Bach’s Philosophy of Musicing

 

Bach’s Philosophy of Musicing

          J. S. Bach is often quoted as saying, “The aim and final reason of all music should be none else but the glory of God and refreshing the soul. Where this is not observed there will be no music, but only a devilish hubbub.  If he lived today he would certainly not be considered politically correct.  His first and last aim for all music and musicing was the glory of God.  Evidently Bach made no distinction between the ultimate purposes of religious or secular music. 

          Bach evidently believed philosophically in a prescriptive approach to church music. He once said, “I have always kept one end in view, namely ... to conduct a well-regulated church music to the honour of God.”  Although we do not precisely what Bach meant by “well-regulated church music”, we at least know that he believed in regulating what he musiced unto God.  I’m sure that he was constantly aware that some music styles and some music content was God honoring and that conversely, some music did not bring honor to God.  We would do well to be aware of what the religious music we perform does to the listener.

Music’s Functionality

 

Music’s Functionality

               “Value may be assigned to music on the basis of its functionality, that is, on the basis of how well it fits a particular situation .  Certain musical styles function best in certain situations.  Thus, a Bartok string quartet does not function well in a dance club and a Chopin waltz  is not useful for helping a band march down the street.” A Concise Survey of Music Philosophy, Donald Hodges. NY, Routledge, 2017, p. 70.    Many Christian music leaders have made the duck run the hundred-yard dash and have entered the chicken in the swimming contest.  Some music ministers have  incongruently juxtaposed styles of music that are drastically different—to the end that the music styles fight each other.   Hodges was correct in saying that music is able to function in a more valuable way if it is used in the right situation. 

               Great composers have used various styles of music in their compositions advisedly.  When a Christian musician uses a style of music inadvisably, the result is an incongruent musical whole.  The question often at hand is not whether a style of music is an art form, a quality art form but rather will the way I use it and where I use it cause it to be efficacious.  The Bible teaches that everything that has breath should praise the Lord, but it never states that we should use everything to praise the Lord.  Good common musical sense is always proper when a Christian is selecting music for worship.

 

Sacred Music and Behavior

 

Sacred Music and Behavior

Students of music history and music philosophy are aware that as far back as the writings of Plato there is evidence that music philosophers often believed that music had the propensity to influence moral character.  This belief often led to the natural conclusion that music’s influence on character would affect the listener’s behavior.  Although psychology, sociology, social anthropology and ethology are generally considered to be the disciplines that study behavior, the study of the nature, value and meaning of a Christian’s musicing should be added to that list.

I am concerned that if children grow up on dry processed cereal in a box and boiled (or microwaved) hotdogs, they will consider processed cereal and hotdogs to be the best foods.  I am convinced that if our children grow up listening to Psychology, sociology, social anthropology, ethology, 
they will be convinced that these styles are the best and perhaps the only beautiful styles of music.  A culture and a community tends to follow the familiar and reject what they do not know and understand.  So, it is the responsibility of the church and the Christian school to provide children with opportunities to perform quality gospel music and the sacred classics.  If the church fails in this area, the proceeding generations of church goers will have a skewed understanding of the nature , value and meaning of sacred music and musicing.

Composing Music is Volitional

 Composing Music is Volitional

 Remember that music composed in any genre is the result of the composer or arranger’s purposeful organizing of sounds, silences, harmonies, and rhythms etc. into musical thoughts which form an aesthetic congruent whole to arouse emotions in the listener and performer.  This is purposefully accomplished, among other things, to trigger some kind of intended response either covertly and or overtly from the hearer. In some cases this response will hopefully be an aesthetic experience within the listener and performer’s mind. The more successful the composer or arranger is, the more aesthetic effect the music will have on the hearer.  What happens covertly inside of the hearer may or may not result in an overt response.  Although aesthetics in sacred music is not the doorway to the kingdom of God, every worship leader must have an understanding of aesthetics because music is an artform. Although we do not worship aesthetic experiences with music (not to be confused with anointed musicing), we do worship God with this aesthetic artform.

Although historically composers of religious music have composed with the “beautiful” in mind, not all religious music is now composed with beauty in mind. Combinations of musical sounds and silences produced from rhythms, melodies, harmonies, dynamics, tone color etc. that that are arranged to purposely negate their traditional aesthetic value are considered to be anti-music.   An anti-music psychological affect is accomplished by performing music intended to overthrow traditional conventions and expectations, so much so, that some people would not recognize it as being music let alone musical or beautiful.  Because so many anti-music religious compositions exist in this century, every worship leader should have an understanding of religious music that is, at least partially, composed for its anti-music effect.

