Dear List-members,

Would anybody be able to point me towards a discussion of the lights and sounds of heaven? I am working on an Old English poem that makes great use of these and of Satan’s severance there from. It includes a passage which reads like a summary of heavenly sound. In the poem, the angels sing to the glory of God in the position in which the ‘Sanctus’ would be sung. They do so as part of their service to God. They are rewarded by their dwelling in celestial music, the voice of Glory, and the voice of the trumpet. The trumpet seems to be part of the celestial harmony, and the Saints bow to the Word. A similar play on the radiance in heaven is also present. The interplay of music and light seems to be informative of the relationships that the involved groups have with each other.

Is there any reference about the heavenly sound and light (and touch, if possible!) for pre-mid ninth century England? Or would you know of an earlier or later source that might shed some light (no pun intended) on this interplay?

Thank you for your thoughts and best wishes,

Carolin

Carolin Esser

PhD-Student

CMS, University of York

http://www.apocalyptic-theories.com