Musical Sound Communicates Meaning Part 19

Musical Sound Communicates Meaning Part 19    

           .Peter Kivy made a statement about strict formalist’s musical believes that is worthy of our consideration in this discussion of musical sounds.  “But isn’t that exactly what the formalists is saying that absolute music is?  Isn’t she saying that the symphonies of Beethoven, the string quartets of Haydn, the organ fugues of Bach are ‘meaningless noise’?  And what greater condemnation could there be of a human enterprise?  You spent your life making meaningless noises.”  Introduction To A Philosophy of Music by Peter Kivy, p.137.  Surely the Christian musician should understand that if religious music is to be considered amoral because it is part of a “closed benign system” that is incapable of communicating meaning, then that Christian musician is spending his or her life producing meaningless noises.      

           To me, the “music sounds are amoral” theory just doesn’t make any logical sense philosophically.  Musical sounds do matter because they communicate meaning to everyone who hears them.  Furthermore, I cannot find a shred of evidence either in or out of the Bible that would support the theory that musical sounds are a part of a “closed system”.  If this was true the musician could, contrary to the teaching of the Bible, “live and die to himself” when it comes to the task of producing musical sounds.    

Thought for the Day-    

Since music is not a closed system and since it has the capacity to communicate meaning, every musician will have to give an account at the judgment for how he or she influenced people with music.

Musical Sound Communicates Meaning Part 18

Musical Sound Communicates Meaning Part 18   

            My belief that some musicians will be damaged more because they understand the musical sounds more than others does not put a premium on a Christian’s ignorance of a particular; genre of music; I am merely stating that those who are the most entrenched in worldly styles of music will possibly be the ones who receive the greatest emotional and spiritual damage from performing and listening to it.  This is all the more reason to not pander to the worldly seekers addictions to spiritually harmful styles of music.    

            Christian musicians also must be aware to the sound addictions that some seekers have.  It gives strong impetus to the church to provide the un-churched seeker a diet of “new song” which will be music of a higher renovated character than the music with which they have surrounded themselves.  There is no doubt about it, many sinners will need a renewing of the mind which will not be possible if  church music sounds feed their sinful lusts by that triggering lust and passion.    

            At this point in our discussion I find it germane to return to the school of music philosophy called formalism.  When considering the well-known philosophy of strict formalists, it is generally understood that they believe that the meaning of “absolute music” [music without words] is meaningless outside of the music itself.  What that means is that in the real world, the “meaning” of the musical sounds produced from the music written on the score are actually meaningless marks on the  page since they supposedly have no meaning in the extra-musical world and are incapable of communicating anything practical or referential.   

Thought for the Day-   

Many times the sounds of a worldly style of music have become addictive and a source of spiritual failure to the sinner. It seems strange to me that a thinking music minister would want to contribute to this sound addiction using the same harmful music.

Musical Sound Communicates Meaning Part 17

Musical Sound Communicates Meaning Part 17   

            First, I contend that music does communicate meaning and second, that  the person who will receive the greatest meaning from a particular music will, without doubt, be the person who has the greatest understanding of that musical genre and ipso facto, its meaning, import, understanding, communication, or message.  Third, I will concede that constraints on one’s understanding of a piece of music will affect the amount of meaning its musical sounds will communicate to the performer and the listener.  

            The strong belief that musical sounds are a “mirror of life” or an “imitation of reality” is as ancient as Plato and Aristotle—and so are the various arguments against such a philosophical thesis. Thus, it is not far-fetched for me to contend that musical sounds do have the potential to affect the whole life of all who hear and perform them.   

            My belief, therefore, leads me to the conclusion that those who have a thorough understanding of music that arouses physical passions, such as rock music with its incessant driving forward propelling directionality, will possibly receive more harm because they have the greatest understanding of this music’s content and intent communicated through sounds.  This is not to say that music sounds will not also have a negative influence on all who hear it. Because sounds penetrate the mind and the emotions, this music will exert influence on all who hear it.     

Thought for the Day-   

I Corinthians mentions singing with understanding; how can a Christian musician music with understanding if music has no meaning?     

Musical Sound Communicates Meaning Part 16

Musical Sound Communicates Meaning Part 16     

             If musical sound was incapable of communicating understanding, then the music part of music would not have any value as a ministering tool.  However, there is entirely too much evidence that music has the power to communicate “knowing” to the performer and the auditor for me to ever be convinced that musical sound is impotent and incapable of having any positive or negative influence.

