Andy Crouch recently returned to the Good Faith podcast to join Curtis in a stimulating conversation about the transformative power of music. In an era of unprecedented access to musical libraries and a world filled with noise and distraction, there are moments when music transcends mere sound and becomes a gateway to the profound depths of human experience.

In the episode, Andy and Curtis explore how great music, whether it be the narratives of folk traditions or the transcendent compositions of classical masters, invites listeners on journeys of emotional and spiritual resonance. Knowing where to get started can feel daunting, but Andy and Curtis recommend a few entry points into the richness of deep, moving musical experiences.

Works like Bach’s “St. Matthew Passion” and Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony represent some of the greatest compositions we inherit from the classical tradition. Composer Olivier Messiaen’s “Quartet for the End of Time,” composed in a German POW camp during World War II, transports listeners into the depths of human suffering and the eternal hope that transcends even the darkest of times. And jazz, born out of the African American experience, carries with it a legacy of resilience and creativity.

Even more important than the music we listen to is the manner in which we experience it. In their conversation, Andy and Curtis offer four suggestions:

1. Listen relationally. With more music at our fingertips than ever before thanks to streaming sites like Spotify, we must exercise some intentionality about how we choose what to listen to. Of course, there are the top 100 lists and the recognizable names of today’s celebrity songwriters, but a more meaningful way to curate your playlists is to center them on your relationships. Queue up some smaller-name artists who you know through a friend of a friend of a friend, or try listening to songs that carry some relational meaning, like those you sing on Sunday mornings with your church friends.
2. Actively participate in your music. “Until a hundred years ago, when someone said the words, ‘let’s play some music,’ it meant only one thing,” Andy points out. “It meant, ‘let us pick up instruments or activate our bodies in a musical way and make music.’ And today, when someone says, ‘let’s play some music,’ it overwhelmingly means, ‘let’s press a triangle on a screen or on a device’ and some music will start playing.” Rather than passively consuming your favorite music with earbuds in, make some music with your friends and family. (And no, you don’t have to be “talented” to enjoy this.)
3. Listen to live music. Recorded music is a wonderful gift, but there’s just something special about experiencing a live performance. Search for venues in your area and see if you can grab tickets to hear a local artist. As Andy said, “Music ought to be, first of all, about the live encounter. That is the most powerful thing about it, not the secondary recorded encounter.”
4. Use music as a window into cultural appreciation. Music is a universal language that expresses the unique contributions of each community and offers a way to respectfully enter into another culture. Acknowledging the fraught history of jazz’s origins in African American communities, Andy emphasizes the importance of approaching music from marginalized communities with humility and respect, advocating for genuine engagement and recognition of the contributions of its creators.