Prayer for the Day

Prayer for the Day

            Lord Jesus I am asking You to daily fill me with Your grace so that not only outwardly but also inwardly I will suffer long and be kind to those who goad and test me time and time again.  I confess that when I say that I wish to be more and more like You, although I mean it, I recognize that I need your grace every day if I am going to minister the way You want me to minister.  Lord I am asking You to so fill m today with Your Spirit that I will be able meet the love requirements of the love spoken of in 1 Corinthians chapter thirteen.  This I am praying in Your loving name.  Amen.

Music Ministers that Minister in Love

Music Ministers that Minister in Love

1Corinthians 13:4, “Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,” 

            The Revised Standard Version translates1Corinthians 13:4, “Love is patient and kind; love is not jealous or boastful” Love in action is patient even if the Christian has to suffer for a long time. Some unfortunate situations do not go away quickly.   If a music minister has the heart of a pastor he or she will have to endure some things (and some people) that are hard to endure.

            If all that a minister of music had put up with was a soprano who sings under pitch he or she would live a charmed life.  I remember one afternoon when one of my fine technical assistants was working in the auditorium at the top of a sixteen foot step ladder when a most annoying young man came and stood at the base of the ladder spouting off acrid comments to the technician.  I will never forget what the no nonsense technician calmly said to the student at the base of the ladder—“Go away”.

            I did not chuckle but I thought to myself that at that moment that although I had remained silent, on the inside I was not inwardly patient or kind.  As I look back on that short event many times I have realized that what I lacked at that particular time was the agape love spoken of by the Corinthian writer. 

Tracing Music’s Origin-part 10

Tracing Music’s Origin-part 10

            So now in the twenty-first century, an increasing number of Christian musicians have come to the conclusion that there are no “musts” or “absolutes” in our religious music?  Are there any “musts” or “absolutes” in our Christian relationship to God?  Christ said in St. John 3:7 “marvel not that I say unto thee, ye must be born again.”  In Matthew 5:20, Christ stated, “For I say unto you, that except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of Heaven.” 

            This list of absolutes could be multiplied by many, many verses, all of which sound very absolute to me.  What would lead a Christian musician to believe that, when it comes to music making, there are no absolutes?  One thing I will tell you for sure is that all philosophical thoughts concerning music and all music making comes under the absolute authority of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Church music not only matters, but it matters to God.  The how, why, when, where and to whom of Church Music Matters to God. 

Quote for the Day

Quote for the Day

Ephesians 5:8, “For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:”

Tracing Music’s Origin-part 9

Tracing Music’s Origin-part 9

            Many Christian musicians act as if the Lord doesn’t have anything to say about music philosophy or music making.  Some Christian musicians believe that all forms of music making and all music philosophies are acceptable unto the lord and, furthermore, that there are no absolutes in music philosophy or music making.  Ephesians 5:9-10 states, “Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.  And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.”  What scriptural basis would lead a Christian musician to believe that in church music all forms and styles of music making are acceptable unto the Lord?

            Where do Christian musicians get the philosophy that all aspects of Christian living EXCEPT MUSIC must come under the Lordship of Christ?  They get this philosophy from Thomas Aquinas who had an incomplete view of the fall.  He believed that man had fallen from grace, but that he had not fallen in his intellect.  Therefore, man could develop a philosophical view of all things that relate to nature, that was independent of the Lordship of Christ.  With this faulty praxial view music, which rightly should be placed under nature instead of grace, becomes autonomous. 

Tracing Music’s Origin-part 8

Tracing Music’s Origin-part 8

            St. John 1:3 further explains that “All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made.”  Once there was no music.  God was before music.  God wanted music so He made music.  No one else made music.  Therefore, no one but God has true ownership of music.  The Christian musician should get rid of the sense of ownership of music.  No spirit filled musician, or any musician for that matter, has the right to say this is my music.

            It has been said that Jesus will be Lord of all or He will not be Lord at all.  Music philosophy and all music making must fall under the Lordship of Christ if it is to be Spirit led.  The musical discourse in Ephesians 5:6-19 reminds the spirit filled musician that he or she must prove “what is acceptable unto the Lord.”