            Perhaps Roger Scruton’s statement should be considered at this point in our discussion of musical “knowing’ and “meaning”.  He stated, “If music has meaning, then that meaning must be understood by the one who understands the music.  Hence the concept of musical understanding displaces that of musical meaning: we have no idea what musical meaning might be, until we have some grasp of the distinction between the one who hears with understanding and the one who merely hears.” Understanding Music by Roger Scruton, p.34.  He prefaced this statement by explaining, “The meaning of a sentence is what we understand when we understand it.  Constraints on understanding are therefore constraints on meaning.” Ibid. p.34 It is a very dangerous thing to take one or two isolated statements of a music philosopher’s writings and suggest exactly what is meant by these statements.  So, I will not attempt to lock down exactly all that he meant, but merely use these famous quotes as a springboard for discussion.   

Scripture for the Day-   

1Cointhians 14:15 “What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.”

Musical Sound Communicates Meaning Part 15

Musical Sound Communicates Meaning Part 15  

            I have often mentioned in my philosophical writings the importance of Colossians 1:16 which states, “For by him are 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 are created by him and for him.”  There are two words in this Scripture that are of great importance to our discussion. They are visible (horatos 3707) and invisible (aoratos 517).   

            When it comes to God’s creating music there is the portion that one is able to see (horatos) and the portion that one cannot see (aoratos).  The musical score is a part of music that one can see and musical sound is a part that one cannot see.  Although the written part may communicate meaning to the trained musician who is capable of audiating it [i.e. the ability to see pitch, rhythm and harmony on the musical score and hear them in one’s mind], it is the sounds that are what really matters to the rest of the people who are incapable of audiating it in their minds.  Music that is still on the page of the score, if it doesn’t have words, may very well be considered to be to be neutral to the non-musician.  However, when sounds are produced from that score they take on life and communicate meaning to everyone who hears them.      

            In Colossians 1:16 there is a list of things that were created by the exceeding God (Theos 2316).  Among this list is the word exousia (1849) which, among other things, means delegated influences.  I believe that the invisible part of music belongs to this category.  Colossians 1:16 explains that all these categories of creation were made by the exceeding God for the exceeding God.  I believe that God, in his creative power, gave music the delegated authority to influence mankind with musical sound.  The composers, arrangers, performers, and conductors have been given the delegated authority to influence all those who hear them produce sound.  Because God always gives mankind a choice, all those who compose, arrange, perform, and conduct music may influence others for good or evil with the musical sounds that they produce. So, ipso facto musicians are able to influence others with the message that a particular sound communicates to the auditor.     

Thought for the Day-     

If God was wise enough and powerful enough to speak music into existence, then He is wise enough and caring enough to instruct us in how to music unto Him.

Musical Sound Communicates Meaning Part 14

Musical Sound Communicates Meaning Part 14   

              Although the use of the musical reference in the fourteenth chapter of I Corinthians is in the middle of another discussion, it is still a musical reference.  Verse six explains that distinct speaking brings about clear communication.  Likewise, verse seven explains that clear production of musical sounds brings about a clear musical message or meaning.  Therefore, one may safely conclude that music is at least a meta-language in that it communicates meaning in an analogous manner to language.  Musicians are cautioned by this verse that clear production of musical tones will insure a clear message much like clear language communicates an understandable message.   

            I want to make it clear that I am not saying that clearly spoken language and clearly produced musical tones function exactly alike.  As I said before they function similarly.  Therefore, I conclude that music functions only as a meta-language.  The import of the use of this musical reference in I Corinthians 14:7 is that clearly produced music can and does communicate meaning to the performer and the auditor.  Therefore, the music part of music does matter because it communicates real understandable meaning.  A careful look at verse seven reveals that the inspired Word of God teaches that music that gives a clear distinction in its sounds has the potential to cause the performer and the auditor to “know” i.e. gain information and meaning from the musical sounds.    

            If music was totally benign, knowledgably mute, sealed in a “bubble”, and therefore helpless to communicate any meaning, the writer of this first letter to the Corinthian Christians would not have used the Greek word ginosko (1097) which means “to perceive” or “to understand”.  As I said earlier in this discussion, music alone (music without text) is not capable of communicating clearly like a spoken known language, but it does have the power and ability to communicate meaning—thus the term meta-language is applied here to music being able to “say something” or communicate meaning.    

Thought for the Day-     

I have found over the years that the greatest problems in church music are not caused by exactly where a minister of music draws the line musically, but rather by music ministers who no longer draw any lines musically.

