Masaaki Suzuki: uncertainty

Transcript context

…There’s almost a predestination in the work. Jesus seems to know what’s coming more than in other parts of the Bible. Exactly, yes. Actually, I’m very grateful to be a Calvinist because Calvin was probably the — I don’t know. I’m no theologian, I’m no historian, but still, according to my knowledge, Calvin was one of the first reformers who acknowledged the value of the activity and culture of this world, not only in that world in heaven. I think it is very often said Calvin was not so sympathetic to the music or culture or whatever, but that is not true. He limited the congregational singing only to the psalm, but other than church, outside of the church, he has helped much cultural activity, for example, publish the psalms or arrangements, and so on. He was also helpful to inspire the musical activity in this world. I think in this way, we can evaluate the old musical work or whatever cultural activity in this world. The other, under the very big notion of the general grace of God. When Bach is in Köthen in what was East Germany, which was Calvinist at the time, but he’s composing mainly secular works, how do you frame that? Why did he do that?…

Stored transcript either side of the excerpt. The highlighted words are the published quote; the surrounding text is unedited source, never generated.