Tracing Music’s Origin-part 7

Tracing Music’s Origin-part 7  

            It is imperative that all philosophical basis of music begins with God’s creation, “I the beginning God created..” which includes music, and God’s ownership which includes music.  To the Christian, all forms of music come under the Lordship of Jesus Christ.  Colossians 1:16-18 states, ”For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.”

            It is essential that Christian musicians place music under the Lordship of Christ by acknowledging that God created it in His original acts of creation.  Without this Bible foundation, Christian musicians pen Pandora’s Box philosophically  denying music as an act of creation is to open all kinds of faulty philosophies and praxes  Denying God’s ownership of music makes way for the faulty view that music belongs to man’s true humanness.

Tracing Music’s Origin-part 6

Tracing Music’s Origin-part 6

            So, after much confusion, musicologists are now face to face with the fact that the notation of Bible music is authentic and that it is very ancient.  Music historians now realize that the Ugaritic notation is 1400 to 1500 years older than the Greek fragments and that the precise Bible music notation is at least 3000 years old.  Depending on when the te’amim were developed (See Music of the Bible in Christian Perspective, chapter eight.), written Bible music may be much older than the 3000 years date given by Stolba.

            Why all this fuss about music history?  The import of this discussion is simply that in the beginning God created music.  It is my belief that it is possible God revealed the te’amim to the ancient Bible authors who wrote both music and words as a unit.  It is possible that God revealed the te’amim to Moses on Mt. Sinai or that he acquired this knowledge from the Egyptians i.e. Acts 7:22, “And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds.”

 

Tracing Music’s Origin-part 5

Tracing Music’s Origin-part 5

            As we review the recent history of music history books, we see that finally archaeology is now forcing music historians to retain God in their knowledge.  Grout basically fails to recognize the authenticity of Bible music, and seems to lean toward the “real” history of music beginning with the Greeks.  Borroff doesn’t do any better with her analysis of the beginnings of music. 

            By the time of Stolba’s book the evidence is overwhelming that, based on the evidence available, Western music did not start in the West, but rather in the Near East.  If they had listened to Plato, music historians could have avoided much of these misconceptions.  Most certainly a careful study of the te’amim would have proven a written music long before the existing Greek fragments.

Tracing Music’s Origin-part 4

Tracing Music’s Origin-part 4

            In 1960, Donald Grout published his famous, “A History of Western Music”.  In this treatise, Grout is careful not to be specific concerning the origins of music.  He attributes the beginning of Western art music to the Christian church.  He also states that “Greek mythology ascribed to music a divine origin and named its inventors and earliest practitioners gods and demigods, such as Apollo, Amphion, and Orpheus.”3 He also mentions Old Testament references to music but does not recognize Bible music as authentic knowledge concerning the beginnings of music. 

            In 1971, Edith Borroff published, “Music in Europe and the United States”.  She begins her treatise on music history with “Speculation on the beginnings of music is endlessly fascinating, but no certainty is even likely to come to it.”  In 1990, K. Marie Stolba published, “The Development of Western Music History”. She begins this treatise on music history by reminding history students that “Plato placed the origin of music in creation, and numerous legends present music as a gift of the gods or the invention of one of them.” She begins chapter one by acknowledging the music of Ugarit and the te’amim (musical notation) of the Bible.

Tracing Music’s Origin-part 3

Tracing Music’s Origin-part 3

            We are not completely left in the dark concerning the possibilities of the beginnings of music since we have the mention of Jubal and his music instruments early in the Genesis record.  By the time of Jacob (Genesis 31:27), we have record of songs, the frame drum translated in the KJV (toph 8596), and the lyre (kinore 3658) translated harp in the KJV.  At the time of the Exodus (15:1-22) we have songs being written and group singing (vs.1).

             In verse 20 we have the addition of the word mecholah (4246) which no doubt meant piping (from its derivation “bored through”) rather than dancing even though it is often translated dancing.  So we can see that music was very well developed by the time of the Exodus and even before that time.  A review of Scripture reveals that during Israel’s early period of nomadic life, instrumental music was well developed.

