Music has significant power in worship influencing emotions and spiritual experience. In 1 Samuel 16:23, it is recorded that when David played the lyre, the harmful spirit that tormented Saul departed, illustrating music’s ability to bring peace and healing.

Music has the power to expose us to something that is transcendent, that exists outside the spacetime universe. Transcendent music glorifies God. I regard Ennio Morricone (who died a few years ago) as the greatest composer of my generation. He was reportedly a devout man of faith (Catholic) who said he prayed for an hour every day. If he was born again (John 3:3), I look forward to meeting him in Heaven. Here is his timeless and breathtaking classic “Ecstasy in Gold” conducted by him in Venice a few years before his death. And here is his otherwordly exquisite theme from “Once Upon a Time in the West” performed by the gifted Steffi Vertriest. Watch here the reaction of a classical composer to Morricone’s immortal theme from the movie “The Good, The Bad, And the Ugly” performed by the Danish National Symphony. The stunningly beautiful video itself is here. Finally, here is Morricone conducting his classic “Gabriel’s Oboe” from the film The Mission.

For a few short treasured moments, Ennio Morricone’s extraordinary music transported us into the transcendent. He will be missed.