Is Musical Style Involved in Communicating Meaning? Part 2

Is Musical Style Involved in Communicating Meaning?  Part 2

There are a host of twenty first century musicians who deny that there is such a phenomenon as right or wrong vehicles for sacred musicing.  The reasoning behind the belief that there is no continuum from right to wrong stems from the philosophical musical fallacy that the music part of music doesn’t matter.  The obvious conclusion deduced from this fallacy is that any consideration of what is good or bad in church music is “much ado about nothing” spiritually and musically.  Robert Berglund put it this way, “The notion that there are neither right nor wrong styles of music used in the church today seems indefensible in light of the obvious stylistic meanings and the contradiction to the changed life premises of Scripture.”  A Philosophy of Church Music by Robert Berglund p. 12  

It stands to reason that if the Christian musician does not wholeheartedly believe in the changed life principles so clearly taught in the Bible, he or she will doubtlessly not believe in the Bible concept that a Christian’s music and musicing must be of a higher renovated character. Many Scriptures in the Old and New Testament teach the “new song” principle including Revelation 5:9 which states, “And they sung a new song (kainos ode), saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation.”   The new song (kainos 2537 ode 5603) mentioned in this verse has the meaning of being new in character rather than only  being new in relationship to time.  For a much more thorough study of this concept read Chapter Three, “A study of song in the Bible”, in my book Music of the Bible in Christian Perspective.

So, as Dr. Berglund stated, the changed life premises taught in the Bible should lead Christian musicians to the belief that sacred music should be of a higher renovated character than the music of the world produced by composers who do not know Christ and are in many cases producing music that appeals to the lust of the flesh.  Galations 5:16 teaches this principle when it states, “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.”  1John 2:16 also teaches very clearly, “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.”