Tracing Music’s Origin-part 2

Tracing Music’s Origin-part 2

            It is possible that the beginnings of musical knowledge could be traced to Genesis 1:26 where Adam is commanded to “...have dominion (radah 7287) over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth (erets 776), and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.”  Also in verse twenty-eight he is admonished to “replenish the earth (776) and subdue (kabash 3533) it.”  The words dominion (radah 7287) and subdue (kabash 3533) mean to subjugate or to conquer and the word earth (erets 776) is the broad term used for the world as opposed to the word adamah (127) which means the soil. 

             So, Adam was given the command to conquer and bring under his control the world around him which included music.  We know from Genesis 2:19-20 that Adam was given tremendous insight and knowledge.  Although these passages say absolutely nothing about music, it is possible that he also had unusual insight in music.  However, the pursuit of such an exotic hypothesis would be nothing more than exegetical gymnastics.

Tracing Music’s Origin-part 1

Tracing Music’s Origin-part 1

            Music theorists and historians have stubbornly resisted the fact that the ancient Hebrew Scripture helps us to identify the beginnings of music.  Scholarly sources like The New Oxford History of Music report, “It is very difficult to say anything definite about the origin of music, because the phenomenon is quite outside the range of our observation.  Even in those primitive civilizations that still exist there is no race so primitive that it can be considered a relic of the beginning of human culture.”   The New Oxford History of Music, Vol. I Egon Wellesz p.5   It is a mistake to look for the origin of music in any existing remnant of early civilization but rather in the Old Testament Scriptures.  It is true that the Pentateuch is relatively silent as to the specifics of the beginnings of music.  However, we do know that God imparted musical knowledge to man before the flood.  Genesis 4:21 states that Lamech’s son Jubal “was the father of all such as handle the harp and organ.”

Musicing about God, for God with God’s Grace-part 4

Musicing about God, for God with God’s Grace-part 4

              Third, a musician who performs or leads others in sacred music must have the grace (charis 5485) God in his or her heart.  This Scripture is not referring to man’s charisma but rather God’s grace.  Although it appears that in the late 20^th century and now in the 21^st century many Bible translators have taken the view that charis should be translated in this verse as gratitude or in a graceful manner.  I see no logical reason t not follow the majority opinion of the earlier Bible exegetes that this Greek word should connote the grace of God that has been shed abroad in the hearts of men and women who have been truly “born again”.  Tis word should here represent God’s saving grace that changed the whole-life of the “new man”.

            With the aforementioned exegetical understanding, this verse strongly teaches that church musicians must be “born again” before they sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs in God’s house.  No amount of artistic, graceful, respectful, or thankful musicing can take the place of the church musician being a born again Christian who has the Grace of God operating in his or her life

Musicing about God, for God with God’s Grace-part 3

Musicing about God, for God with God’s Grace-part 3

             Second, the Christian musician who is performing the psalms, hymn, and spiritual songs does so as a vehicle for giving thanks to God the Father by the mediatorial agency of God the Son.  We should not forget that musicing unto God is always done as a performance.  However, performing music for God’s glory is a much different performance than performing for the aggrandizement of the performer.  The Christian musician should consider all sacred musicing to be musical offerings unto God.  All this musicing should be musicing about God that is strictly for God.

            Although it is hard for many Christian musicians to view all sacred musicing as musical offerings rather than artistic musical sacrifices made unto God, that is exactly what they should be.  A historical look at music in the Temple in ancient Israel reveals that the evites did not consider sacred music to be an art form as we do in Western culture today.  It appears that ancient Temple musicians viewed it as a means of connection with JHVH.  Also, they considered their music to be a sacred trust that was at the center of all their musicing.

 

 

Musicing about God, for God with God’s Grace-part 2

Musicing about God, for God with God’s Grace-part 2

            There is also another companion passage found in Ephesians 5:19-21, “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.”