A Special Ministry for a Musician

 

A Special Ministry for a Musician

          There are some things about David’s coming into the presence of King Saul that are worth noting. It appears that he was not used first as a musician, but rather as an armor bearer. Also, it is recorded that David loved the king greatly (I Sam. 16:21). This accomplished musician loved the man he was sent to minister unto and was willing to carry the king’s heavy armor. Later, because of his patience and love, the man behind the harp was able to minister musically and spiritually to the troubled king.

          Why was David chosen to help the physically, emotionally, and spiritually troubled king? Why wasn’t the prophet (preacher) Samuel called upon for this ministry? The answer is that God has a special ministry for musicians--a ministry that cannot be performed by any other Christian worker. We should remember that sometimes God chooses to use musicians rather than preachers and that in a true sense Christian musicians are ministers! Saul’s advisors recognized that the king’s need required an anointed skillful musician instead of the prophet Samuel.

Getting 2021 Started Right

 

Getting 2021 Started Right

In order to help us get 2021 started right, there is a concept of God's creation recorded in the Genesis record that we should discuss.  As I have  said before in this blog, Genesis 1:31 records the fact that when God created music its condition was very (maod, 3966) good (towb, 2896).  In other words, His music creation was not merely good, but it was exceedingly good or beautiful.  The Hebrew word maod is a superlative term.

 To God, music was not “just there”, but rather it was exceedingly good when used as He intended.  Towb connotes not only goodness but also beauty.  Although it is difficult to fully ascertain what is meant by music connoting beauty or being beautiful, it is possible to understand that God created music for His glory and also created it to be exceedingly beautiful and wonderful. We can also justly conclude that this creation which was maod towb was exceedingly valuable to mankind.  It was very beautiful, valuable, meaningful, and had the ability to be very efficacious either for good or, if perverted, for evil. 

 

Prayer for the New Year

 Dear precious Lord and Savior I want to thank You for creating music.  Help me to know how to music for your honor and glory throughout 2021.  Help me to seek your will every time I music and every time I write about music and musicing.  Ord help me to so live that my life will be constantly a life of service and worship.  Search my heart and see if there be any selfish or wicked way in me.  Help me to be circumspect in the way I live before my fellow man.  This I am praying in Your wonderful and wise name,  Amen.

A Christian Music Aesthetic

 A Christian Music Aesthetic

Matthew 11:28 states, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest”.  Although this verse says absolutely nothing  about music or musicing, this concept of rest extends to a Christian’s musicing when one is “telling” the Bible message that brings rest to those who come to Christ. It doesn’t make sense to music the message of forgiveness and rest with a music vehicle that is continuously loud, dissonant, and tense.  A Christian music aesthetic should embrace music that has a forward directionality which consists of beginning, middle (climax) and end (rest).

Quality sacred music should progress from its beginning through a point of tension, to a point of climax to a final point or rest or it simply is not an appropriate vehicle and therefore does not pass the test of being considered sacred music.  This aesthetic is a necessity in sacred music.  Incessant tension without the finality brought about by rest is not consistent with the rest that the Bible message brings to those who find the rest found in a born-again relationship with Jesus Christ.

Humanism and Music Philosophy

 

Humanism and Music Philosophy

               To many people who read a work on philosophy of music, an author that rejects humanism is considered to be either a bigot or at least a writer who has been hiding under a rock. So, I will define some basic understandings of what being humanistic is generally considered to be. A simplistic definition of a humanist is a person having a strong interest in or concern for human welfare, values, and dignity. A simplistic definition of humanistic is being concerned with the interests and welfare of humans. However, a more realistic definition of one who is humanistic is one who adheres to the philosophy which often rejects religion in the process of asserting human dignity and man's capacity for fulfillment and self-actualization. Therefore, I find myself at loggerheads with what humanism really stands for as it is played out in the philosophy and praxis of a musician. Furthermore, there are music philosophers who are secular humanists and others who are religious humanists. They both believe that all musicing begins and ends with man. Therefore, in reality they are in reality autonomous musicians.

