Alfred Sendrey's Writings

Alfred Sendrey's Writings

            After studying two of Alfred Sendrey’s (1884-1976) treatises Music in Ancient Israel and Music in the Social and Religious Life of Antiquity for some time I am still puzzled that he devoted so much of his writings to the “Holy Writ” when he makes it so plain that that he does not believe that the Bible is an historic or accurate source of information.  Those who have read these books know that he repeatedly denies the authenticity of Scripture.  It would have been one thing for him to believe that it was not an entirely reliable source of historic knowledge, but I cannot understand why he quoted its contents over and over again when he did not even believe that historic figures like Moses et al ever existed.

            Much of the information about musical instruments is accurate information that has been corroborated by other Jewish music historians and musicologists.  It seems that when one looks at his life’s work, he “won the argument and lost the sale.”  Much of his writings can be respected, but in the long haul he was a devoted music historian who, in my opinion, missed the point of writing about the music of ancient Israel.

            St. Paul’s second letter to Timothy explains that there are those who deny the power of God and therefore are, “Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.”  (2Ti 3:7).  It seems to me that an esteemed writer who did not believe the Bible would not have spent so much time trying to get the reader to trust what he did not believe to be an accurate source of knowledge. 

            It seems ironic that at the time of his death Dr. Ann Kilmer and Suzanne Haik-Vantoura made two of the greatest musical discoveries of the 20^th century.  Their findings revolutionized opinion about music in the ancient world.  For a detailed discussion read chapter eight of my book Music of the Bible in Christian Perspective.  Perhaps this great scholar of music in the ancient would have come to more accurate conclusions about  music in the ancient world if he had retained God in His knowledge.