            I would like to take a brief moment to remind Christian musicians of the main reasons that we music mentioned in Colossians 3:16.  First, we must always music “in the name of the Lord Jesus”.  The Greek word used her is kurios (2962) which connotes supreme authority, or the one who is the Christian’s Savior, Lord and Master.  Christian musicians often tend to get lost in the fact that they are giving a music performance or that they work for and represent a particular church or Christian organization. All of the above may be true, but a Christian musician’s supreme authority is God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.

Musicing about God, for God with God’s Grace-part 1

Musicing about God, for God with God’s Grace-part 1

            Colossians 3:16-17 teaches, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.  And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.”  Many speakers and writers miss the lessons taught in these verses because many skip these verses in their comments or at least they make little or no mention of the music lessons taught here.  I suspect they were so intent on getting to the eighteenth verse so that they could once again tell women to submit that they miss the musical import of these verses in Colossians chapter 3

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Aesthetics and the Christian Musician- part 5

Aesthetics and the Christian Musician- part 5

Under this lack-luster philosophy mentioned in the four previous posts, religious music no longer has to be aesthetically beautiful.  Although almost all Christian musicians who perform rock-based music would deny it, they do not believe in a music aesthetic based on any definable traditional standards of beauty.  If they do believe in a Christian music aesthetic, it is most certainly a redefined beauty based on a synthesis somewhere in between beauty and ugliness.  How did music degenerate in its aesthetic beauty from the music of J.S. Bach to the anti-music of composers like John Cage? 

I believe that Achille-Claude Debussy (1862-1918) was one of the early composers who started in the direction of despair music.  He became interested in the literary works of the symbolist writers of the 19^th century.  These writers addressed their writings to a system of symbols and symbolic meaning as a negative reaction to naturalism and realism in literature.  This school which was nonliteral and figurative began to develop a network of vague images.   These vague images found their way in to the music compositions of this off-shoot of the romantic period that became known as impressionism.

 

Aesthetics and the Christian Musician- part 4

Aesthetics and the Christian Musician- part 4 

What does all this mean to church musicians in the 21^st century?  Why should we care what “serious academic music” composers do?  The reason we care is that in order for us to know how contemporary Christian music derived its philosophical basis, we must understand the history of music.  With these basic understandings of 20^th century philosophical despair in music philosophy, we are able to know how 21^st century church musicians derive their synthesis music philosophy which is a mixture of good and bad and beauty and ugliness.

Many contemporary Christian musicians have accepted the elements of the anti-music despair of the 20^th century.  They believe, somewhat like Stravinsky, that the music part of music is not efficacious i.e. it is incapable of expressing anything at all.  Furthermore, these Christian musicians believe, somewhat like John Cage, that nothing is “sacred” or “profound” about the music part of music.  Finally, like the religious music of Pierre Henry, these contemporary Christian’s religious music is grotesque and dissonant but the words are clear and clean!  To them this sanctifies the deed! To them, if the words are clean, nothing else matters.

Aesthetics and the Christian Musician- part 3

Aesthetics and the Christian Musician- part 3 

So, this distortion found its way into religious genres making subtle mockery of the awesomeness and solemnity of sacred symbols.  One shocking aspect of this distorted religious music is that the narration of the Bible text is clearly understandable.  John Cage (b.1912) became interested in anti-musical techniques like prepared piano and chance operations.  Cage called his chance music indeterminacy.  Other composers began to use chance operations which have been termed aleatoric i.e. like the throwing of dice.  In 1952, Cage composed his ultimate anti-musical composition, 4 minutes and 33 seconds.  This piece became the ultimate composition of anti-music since his purpose was to compose music that said absolutely NOTHING!  The performer simply sat at the piano for the designated period of time making absolutely no sounds.

            At this point in the history of music, serious music composition had philosophically destroyed an aesthetic of beauty and profundity in music.  Cage had philosophically proved Stravinsky’s antithesis philosophical statement, “I consider that music is, by its very nature, essentially powerless to express anything at all...”  Philosophical Perspectives on Music, Bowman, p.194.   So the godless antithesis of depraved man in the 20^th century closed the door on a music aesthetic based on beauty and musing with anti-music based on distortion and chance techniques.

