music is one of the more upbeat numbers out of a total of ten pieces. The rest of the pieces are more contemplative in style. A personal favourite is ‘Holy Darkness’, composed by Daniel L. Schutte. The lyrics are:
Chorus: Holy darkness, Blessed night heaven's answer hidden from our sight. As we await you, O God of silence, We embrace your holy night. Verses: I have tried you in the fires on affliction; I have taught your soul to grieve. In the barren soil of your loneliness, There I will plant my seed. In the deepest hour of your darkness, I will give you wealth untold, When the silence stills your spirit, will my riches fill your soul. On the surface, the song sounds melancholic. If you have ever experienced darkness in your prayers, you will know how agonising it feels to wait and wait for months and not hear God. Do you then give up as a frustrated lover eventually does, after waiting for the beloved’s phone call that never came? Do you tell yourself that since you have not heard from your lover for months, you must no longer be in his mind? The lyrics reveal otherwise. Sadness and afflictions are God’s testing. When you finally empty yourself, you think that you are all alone. Yet it is precisely on this barren soil that God is able to plant His seed. In other words, until you reach the driest point in your prayer life, your interior life cannot experience spiritual growth. It is God’s way of teaching you to love. Do you love God for Himself or for His spiritual consolations? When your soul is able to be still with your God alone, you are most receptive to God’s truth and wisdom. Hence, in that darkness lies “heaven’s answer hidden from our sight.” The simplicity in its arrangement is also the strength of ‘Holy Darkness’. Talbot sings alone in the opening chorus accompanied by his solitary guitar. The chorus is then repeated with a counter melody added. Orchestral and choral back-ups appear in the verses. The beautiful strains of a bassoon and cello further enhance the colour of the verses. A final postlude of the chorus is sung acappella by Talbot which leaves the music singing in your heart long after the final chord has been played.
John Michael Talbot believes that music “should excite people about their faith by not only being appealing but also attracting the faithful to its message.”3 Perhaps the charismatic appeal of Talbot’s music lies in his humility in accepting his role as a mere instrument for God to work. He believes that God is telling him, “Play your music and I will open and shut the doors.”4 Indeed, having released more than 40 records that have sold over four million copies worldwide, it seems John Michael Talbot’s music truly has the power to open doors to faith.
Dorothy Chia is a lecturer at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts and NTU. She also teaches piano in her private studio. Single, not married... she is still asking God, “Why?” You can e-mail her at dchia11@yahoo.com.sg. Table of Plenty is available at Wellsprings Catholic Books.
© Copyright MMIII, Dorothy Chia. All rights reserved. |
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| 1 Please refer to the biography section of John Michael Talbot’s official web site. |
| 2 From Fr Edward Y. Yew’s sharing at Homecoming Singapore. |
| 3 Please refer to the biography section of John Michael Talbot’s official web site. |
| 4 Ibid. |
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