For some stores, the December Holiday season began before Halloween was over. For most people, “the Holidays” begins at Thanksgiving and ends at New Year’s Day. Whenever it officially began, we can agree that we’re pretty much in holiday mode now.

It’s this month that Christians celebrate Advent – which is far more than “getting ready for Christmas” – it is about preparing for the second, not the first, coming of Christ. For Johann Sebastian Bach, the hope for Christ’s second coming was deeply heartfelt. Baroque piety and emotion drip from his motet, “Komm, Jesu, Komm.” It is ornate and full of short motifs, woven into intricate patterns that are amazing and beautiful; the double-choir dialogue at 3:00 is simply gorgeous. Like many of his sacred compositions, it ends with a chorale (that’s just the German word for “hymn”) at 6:45.

I want to say as little as possible about today’s piece, only because I’m afraid that I’ll ruin it. Maybe you should listen first, then read:

Christian Zeal and Activity was written by John Adams, a living American composer. It’s very simple (most classify it as minimalist), but it has the ability to strike deep. This 10-minute piece is ONE verse of the hymn, “Onward, Christian Soldiers“, played excessively slow – about 1/12 of the normal tempo. The voice leading is also out of place – for example, the basses might move to the next note five seconds before the melody note gets there, etc. It feels as though time is standing still (or at least going very slowly). About halfway through, a speaking voice enters the music – it’s a recording of an evangelical preacher. Words, sentences are repeated for no particular purpose. Oddly, it is the speaking voice that becomes the melody (there is a melody present in good public speaking – just listen to any successful auctioneer!) while the hymn remains in pseudo-suspended animation.

I’m not really sure what to call this piece – I can’t exactly call it “sacred”. It’s not something you’d hear in church, even though the two major elements of the piece came right out of the Christian church (a preacher and a hymn.)

When I first heard this piece, it had a profound effect on me. I’d love to hear your response to the piece (please comment!), whether positive or negative (or something in between).