Emotion and Meaning in the Musical Experience-part 8

Emotion and Meaning in the Musical Experience-part 8 

            Philemon 1:6, “That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.”  The communication of a Christian musician’s faith in Christ Jesus is accomplished mostly by his or her musicing about, for and unto our loving worthy triune God.  What makes musicing efficacious?  Some would suppose that is only the words that make it efficacious.  I contend that it is not only the text but also the music part of the music that causes successful communication of faith.  Therefore, it stands to reason that the arrangement of the formal properties of the music give this art form the propensity to be more or less efficacious.

            The emotion with which a Christian musics unto God, gives the text and the music part of the music believability.  Certainly every serious musician who’s ultimate purpose is to correctly, appropriately, and effectively communicate faith in Christ to others, desires that his or her musicing will be believable.  Stoic musical performance of sacred music that is disengaged, distant will not be very effective.  The belief that lack-luster musical performance is a show of humility and godliness is a faulty notion.   James 5:16b states, “…The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”  I believe that just like praying musicing needs to be effectual and fervent.   So, emotion fosters believability and believability fosters effectual meaning when one is musicing to others.