Musical Sound Communicates Meaning Part 13

Musical Sound Communicates Meaning Part 13  

            As can be expected, Satan is always present in this dark world to assist men and women in messing up God’s wonderful creation called music.  Any philosophical belief about music that denies that God intends music for our good and that Satan intends to pervert it to aid in our spiritual failure is simply a naive and over simplistic misguided belief system.  In the Book of Genesis, it is stated very clearly that ALL of God’s creation, which without doubt had to include music, was created in a very good (maod towb 3966, 2896) condition [see Genesis 1:31].  However, God always gives man a choice.  If man had not listened to Satan he would not have fallen from that wonderful state where he walked and talked with God in the Garden of Eden [see Genesis chapter three].  However, he did listen to Satan, fell spiritually when he disobeyed God, and took on Satan’s sinful rebellious nature.  Since man has a choice today, he can compose and arrange musical sounds that honor God or that feed the lust of sinful men and women.   

            I Corinthians 14:7 states, “And even things without life giving sound, whether pipe or harp, except they give a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped.”  This Scripture has been subjected over the centuries to a plethora of confusion of opinions concerning its meaning.  We know that the Greek words translated giving sound (didomi phone-1325, 5456) mean something that yields sound.  The words “give a distinction in the sounds” (didomi diastole phthoggos 1325, 1293, 5353) mean to yield a distinction of musical notes in the process of utterance of musical sounds.  

Thought for the Day-  

Just  because God gives a Christian musician a choice concerning how he or she musics unto Him, that musician is not relieved from the responsibility of using music in a way that will represent His moral nature and thereby bring honor to His name.

Musical Sound Communicates Meaning Part 12

Musical Sound Communicates Meaning Part 12  

            The Bible is so very clear that there is a war going on between the flesh and the spirit, and this war is caused by our enemy Satan.  The Bible is also very clear that a Christian must control his or passions by being sure that the flesh is kept in subjection.  This has to include the kinds of passions that are capable of being aroused through musical sounds.  (Because there are so many excellent published writings on the dangers of rock and contemporary music, I will not discuss arousal theory and its relationship to religious music in the context of this discussion.)  I will say that Christian musicians, who trifle with the “arousal theory” in the form of sexual arousal in religious music, are playing with fire.  I want to say further that those who present sacred things with sexual meaning transmitted through music (sexual innuendos), are sadly misguided and they are doing the work of God deceitfully—a practice that the Bible directly condemns (see Jeremiah 48:10).   

            I have contended for years that the belief that music is a closed system is a spurious philosophy because that would make it an autonomous system.  There is no aspect of a Christian’s philosophy that is autonomous simply because we are accountable to God in every area of our life.  Therefore, I cannot believe that God, who in the beginning created music, created it philosophically as a closed system. I believe God created the mathematical ratios that produce sound so that we could worship Him with these sounds.  I also believe that He created these ratios that produce pitches so that these sounds could become a part of the abundant life that the Christian should enjoy.  This “abundant life” or perissos (4012) which is spoken of in St. John 10:10 means that God has created music in superabundance or exceedingly and abundantly above the necessity of mere existence.   

Thought for the Day-  

Although it is possible for a Christian can make it to heaven without enjoying music on this earth, that person will surely miss out on a great part of God’s wonderful provision for his children.

Musical Sound Communicates Meaning Part 11

Musical Sound Communicates Meaning Part 11   

            We are now continuing our discussions of music’s meaning.  So far we have discussed discernment concerning musics meaning; The bible terminology “joyful sound”; gaining musical understanding; the hypothesis that the formal properties of music affect its meaning; the formal properties of the music Moses and Joshua heard disturbed them; in the N.T, both singing and instrumental music had meaning; the meaning of carnal and spiritual musicing; music as a closed system; and the context of musicing unto God.

            I call the philosophical pursuit that “anything goes in church music” a “praxis” because it is an “on purpose” way of musicing regardless of whether or not it is thought out or written.   With this on purpose denial of the existence of transmittable musical meaning, a musician is allowed or is free to music without any restraint.  This praxis allows any music genre to be used in music worship because those who follow this philosophical pursuit falsely believe all music styles are appropriate to represent the “joyful sound”.  With the acceptance of this false belief, the musician is free to become autonomous in philosophy and practice.  

            The discussion of musical sound sooner or later brings up the heated debate over whether music is or is not capable of arousing passion. Secular music philosophers have batted this philosophical ball around rather unsuccessfully for at least a half century.  Those who disagree with arousal theory are the hard core absolutists, many of whom uncategorically deny that music has any meaning outside of itself i.e. the “music is in a bubble” [music is a closed system] philosophers.  It is amazing to me that any Christian musician could honestly climb on the absolute formalism band wagon and deny that music has the power to arouse passion in the performer and the auditor.  