These composers opened the door for the lack-luster philosophy that the music part of music is incapable of expressing any effective message or perhaps any message at all.  They also denied profundity in music since chance music was just as profound as the most thought out composition by great composers like J. S. Bach.  Now complete musical despair reigned.  To these composers music says nothing and is incapable of being profound; and furthermore, it is ultimately incapable of expressing anything at all.

 

Thought for the Day

Thought for the Day

If the “new man” has to make changes in various areas of life style, surely this Christian may have to make some changes in the music that he or she allows in his or her life style.  Without doubt this includes worship music and music styles that are closely associated with carnal passions.

Aesthetics and the Christian Musician- part 2

Aesthetics and the Christian Musician- part 2 

Any philosophical view of aesthetics in music that admits the grotesque or ugly is faulty.  We know that crude, ugly unmusical compositions do exist, but they are the result of a misarrangement of the building blocks of music.  Never blame God with ugly grotesque unmusical compositions.  The main stream of anti-music compositions of the 20^th century was not produced by God-fearing Christian composers and arrangers.

Musique concrète is an example of anti-music music composition.  Pierre Schaeffer (b.1910) composed music directly on tapes or discs from natural sources.  However, these “natural sounds” were seriously distorted by playing them backward, changing the speed of the sound of by other editing abnormalities.  In 1948, Schaeffer composed his Concert des bruites (Concert of Noises) and other original compositions.  Pierre Schaeffer’s music can be identified with the philosophy of surrealist painters with its juxtaposition and chance techniques.  He often took perfectly natural sounds and scrambled them in an indeterminable manner.  (Surrealism will be considered in a later   discussion.)  Schaeffer, Henry, Baronnett and Boulez were the early “inventors” of this anti-music distortion.  These compositions included religious pieces like Mass for Liverpool and The Apocalypse of John.

 

Aesthetics and the Christian Musician- part 1

Aesthetics and the Christian Musician- part 1

Aesthetics is that area of philosophy that considers the perception of the beautiful as distinguished from the moral of the useful.  Christian musicians often wonder just where Christocentric music philosophy fits in to a Christian aesthetic.  One thing is sure, God is interested in beauty.  We know that He is since when we look around us we can see that His creation is not only useful but also very, very beautiful.  A part of God’s creation being very good is evidenced, among other things, by its beauty. Genesis 1:31states very clearly, “And God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good (maod towb 3966 2896).”  Maod towb connotes a creation that was exceedingly beautiful or best.

As always, the Christian is concerned with where to start when building a philosophy of artistic beauty.  One thing we know, that in the beginning God created everything that is beautiful.  Since music was a part of His creation, we know from the Genesis record that the beauty that God created was very good so therefore His creation of beauty was exceedingly beautiful. 

Is Music a Language?—part 6

Is Music a Language?—part 6

             Giving the music part of music a label that is inclusive of all that it “is” and is capable of doing to the whole-life of the individuals who encounter it is problematic. However, I believe that music, as an art form, is “meta” and the term metalanguage   may be used, more or less effectively, to explain that music is characteristically self-referential in that it has power within itself to communicate understandable meaning to the performer and the auditor.

            So, as I have mentioned in my writings and lectures many times, music is at least analogous to a language in that it is capable of communicating meaning and that the meaning it communicates is understandable to those who encounter it.  Although the music part of music i.e. music alone does not communicate verbally, it does non-verbally, and that since the time of Plato and Aristotle, various music philosophers have contended that music’s communication has the power to effect the whole- life of everyone who encounters it. Furthermore, the notion that the music part of music is not capable of communicating anything at all is a Johnny-come-lately theory that is not supported with conclusive evidence that music is a weak and benign art form without any ability to communicate anything at all, or that it has its own meaning that does not relate to life outside of music’s closed bubble.

             Giving the music part of music a label that is inclusive of all that it “is” and is capable of doing to the whole-life of the individuals who encounter it is problematic. However, I believe that music, as an art form, is “meta” and the term metalanguage   may be used, more or less effectively, to explain that music is characteristically self-referential in that it has power within itself to communicate understandable meaning to the performer and the auditor.

