音樂的默觀──梅湘的音樂創作與其天主教信仰之關係初探

Meditation through Music: An Investigation on the Relationship between Olivier Messiaen’s Composition and His Catholic Faith

法國作曲家奧利維耶．梅湘（Olivier Messiaen, 1908-1992）是二十世紀最重要的作曲家、音樂教育家之一，創作豐碩。他以自成一格的音樂語言，以及個人虔誠的天主教信仰，為作品內涵注入了靈修與神學的思考，以音樂來探索信仰的美妙。除此之外，梅湘亦曾擔任巴黎聖三堂（l’église de la Sainte-Trinité）的管風琴師長達六十一年，他一生對於天主教的堅定信仰，更可說是二十世紀的信德見證。梅湘對自己的創作多有論述，經常談及神學與宗教元素對其創作的重要性。梅湘強調天主教信仰是他自認作品中最重要的一個層面，因此不論是他的鋼琴曲、管風琴曲、管弦樂作品，甚至歌劇等各種不同形式的創作，都與其信仰有著密不可分的關係。除此之外，梅湘透過對於神學論著的深刻研讀來強固其信德，而這些靈修探索亦反映在他的創作之中。他往往以某個神學概念做為創作的根源，並嘗試以其音樂語言來傳達這些概念，以「闡明天主教信仰的神學真理」。本論文擬探析梅湘的天主教信仰，是如何透過創作中理性與信仰結合的不同層面，呈現出來，並梳理其中宗教、神學與音樂的多元互動關係。不論是從創作理念或手法上來看，梅湘的創作均拓展了宗教音樂更多元的可能性。

Olivier Messiaen is one of the most important music educators and the most prolific composers in France in the 20th century. His distinctive musical language and his unshakable Roman Catholic faith have allowed his works to be imbued with spiritual insights and theological reflections, which he himself termed “the marvelous aspects of the faith.” He was appointed the organist at the l’église de la Sainte-Trinité, and served the post for 61 years until his death in 1992. His life is a living embodiment of Catholic faith for the 20th century. Messiaen is equally productive with musical writings. For many of his compositions, he wrote annotations and commentaries, with which he elaborated the theological concepts and religious elements embedded in his music. The composer himself highlighted that that Catholicism is inculcated into his works as the most important textual elements—not just organ pieces, but also piano work, symphonic pieces and opera; and they bore witness to his personal faith and spiritual quest. He depicted his creative process as one in which he first meditated upon certain theological concepts, and then conveyed them with his musical language so that he could “explicate the truth of the Catholic faith.” In this article, the author investigates the different ways the composer represents the fides et ratio key to his works, and how they expand the scope of religious music, while at thesame time discuss the different interactions between religion, theology and music.