Thought for the Day- 

Rock and pop composers have published an enormous amount of literature on musical sound in which they purport that sound arouses sexual passion.  I often wonder why Christian musician’s purport that if one adds words to this music it neutralizes the music’s power to arouse passion.

Musical Sound Communicates Meaning Part 10

Musical Sound Communicates Meaning Part 10   

            As we mentioned yesterday many branches of absolutist music philosophy believe that music’s meaning is part of a closed system that does not relate in any way to life outside of music.  Christian musicians have fallen into this philosophical pit by the thousands in the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. This philosophical viewpoint became the easy way out of taking the responsibility of discerning just what on earth the “joyful sound” is philosophically.  This belief became the basis for a musical praxis that released the Christian musician from the responsibility of knowing if the musical genres they use in music worship are carnal forms of musicing.  Because of this belief their often unwritten and unspoken thesis became “There is nothing sacred about the music part of music” i.e. its formal properties do not matter when musicing unto God.

            All a Christian musician has to believe is that in the context of musicing unto God the music part of music says nothing, represents nothing, means nothing and is incapable of exerting any positive or negative influence on the performer or auditor and he or she is free of any philosophical restraint. This lackluster music philosophy allows the use of a music praxis based on the belief that “anything goes, anything works, and anything is appropriate” for public or private worship.   

Thought for the Day   

I believe the “Music is benign” and “anything goes” church music theories have done more to debauch sacred music than any other single influence in the last century.

Musical Sound Communicates Meaning Part 9

Musical Sound Communicates Meaning Part 9   

            Absolutists believe that musical meaning lies exclusively within the work of music itself.  In other words, to most absolutists music is not about anything because its meaning is its own and thereby it is a “closed system”.  Remember that these absolutists believe that music’s meaning lies in the perception and understanding or the musical outside influence.  

            Another school of absolute music philosophy called absolute expressionism disagrees with the main stream of absolutism and teaches that music’s relationships are capable or exciting feelings and emotions in the listener and performer.  This belief has become known as “arousal theory”.  Some music philosophers believe that these feelings and emotional meanings are actually embodied (found in the music) or are designated or referential (assigned) to the music. 

            Still another school of music philosophy called formalism teaches that music has no meaning at all.  These philosophers believe that music is enjoyed simply by appreciation of its formal properties or structure and technical construction.  These strict formalists believe that music does not have a subject or meaning beyond the combinations of notes we hear and that music only speaks or means nothing but else but its sounds and that these sounds have no relationship to life outside of the music.  This philosophical belief is what I call the “music sound is benign and in a bubble” theory.   

Thought for the Day-   

If it was true that music is part of a “closed system” then it would be an autonomous art.  However, this theory is false since no part of God’s creation escapes the Lordship of Christ. 

Musical Sound Communicates Meaning Part 8

Musical Sound Communicates Meaning Part 8   

            I believe somewhat like Leonard B. Meyer who wrote the book Emotion and Meaning in Music that the meaning that comes from music will tend to have at least some connection to meaning which is found outside of the formal properties of the music.  I believe that all musicing i.e. “doing” and listening to music is affected somewhat by the references one brings to the great art of music from the world outside of music.  I also believe that although some of music’s meaning is intellectual (cerebral), some of its meaning is emotional (aroused from the sounds). 

            Those who believe that music’s essential nature, its essential meaning, and its real value are musics and musics alone will most often not admit that any of this meaning is imported from the world around us, because they believe that music is a closed system.   I do not believe any of the above theories because, although I am not a strict referentialist by definition, I do believe that association from the outside world does affect the music we listen to and perform.  Although a Christian musician can and should learn from the major schools of music philosophy, he or she does not have to align his or her music philosophy with any of them.  A Christian musician does not have to swallow the tenants of one or all of the various schools of music philosophy “hook line and sinker” in order to develop a congruent Bible based music philosophy.   

Thought for the Day-    

 When a Christian musician is making a choice concerning whether or not to listen to and perform a style of music, he or she must first consider the particular nature of that music before assessing its value to one’s whole-life.

Musical Sound Communicates Meaning Part 7

Musical Sound Communicates Meaning Part 7   

            Much could be said at this point about what constitutes “carnal music”.  Certainly almost all Christian musicians would agree that words on carnal themes are never appropriate for use in religious music. The problem comes when musicians discuss the formal properties of a piece of music that are considered to be carnal or suggestive.  First of all, if music philosophers are strict (absolute) formalists, absolute expressionists, or symbolists, they will most likely contend that if music does have meaning (some of the aforementioned schools of philosophy do not clearly purport that music has any meaning), its “meaning is in no way related to life outside of the art of music.   