            So, as I have mentioned in my writings and lectures many times, music is at least analogous to a language in that it is capable of communicating meaning and that the meaning it communicates is understandable to those who encounter it.  Although the music part of music i.e. music alone does not communicate verbally, it does non-verbally, and that since the time of Plato and Aristotle, various music philosophers have contended that music’s communication has the power to effect the whole- life of everyone who encounters it. Furthermore, the notion that the music part of music is not capable of communicating anything at all is a Johnny-come-lately theory that is not supported with conclusive evidence that music is a weak and benign art form without any ability to communicate anything at all, or that it has its own meaning that does not relate to life outside of music’s closed bubble.

Is Music a Language?—part 5

Is Music a Language?—part 5

            With this in mind one can more easily come to the hypothesis that the music part of music is either more valuable or more dangerous to the whole-life of the individual who is encountering it in direct relationship to that person’s understanding of the music genre being listened to or performed.  So, the more understanding one receives from the music part of the music, the more effect the encounter with the music will have on the individual.

            Earlier I made reference to music as a metalanguage.  (This consideration of what music “is” is, like the other categorizations, not without complication,)  There are several definitions of metalanguage one of them is that it is any symbolic system used to discuss, describe, or analyze another language or symbolic system. Viewing the formal properties of music as metalanguage allows one to consider it to be another “language” that is, if you please, “meta” or self-referential in the aspect that the way the building blocks of music are artistically arranged communicates meaning and that this meaning can more or less effectively become “symbols” that are capable of, as Bloomberg would perhaps say, “decode” information. 

Is Music a Language?—part 4

Is Music a Language?—part 4

            Everyone brings something to the listening or performing experience.  Part of what each person brings is taken from his or her previous experiences with music, but part of what a performer or listener brings is from the real world outside of music. Therefore, I am a referentialist.  Although I do not adhere to every tenant of the mainstream of philosophical music referentialists, I contend that everyone musics in reference to the real world experiences that he or she has encountered outside the realm of music.  I do not believe that music’s meaning is its own meaning with no relationship to what one has experienced in life.
            Greensburg refers to music as a “non-verbal language”.  When one views the music part of music in this manner it opens new understandings about the power of music without words. This power is at least partially made possible by various unspoken understandings that are molded by the performer’s knowledge of music and cultural and environmental surroundings that will affect that person’s encounter with music.

Is Music a Language?—part 3

Is Music a Language?—part 3

            It appears that Greensburg believes that music has the ability to communicate meaning because of his statement that it “can encode volumes of…information”.  One of the many definitions of encode is to convert some kind of information into a form suitable for the transmission of a message.  So, I believe that music has the power to transmit various kinds of information and that music’s ability to deliver a message to the performer and the listener is “meta” i.e. self-referential.  Therefore, music’s power to communicate functions more efficiently in some aspects than a language. 

            The music part of music (the music without words) does have the power to communicate understandable meaning to the performer and the auditor.  However, it is not always easy to predict with certainty exactly what the music will communicate to the listener.  The reason is that music reaction is always referential.  What this means is that all music performers and listeners music both actively and passively  in the perspective of what they bring from their music knowledge and also what they bring from their spiritual, social, psychological, historical, and philosophical backgrounds.  As I have often said in my music lectures and in my writings, no one musics either actively or passively in a vacuum or in a bubble. 

Is Music a Language?—part 2

Is Music a Language?—part 2

            It is evident that Greensburg believes that music has understandable meaning, at least in the areas of social, historical, and philosophical information.  It appears from the statement above, that the key factor in the area of music’s ability to communicate meaning to the auditor is the hearer’s understanding of the music.

            The significance of this discussion today is that the notion that no one who knows about music and music philosophy believes that music is a language.  On the contrary, the arguments for and against music being a language is still very much alive.  As I have often written, although there are problems with referring to music as a language, I contend that it is at least analogous to the term language.  I sometimes refer to music as a meta-language simply because it is beyond language is some ways.   

