>---------- >From: Robert Peters >Reply To: Moderated Classical Music List >Sent: Wednesday, October 1, 2003 5:50 AM >Subject: Bach's secret > >What is the mysterious X which makes Bach's music so touching that even >an agnostic guy like me feels like a Christian when listening to the St >Matthew-Passion? All that is possible is a personal answer, the one that works for me. It is well expressed, I think, in the famous German Opera House saying: "Bach gave us God's word; Mozart gave us God's laughter; Beethoven gave us God's fire- God gave us music that we might pray without words." For me, at least, Bach is the distilled contact with the Divine through music. And listening to his music becomes a form of wordless prayer. Pretty subjective, I know, but I wanted to attempt to address your legitimate question. John Proffitt