               I am not a humanist, but I am concerned with the interests and welfare of humans. To not be concerned about the welfare of others would not be Christian because Jesus said in Luke 10:27,  “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself.”  However, much of my philosophic writing openly rejects what humanism has come to mean. So, when either secular or religious musical humanism is discussed in my book, the reader must remember that I am in no way advocating denying the human rights of musicians or that I do not care about musicians as humans. I am simply rejecting the philosophy that music begins and ends with self. I also reject any path toward a music philosophy that rejects theology; what the Bible teaches about music and musicing ; and musicing outside of the Lordship of Jesus Christ .

Understanding Postmodernism and Post Postmodernism

  Understanding  Postmodernism and Post Postmodernism

An understanding of postmodernism (and now post postmodernism) is important because these philosophical viewpoints do not consider what the Bible teaches about the nature, value, meaning and purpose of music and musicing to be important  in the process of establishing a philosophical basis. Remember that modernists believed that the Bible contained both truth and error, so their truth basis was flawed. Postmodernists for the most part have not retained what the Bible teaches in their knowledge or at least they have embraced pluralism in their belief system.

They believe that the stove can be hot and not hot at the same time. Post postmodernists are experiencing further philosophical mutations of pluralism, nihilism, and hedonism in their epistemology.  Therefore, it is not completely clear what truth basis, if any, they will espouse since many of them believe in multiple perceived truths that are equally valid at the same time. The one thing they know about truth is that it is impossible to experience any objective truth. One thing that they know is that we cannot know with certainty. Christian writers need to study the development of this new direction in philosophy in order to assess how it will affect music philosophy in the near future.

Attitude Adjustment

 

Attitude Adjustment

      My beloved former pastor R.E. Carroll used to tell those of us who worked closely with him that when trouble and misunderstanding arose in his life that he would pray, “Lord handle me.  Lord take care of my attitude.”  Rather than pray that the Lord would change the other guy, he would ask the Lord to change him and his attitude.

       So, when the heat is on, do not try to music unto God until you have had an “attitude adjustment”.  I believe that it is impossible to have an efficacious music ministry when your heart is not prepared or “fixed”.  I say again, heart fixing is absolutely necessary before you music unto God.  It doesn’t do much good to tune your harp until you have tuned your heart.

 

Thought for the Day

Being upset or angry at someone else over a long period of time hurts you much more than the person with whom you are angry.

 

 

 

 

Is Musical Style Involved in Communicating Meaning? Part 4

 

            Is Musical Style Involved in Communicating Meaning?  Part 4

Although it is true that every garage or basement musical group is not necessarily a skillful communicator of a particular style of music, many of them are because they apply the style patterns to the building blocks of the music they are composing, arranging and performing—thereby the music becomes a communicator of the desired meaning.  Since the time of the Coryville jazz groups in New Orleans and the Chicago and Kansas City jazz inventions, jazz has been successful in transmitting sexual meaning to its listeners.  The same success may be said of the rock-n-role of Elvis Presley and those who followed him in that style.  Probably the most successful communicator of sexual meaning, without doubt has been the many sub-styles of rock music. 

          For a Christian musician to make a claim that the aforementioned music styles were and are not capable of communicating their desired meaning is naive and short sighted.  To contend that these styles of music were and are benign and therefore not capable of communicating meaning is to deny music’s great power which is delivered with the help of these style meanings.  The music part of music molded by style becomes a powerful communicator of musical meaning which is related to the real world around all of us.

 

Is Musical Style Involved in Communicating Meaning? Part 3

 

Is Musical Style Involved in Communicating Meaning?  Part 3

Berglund also touched on another concept that is particularly germane to the discussion of appropriateness of church music with his mention of style implications.  We all recognize music by its style. Style recognition involves the communication of auditory musical information incorporated in instrumental and or vocal tones that are systematically distinguishable to the listener.  This auditory information is communicated to the listener from the structured execution of a particular music.  Thus it becomes recognizable as a particular musical style.  Robert Berglund believes that,”…it is through musical style that music assumes much of its meaning to the listeners.  Certainly in vocal music concrete meaning is arrived at by texts.  But as far as music is concerned, meaning, both concrete and abstract, designative, and embodied, is generally arrived at through style.  In other words, as people are aware of style and its implications through conditioning and psychological associations along with their intuitions, music assumes meaning.” A Philosophy of Church Music by Robert Berglund p. 22.

                Music finds its place in the multiplicity of style classifications by  how it presents itself.  All music has purpose and that purpose causes it to take on stylistic characteristics that are the means of communicating its meaning to the listener.  Every astute composer desires to draw the listener into the emotion and meaning expressed in the music.  For this reason, a Christian musician must become familiar with just what the music part of a particular style of music is attempting to communicate to the auditor.