Is Music a Language?—part 1

Is Music a Language?—part 1

            In a recent ad for the Book How to Listen to and Understand Great Music, 3^rd Edition by Robert Greenburg this statement was made, “Music is a non-verbal language that can encode volumes of social, historical, and even philosophical information, provided you know how to understand it.”  Greenburg seems to have a modified theory about music being a language.  Some believe that music is a language; others consider it to be a universal language; while still others believe music to be no language at all.

            Greenburg touches on another major argument that questions whether or not we can understand music’s meaning at all.  Some summerly dismiss the question of understanding music’s meaning by simply asserting that music does not have any meaning at all.  Still others believe that music has meaning but that its meaning is an isolated meaning that is not related to life or any understanding that is related in any way to life outside of music’s little bubble.

ANCIENT MINISTERS OF MUSIC—part 3

                         ANCIENT MINISTERS OF MUSIC—part 3

            It appears that these chief Levite musicians were chosen by a committee including musicians and non-musician much like ministers of music are chosen today.  However, the chief Levite musicians were "set" or chosen by a very authoritative "committee."  II Chronicles 29:25 states, "And he set Levites in the house of the LORD with cymbals, with psalteries, and with harps, according to the commandment of David, and of Gad the king's seer, and Nathan the prophet:  for so was the commandment of the LORD by his prophets.  Note that the A.V. margin says, "by the hand of the LORD, by the hand of his prophets."  So, the appointment of these chief musicians was so important that they were selected by:

                        1.         David who was God's anointed King.

                        2.         Gad the king's seer who was a chozeh or a beholder of                                                          visions of God.

                        3.         Nathan who was a naba or inspired prophet.

                        4.         The hand of Jehovah the self-existent eternal God.

Perhaps this august "committee" was necessary since these Levite musicians were separated to be naba or prophets who would prophesy with music.

ANCIENT MINISTERS OF MUSIC—part 2

ANCIENT MINISTERS OF MUSIC—part 2

            Special note should be made of the word natsach (5329).  This term used in the title of fifty-four of the Psalms connotes a person with great charisma.  This musician was to glitter from afar.  This person was to be a powerful leader and an accomplished musician.  So, we can see that the chief musician was an eminent leader of music in the Temple.

            The Levite musicians were called or separated for a particular service--that service was leading music worship in the Temple.  I Chronicles 15:16 states, "And David spake to the chief of the Levites to appoint their brethren to be singers with instruments of music, psalteries, and harps and cymbals, sounding, by lifting up the voice with joy."  Verse seventeen goes on to mention the names of Heman, Asaph, and Ethan (Jeduthun) who were chief musicians.

 

ANCIENT MINISTERS OF MUSIC—part 1

ANCIENT MINISTERS OF MUSIC—part 1

            Sometimes we think of the concept of a minister of music as being a modern invention.  However, if one aspect of Levite Music Administration could be pointed out as most important it would be the office of the "chief musician."  In the Bible the minister of music is called by several names.

            The Book of Psalms refers to the chief musician fifty-four times.  The words “chief” and “musician” are translated from the Hebrew word natsach (5329) and mean to be eminent, to glitter from a distance and to be superintendent.  These musicians were chosen to supervise the business of music making in the Temple.  Other names for these musicians were: chief singer (5329) in Habakkuk 3:19; overseer (paqiyd 6496) in Nehemiah 12:42; principal (rosh 7218) in Nehemiah 11:17, meaning to be first, in rank or to be captain; chief (sar 8269) of the Levites in I Chronicles 15:22, meaning a head person or a master musician; and chief (rosh7218) of the fathers of the Levites in I Chronicles 9:33.  All of these names carry the meaning of a person who was in charge who is was leader and had skill, and one who is a responsible person.

 

Merely Sounding Brass—part 3

Merely Sounding Brass—part 3

            The Christian musician must be sure that he or she musics with love for others.  When a very gifted performer stands before a congregation of worshipers, it is easy to center all attention on the performance rather than on ministry.  Some Christian musician performers have a tendency to worship the created thing (music) rather than the creator (God).  Romans 1:25 refers to those, “Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature (2937) more than the Creator (2936), who is blessed forever. Amen.” Strong’s Concordance states that ktisis (2937) refers to original formation (properly, the act; by implication, the thing, (literally or figuratively).  Strong also states that ktizo (2936) means the one who created.