            If it seems to the reader that these aforementioned philosophies are confusing, it is because they are both conflicting and confusing.  One of the reasons that I have been drawn toward the referentialist viewpoint is that I believe that the music part of music, and all the concepts that surround the formal properties of music, definitely have a great potential to affect the whole-life of the performer and the auditor.  One should remember that music referentialists believe that musical meaning takes reference, at least partially, from the extra-musical world of concepts, actions, emotional states, and character.  

Thought for the Day-  

In my opinion church musicians who desire to present religious music with sexual innuendos have a heart condition that needs cleansing.

Musical Sound Communicates Meaning Part 6

Musical Sound Communicates Meaning Part 6  

            Ephesians 5:19 makes this statement, “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.”  Note that the words spiritual songs are used in this example of Bible principles of musicing unto God.  The Greek words pneumatikos (4152) and oide (5603) mean spiritual i.e. non-carnal songs.  Notice that the author of the letter to the Ephesians was very careful not to use the Greek word oide by itself.  If he had that would have admitted all melodies, sounds and songs.  We know further that St, Paul who was a linguist, was referring to the formal properties of the music because he follows the words psalmos (5568), humnos (5215), pneumatikos oide, and ado (103) with the words making melody (psallo 5567).  The word psallo means to touch the parts of a stringed instrument i.e. to play a melody on a stringed instrument. 

            Note that the word ado is a direct reference to singing but the Greek word psallo does not refer to singing directly but rather to accompanying singing (ado).When Paul used the word psallo he was without doubt referring to the sounds produced from the formal properties of the music when it was produced on a musical instrument.  St. Paul used the word pneumatikos to signify that it was necessary to use non-carnal sounds when musicing unto the Lord.  So, conversely there are sounds which may be produced from the formal properties of carnal music that do not please God.  This scripture is a Bible proof that musical sounds do communicate meaning.  If musical sounds were (and therefore are) incapable of communicating meaning, St. Paul would not have clearly stipulated the use of pneumatikos oide i.e. spiritual or non-carnal songs produced by touching the parts of a stringed instrument.  

Thought for the Day

The musical discourse in Ephesians 5 not only connotes that dinging has meaning but also that instrumental  music has meaning.

Musical Sound Communicates Meaning Part 17

Musical Sound Communicates Meaning Part 17    

            First, I contend that music does communicate meaning and second, that  the person who will receive the greatest meaning from a particular music will, without doubt, be the person who has the greatest understanding of that musical genre and ipso facto, its meaning, import, understanding, communication, or message.  Third, I will concede that constraints on one’s understanding of a piece of music will affect the amount of meaning its musical sounds will communicate to the performer and the listener.   

            The strong belief that musical sounds are a “mirror of life” or an “imitation of reality” is as ancient as Plato and Aristotle—and so are the various arguments against such a philosophical thesis. Thus, it is not far-fetched for me to contend that musical sounds do have the potential to affect the whole life of all who hear and perform them.   

            My belief, therefore, leads me to the conclusion that those who have a thorough understanding of music that arouses physical passions, such as rock music with its incessant driving forward propelling directionality, will possibly receive more harm because they have the greatest understanding of this music’s content and intent communicated through sounds.  This is not to say that music sounds will not also have a negative influence on all who hear it. Because sounds penetrate the mind and the emotions, this music will exert influence on all who hear it.    

Thought for the Day-   

I Corinthians mentions singing with understanding; how can a Christian musician music with understanding if music has no meaning?     

Musical Sound Communicates Meaning Part 5

Musical Sound Communicates Meaning Part 5

            The musical discourse in Exodus 32:17-20 is a discussion between Joshua and Moses about the musical sounds that they heard coming from the camp of the Israelites.  Although I will not be able to thoroughly consider this Bible example of musicing in the middle of this discussion of the formal properties of music, I simply wish to point out that the sounds produced from the formal properties of this “worship” music greatly disturbed both Joshua and Moses.  Remember that they “heard” before they “saw” the people musicing. These men of God were aware from the sounds they heard that there was something wrong with the worship music they were hearing as they approached the camp of the Israelites. When they saw the people musicing Moses was convinced that it was certainly a very carnal form of worship.  It is evident to me that if this musicing had been a representation of “the joyful sound” that Joshua and Moses would not have been so upset by what they heard.

