Each year on July 28, the church commemorates Kantor J.S. Bach. It was on this date in 1750 that Bach — musician, composer, and servant of the church — entered into eternal rest.
When I think of Bach and his death, the first thing that comes to mind is the closing chorale to his St. John Passion. He closes this Passion with the final stanza of Martin Schalling’s hymn text “Lord, Thee I Love with All My Heart.” (Starts at 8:58 in the YouTube video).
Imagine watching Star Wars or some other favorite movie with one big change: no music. The plot and characters would still be there, but we would miss that familiar music that moves the story forward.
Movie soundtracks are not random bits of music to cover dialogue or video sequences, but are often composed specifically to complement the action on the silver screen. John Williams, the movie composer, (not John Williams, the classical guitarist) is a master of this, weaving themes and variations throughout the two or so odd hours of film and then providing the continuity between the prequels and sequels. Who can forget the opening to Star Wars or the menacing Darth Vader theme? (Side note: If you happen to be a fan of movie soundtracks, the classical radio station in Portland, OR has a weekly program devoted to the music behind the movies — The Score.)
And yet, do Luke Skywalker or Darth Vader even know that there is a soundtrack backing up their lives? In the case of Darth Vader, it was a soundtrack that accompanied his entire life from birth to death. What is your soundtrack?