            So, with this knowledge we deduce that the Bible condemns worshiping music rather than the God who is the creator of music.  A common error of church music performers is worshiping worship.  It is also wrong for the musicer to worship music.  A Christian musician must love the God who created the art form of music rather than the music itself.  Although there is nothing wrong with a Christian performer enjoying performing sacred music, but if the love of music or performance becomes the main thing, it will become an idol rather than a vehicle of praise to God.

 

 

 

Prayer for this Blog in May

Prayer for this Blog in May

            I want to thank You Lord and Father for the 111 countries that are a part of our blog family.  It is my sincere and earnest prayer let this blog will go around the world to places where I cannot go.  Lord, thank You that You are answering my prayer by guiding people from 111 countries to find and read my blog posts. Please continue to help me in 2016 as I prepare a post for each day to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit.

            Only You know Lord who is out there ministering musically that needs a fresh anointing for musical ministry.  Help me to know which philosophical and devotional thoughts will help these busy pastors and musicians.  Lord, as I continue to develop posts for the month of May, I am not sure which aspects of music education and music ministry to write about that will stimulate and encourage the blog family.  Please anoint the blog, the blogger, and the blog readers during 2016. If it is your will I am asking that the number of page views will increase during each month.  Lord, I am praying that you will help the content editors for the two books that they are now editing and making final preparations so they can be sent to the publisher.  These things I ask in your great and wise and wonderful name.  Amen.

Thank you for a Great Month of April

       Thank you for a Great Month of April
            This month was the 40^th month of my blog which contained devotional and philosophical thoughts for Christian musicians. I have written over 2,384 posts since this blog was started. There have been several times this year when I have experienced a certain amount of writer’s burnout.  However, I am praying that my posts in 2016 will stimulate both the regular and new blog members to remain faithful to their musical ministeries. It is my continued prayer that each new post will bring honor to our heavenly Father in 2016.  The over 1,100 page views in the month of April were a mixture of philosophical and devotional topics.  

       Since we began on January 2 of 2013 we have received a total of over 68,200 page views with over 900 views in March which is about 400 fewer than we had in April of 2016.  Since I started this blog the page views have come from 111 different countries.                These views have come from Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, American Samoa, Argentina, Armenia, Angola,  Aruba, Austria, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Canada, Cayman Islands, Chile, China, Czech Republic, Colombia, Congo [DRC], Costa Rica, Croatia, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Ethiopia, Fiji, France, Finland, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong,  Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Ireland (Republic of),  Iran, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia,  Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar (Burma), Nepal, Netherlands, Netherlands (Antilles) New Zealand, Nigeria, Northern Ireland, Oman, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Peru. Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Porto Rico, Qatar, Réunion, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Turkey, Turks & Caicos Islands, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Uruguay, Venezuela, Vietnam, USA and Zimbabwe .

             The ten countries with the most page views this month were: USA, Germany, Ukraine ,France, Brazil, Portugal, China, Russia, Romania, and  Mexico.

          If you are from a country that has had page views in the past 40 months and has been omitted from the 111 countries listed above, please email me your country’s name.  Please continue to pray with me that God will allow this Music Philosophy Blog to continue to go places where I will never have the opportunity to minister musically in person. Please pray for me, as I have mentioned before, I am in the process of writing a general music philosophy book and a devotional book for musicians. My philosophy book is now in the hands of the content editor. Please pray the editor of the devotional book is in the process of moving to Scotland and is very busy at this time.

        I want to thank all of you who have taken the time to view my music philosophy blog during the month of April and a special thanks is in order to those countries that faithfully view this blog month after month.  Please continue to pray that God will guide each post and allow it to reach those who need encouragement to keep ministering for our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

The main reason that I started this Music Philosophy blog is that, although there is much music philosophy information on the net, not very much of it is from a biblical perspective.  Please share the blog address with your friends.   If you have an area of music or fine arts philosophy that troubles you, please feel free to let me know and I will include it in our discussions.  My email address is Garenlwolf@gmail.com