John Bunyan (1628-1688) was an English Puritan, a
coppersmith and a parson in the Baptist congregation/church.
As an unyielding dissenter he was sent to prison for 12 years,
mainly during which time the Pilgrim's Progress was born/created.
It is one of the most widely spread books in the world and is
probably the most read book after the Bible.
Even now, after over 300 years it is able to fascinate people and
offer them spiritual nourishment.
The Pilgrim's Progress is an allegoric story of a human soul who,
on his earthly pilgrimage, is seeking for salvation and is
fighting all the
obstacles, difficulties and temptations which barred his way.
There is humour and pathos and wonderfully rich imagination in it
and it is full of
pictures. It has been translated into 130 languages. Dramatically
loaded dialogue is Bunyan's natural means of expression.
It has been composed for a symphony orchestra, singers and
dancers to be performed in musical theaters. In the heart of the
orchestra a guitarband
is beating giving the opus a modern form.The opus is like a
musical or an opera or perhaps both because all the lines are
sung.On the one hand the
nature of music is partly swinging, light music but on the other
hand dramatic, incidental music. It must be heard, the music
speaks for itself.
It contains a contrast: a 300-year-old text and new, modern
music.The opus contains a overture which has themes and colours
from the
pilgrimage as well as 19 chapters.
Chapter 1. "The City of Destruction" to chapter 19.
"At Home".
More about musical: City of Kotka
Pictures from Pilgrim's Progress