            One more observation of this musical discourse in the thirty second chapter of Exodus is that Moses had just spent time on Mount Sinai in the presence of Jehovah.  When he left the presence of God, where he received the Ten Commandments, and no doubt spent time worshiping in the presence of the giver of the Decalogue, he was in a position to recognize the genuine from the false i.e. sacred from profane musical sounds of worship.  Twenty-first century Christian worship leaders should learn from this example that it will be the presence of God that will keep us in tune with “the joyful sound” and that there is a difference in sacred and profane musical sounds.

usical Sound Communicates Meaning- Part 4

Musical Sound Communicates Meaning- Part 4

            I know that I am a lonely philosophical voice crying in the twenty-first century “wilderness”.  However, I have this Scripture, and more, to back up my philosophical hypothesis that the formal properties of every piece of music do have the potential to affect the whole-life of the performer and the auditor. Therefore, I believe it is philosophically and morally dangerous for a person to fill his or her mind with the formal properties of a piece of music without having a thorough understanding of what this music genre is capable of doing to the whole life of an individual.

            We are constantly warned that we should not eat anything without having knowledge of what it has the potential to do to our body, because there is such a strong belief that “we are what we eat”.  I contend that we are not only “what we eat” but also “what we listen to and perform musically”. Since sound communicates meaning, Christian musicians have the responsibility to be aware of how sound affects their “whole life”.  

Thought for the Day

For centuries Christian musicians very carefully made church music choices based on the philosophical concepts of sacred vs. profane music.  Somewhere in the twentieth century profane music disappeared in the minds of some Christian musicians.

Musical Sound Communicates Meaning Part 3

Musical Sound Communicates Meaning Part 3

            Based on the authority and import of this Scripture, I am drawn to the philosophical conclusion that it is the responsibility of each Christian musician to gain the knowledge necessary to ascertain what “the joyful sound” is.  In order to accomplish this difficult task one must gain understanding of the internal formal properties of each selection of music that he or she listens to or performs.  I have contended for years that the formal properties of music communicate a message to everyone who performs or listens or performs them.

            I also believe that no one is capable of musicing actively or passively in a “bubble”.  Music is not in its own little world with its meaning being “its own” with no relationship to life.  I also reject the lack-luster music philosophy that music is not capable of saying or communicating anything at all.  Music is not a meaningless benign art.  From the time of Plato and Aristotle, many music philosophers have believed that music is a powerful art.  These music philosophers have believed over past centuries that music can and does have an emotional and moral effect on the performer and auditor.  In fairness I must admit that a host of twentieth century music philosophers believed that, although music did have meaning, that its meaning was its own and was in no way related to life.   

Thought for the Day-

One of the reasons I believe that a musician is what he or she listens to and performs is because I also believe that musical direction determines destiny.

Musical Sound Communicates Meaning Part 2

Musical Sound Communicates Meaning Part 2

            Psalm 89:15 states, “Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance.”  First let us look at the meaning of the word “know”.  It is translated from the Hebrew word yada (3045) which means ascertain, comprehend or literally recognize something.  I contend that it stands to reason that if one is able to recognize proper sounds, then it is possible that there are improper sounds that a Christian should be able to recognize. Also, as I said before, because the Bible teaches that there is “joyful sound” then it stands to reason that there are also sounds that musicians may use in musical worship that do not qualify as “joyful sound”.

            Second, we should consider the words “joyful sound”. They are derived from the Hebrew word teruah (7321) which means a sound of acclamation.  (We know that teruah means acclamation rather than the noise because it is used here in a positive sense.)  From the context of this verse, those who recognize the sound that brings acclamation and praise to God are “blessed” (esher 1835). This Scripture connotes that only those who ascertain which sounds are truly “sounds of acclamation” are blessed or are filled with true happiness.

Thought for the Day

There is a difference in a listener who does not understand the meaning of something he or she hears and not being able to understand music’s meaning simply because it is has none. 

Musical Sound Communicates Meaning Part 1

 Musical Sound Communicates Meaning Part 1

            This series of twenty philosophical posts will be a discussion of musical sound and its relationship to the Christian musician.  If you are new to my blog you will need to know that I will make no attempt to draw final conclusions at the end of each short daily post.  Therefore, you will need to read any daily posts that you may have missed before continuing to read the series.

