Developing a Music Philosophy in Christian Perspective—part 8

  Developing a Music Philosophy in Christian Perspective—part 8  

            The school of musical philosophy called formalism seems to explain fairly accurately the philosophical dilemma of the misguided Christian musicians mentioned earlier. The strict formalist believes that there is no understandable mean in music and musicing beyond the meaning of the formal properties of the music.  Certainly this would explain religious musicing that has the form of being godly and at the same time denies that there is any understandable meaning, power, or understanding that may be derived as a result of the musicing experience. 

            This formalistic philosophical position denies that in the experience of muscing or hearing another music one is unable to gather any meaning beyond the “musics” meaning that is found in the formal properties of the music itself. Also those who hold to this position hold to the notion that any meaning or understanding is only “meaning” has no relationship to meaning in the hearers actual life because it is the “musics meaning” alone.  This philosophical position is what I call “musicing in a bubble” because the musicer does not bring any understanding or derive any understanding from the musical experience that will help or hinder his or her spiritual life.  The one exception to “musicing in a bubble” is that Christian formalists do believe that the words have meaning and that their meaning does relate to the performer’s and the listener’s spiritual life.