           First let us consider musical sound in as mentioned in Psalm 89:15 which states, “Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O Lord, in the light of his countenance.”  There has been heated discussion, disagreement and confusion over musical sound for over a half century.  Although we will not settle the issue once and for all in this short series of posts, I hope that this discussing musical sound will be valuable to you as a Christian musician.   Although these posts will be full of my beliefs concerning musical sound, I will try to support them not only by logic but also with God’s infallible inspired Word. Since both qualities or kinds of sounds exist, the onus is placed on the Christian’s ability to discern which sounds are and are not “joyful sounds”

            It is important to note that Psalm 89:15 teaches that those who are able to discern which sounds are appropriate to use are able to do so because they walk in the light of God’s countenance.  The Hebrew word translated “walk” (halak 1980) in this verse means “to behave” or “be conversant”. The words “in the light” are translated from the word owr (216) which means, among other things, “continually” or “perpetually” in Jehovah’s countenance (paniyn 6440) i.e. face or favor.  There are several conclusions that could be drawn from this verse.  It most probably means that those who are able to discern which sounds qualify as “joyful sounds” must continually or perpetually be living in God’s favor or presence. If this is correct exegesis, it is no wonder that worldly musicians call evil good and good evil when it comes to the sounds they music unto God.   

Thought for the Day

Post-modern philosophy of the late twentieth and very early twenty-first century purported that the one thing that a musician could “know” was that he or she could not “know” anything of a surety when it came to musicing unto God.     

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.

 

Song for the Day—They’ll Know We are Christians by Our Love by Peter Scholtes

Merely Sounding Brass—part 2

Merely Sounding Brass—part 2 

            There are a host of opinions about what the Greek words echo chalkos (2278 5475) which were translated sounding brass mean. The best explanation that I have found of the Greek words <echeo> <chalkos>, (sounding brass) comes from the writings of Marcus Vitruvius Pollio who lived in the 1st century b. c.  He was a Roman architect, engineer, and author of the celebrated treatise De architectura (On Architecture), a handbook for Roman architects.

            Vitruvius explained that the echo chalkos were tuned acoustic brass or bronze vases that were strategically placed around the Roman out-door theaters.  Each vase was tuned chromatically and when a particular pitch was produced by the human voice, that particular vase would amplify the actor’s voice.  However, these metal sounding vases produced a hollow sound that was not a true representation of the actor’s voice quality.           

            So, when one reads “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity i.e. love that acts, I am become as sounding brass” with the knowledge of what we learned from Vitruvius, we understand that if a person says that he loves his or her neighbor but does not really care for them—this person’s speech is hollow like the sound produced by the Roman hollow sounding vases that amplified sound in the roman theaters.

Song for the Day—I Want To Be Like Jesus by Thomas O. Chisholm

Merely Sounding Brass—part 1

Merely Sounding Brass—part 1

            1 Corinthians 13:1, “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.”  There are a couple of thoughts that I would like to leave with you today.  The word charity which is used repeatedly in this chapter is translated from the Greek word agape (26). Albert Barnes, in his Commentary on the New Testament gives the following comments: “The words ‘And have not charity’ mean and have not love. This is the proper and usual meaning of the Greek word. The English word charity that is used in many translations of this passage of the New Testament, has, according to how it is used I a great variety of meanings; and some of them cannot be included in the meaning of the word here.”    It is believed by many Bible exegetes that agape connotes love in action or love that acts.

            Those who truly love someone act when they see that person in need.  So, conversely, failing to act is a pretty sure sign that one does not love deeply.  We all know that the just live by faith, but we also know that as James 2:26 teaches, “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.”  What a Christian musician says matters, but the test of love is action.  

Graduates Cannot Teach What They Do Not Know-part 5

Graduates Cannot Teach What They Do Not Know-part 5

            One can remove a pig from his muddy wallowing hole, give him  a thorough bath with a scrub brush, but if the pig is allowed to not only return to his wallowing hole but to also again continuously wallow in it, there is absolutely no way that he will remain clean. Psalm 40:1-2 clearly explains, “I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.  He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.”  Notice that verse three further explains. “And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.”  The Cambridge scholars AV marginal reading for the words “horrible pit” i.e. shaown bowr (7488 953) is a “pit of noise”.  Again, I find it odd that so many Christian musicians, pastors and church boards believe that the best way to help a Christian, who has passed form death unto life by the born-again experience, is to subject this Christian to the same horrible pit of noise that he or she wallowed in as a carnal un-regenerated sinner who was dead in trespasses and sins.

            Surely fellowships of believers should provide music for the new man which is of a higher renovated character i.e. “new song” chadash shiyr (2319 7892) rather than the music of the old man and the old life.  I am not saying that it is absolutely impossible for Christians to exist spiritually on a diet of fried musical bologna on white bread made from bleached musical flower that has been stripped of almost all of its life sustaining ingredients, but such a worship diet is by no means the best musical diet. It is ludicrous to suppose that music graduates who have never developed a conservative Bible based music philosophy will desire to feed the people who come to the House of God to worship anything of a deep musical and spiritual value.

            Psalm 40:2 also teaches that God had to pull the psalmist David out of the “miry clay” i.e. yaven tiyt (3121 2916) before he could place him upon the rock and establish his goings.  At least by implication these verses in Psalm forty teach that the old song of the old life in the pit of noise was miry clay that held the psalmist down spiritually.  So, YHVH replaced the old song with a new song of a higher renovated character so that he would not be drawn back into the horrible pit of noise.   

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.

Graduates Cannot Teach What They Do Not Know-part 4

Graduates Cannot Teach What They Do Not Know-part 4

            Yesterday we discussed that as important as knowledge of famous visual arts and famous musical compositions may be to an undergraduate student’s general education, such knowledge should never be placed above Bible knowledge of music.  Furthermore, musical knowledge, which has been thoroughly interwoven into every Christian student’s music philosophy that is seasoned with a thorough understanding of music as a part of worship from ancient to modern times, is essential to every student receiving general education that is truly Christian.  It is high time that so-called Christian colleges and universities realize that having Christ’s name as a part of the institution does not automatically insure that its graduates will receive a Christian music education.

            Every Christian educational institution that I know of denies that it has been squeezed into the world’s musical mold.  However, as I alluded to in an earlier post in this series, multitudes of Christian colleges and universities believe that it is proper to worship with music styles that were created to feed carnal desires of depraved men and women.  This philosophy of music is fed by the belief that the most effective way to music unto God is to make worship exactly like the carnal music of the world.  It seems odd to me that so many Christian colleges and universities believe and teach, at least by default, that the way to music unto the high and holy triune God is to use music that sounds exactly like the carnal music of this godless world that was produced to appeal to the carnal desires on sinful men and women.

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:”

Graduates Cannot Teach What They Do Not Know-part 3

Graduates Cannot Teach What They Do Not Know-part 3

            The problem is not fitting such courses into the general education portion of broad based general education, but rather a lack of the belief that every student must have an understanding of what the Bible teaches about music and musicing and have such knowledge interwoven into his or her philosophy of music.  Accrediting associations give accredited member colleges much more general education freedom than many college academic officers will admit.  However, even if there is not much variety in general education curriculums, Christian colleges can always require some Bible based music courses as a part of all professional programs. 

            Music has become the “war department” in multitudes of churches in the last half of the 20th century and now in the second decade of this century.  Every church deserves to have a senior pastor and a minister of music that both have a thorough understanding of Bible principles of music and musicing.  Furthermore, these pastors and ministers of music must be able to utilize this knowledge in a well-developed Bible based ministry philosophy.  Churches cannot expect secular universities to provide Bible based curricular offerings for pastors and ministers of music. However, they have the right to expect Christian colleges and universities to provide and require such offerings of each of their graduates.  If this were to happen, much of the shared ignorance would cease, and Churches would be much better equipped to face this post postmodern world. 

Thought for the Day

You can tell what a pastor really believes about musicing unto God by listening to what he puts up with musically from his worship leader.

Graduates Cannot Teach What They Do Not Know-part 2

Graduates Cannot Teach What They Do Not Know-part 2

            Yesterday we began this series of posts by citing some of the problems that are facing public music worship today.  Because so many Bible Colleges and a host of Christian universities have been more concerned with liberal arts education than a thorough Bible based Christian education, many undergraduate curriculums are now devoid of any required courses in Music of the Bible and Music Philosophy taught from a bible based Christian perspective.  Although Christian Colleges and universities would adamantly deny it, they have allowed the world to completely influence their broad based undergraduate curriculum decisions.  Although they blame accreditation requirements for the lack of Bible bases music courses in general and professional education curriculums for all students, this is not a fact.

            For instance, they have chosen courses like Art Appreciation, Fine arts Appreciation, and general Music Appreciation which could have been replaced with course like Music Philosophy in Christian Perspective, Philosophy of Music Worship, Music of the Bible, and a Host of other courses such as the History of Music Worship. I know, after working with different Christian and secular accrediting agencies in the US that Christian Colleges can make the above curriculum decisions in their undergraduate general education programs.  So, accredited undergraduate Christian colleges and universities are without excuse when they ignore Bible based music courses that are acceptable as fine arts general education. 

Scripture for the Day

Ro 12:1-2, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”