 

Is Musical Style Involved in Communicating Meaning? Part 2

 

Is Musical Style Involved in Communicating Meaning?  Part 2

There are a host of twenty first century musicians who deny that there is such a phenomenon as right or wrong vehicles for sacred musicing.  The reasoning behind the belief that there is no continuum from right to wrong stems from the philosophical musical fallacy that the music part of music doesn’t matter.  The obvious conclusion deduced from this fallacy is that any consideration of what is good or bad in church music is “much ado about nothing” spiritually and musically.  Robert Berglund put it this way, “The notion that there are neither right nor wrong styles of music used in the church today seems indefensible in light of the obvious stylistic meanings and the contradiction to the changed life premises of Scripture.”  A Philosophy of Church Music by Robert Berglund p. 12 

It stands to reason that if the Christian musician does not wholeheartedly believe in the changed life principles so clearly taught in the Bible, he or she will doubtlessly not believe in the Bible concept that a Christian’s music and musicing must be of a higher renovated character. Many Scriptures in the Old and New Testament teach the “new song” principle including Revelation 5:9 which states, “And they sung a new song (kainos ode 2537 5603), saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation.”   The new song (kainos 2537 ode 5603) mentioned in this verse has the meaning of being new in character rather than only  being new in relationship to time.  For a much more thorough study of this concept read Chapter Three, “A study of song in the Bible”, in my book Music of the Bible in Christian Perspective.

So, as Dr. Berglund stated, the changed life premises taught in the Bible should lead Christian musicians to the belief that sacred music should be of a higher renovated character than the music of the world produced by composers who do not know Christ and are in many cases producing music that appeals to the lust of the flesh.  Galatians 5:16 teaches this principle when it states, “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.”  1John 2:16 also teaches very clearly, “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.”

 

 

Thought for the Day 

“Music has become a tool to influence an entire culture.  It has become an effective way to communicate a new set of values to an emerging generation.”  Music in the Balance by Frank Garlock &Kurt Woetzel p.18.

 

 

 

Is Musical Style Involved in Communicating Meaning? Part 1

 

Is Musical Style Involved in Communicating Meaning?  Part 1           

           All traditional thesis thinking Christians who are conservative in their music philosophy are concerned about making sure that the musical styles that they use in musicing unto God are suitable vehicles.  Although it is not popular or politically correct to use the terms “good” and “bad’ in conjunction with religious musicing, I believe that the terms are appropriate.  When I consider appropriate vehicles, I am talking about the music part of the music and not merely the texts of religious songs.   There is a continuum along which music genres move that places them somewhere between excellence in quality and appropriateness and ineffectiveness, to the point of being ineffective music vehicles for representing God’s perfect moral character and being communicators of spiritual values.

          Richard S. Taylor put it this way, “The difference in good and bad church music is the emotion generated.  On the one hand there is that which is self-ward and man-ward; on the other that which is Godward, upward, and decisive.  This is why in all the various possible forms, sooner or later a line is reached beyond which the music ceases to be a good conductor of spiritual edification, and instead becomes a conductor of fleshly stimulation.”  A Return to Christian Culture by Richard S. Taylor, p. 89.  As I have often told  college students, I am not as concerned about exactly where a Christian musician draws the line that Dr. Taylor was referring to musically as I am about the fact that Christian musicians are, in many cases, no longer drawing any philosophical lines at all.  The fact that the musical “light bulb” of style is not suddenly on or off makes it much more difficult to discern when a musical style is too worldly or sensual to be a proper vehicle for sacred musicing.

 

Praise chorus for the Day

Praise Chorus for the Day  I Love you Lord  by Laurie Klein 

Thought for the Day

It is amazing to me that a Christian musician would want to come into the presence of, or come before the face of YHVH, with loud, raucous, noise-based music.

Choose a Music Mentor Wisely

 

Choose a Music Mentor Wisely

The process of developing a Bible based Christocentric music philosophy in this century is very complex since there have been major changes in church music based on what Christian musicians do as opposed to what has for centuries been the guiding principles that have governed all sacred musicing.  For this reason, the Christian musician must only allow himself or herself to be mentored by a musician whose musical  praxis is congruent with Bible principles of music and musicing, and whose musical life actions are congruent with the changed life of a Christian.  The young Christian musician must remember that what a music mentor does is just as important as what that musician says about music and musicing.  When it comes to those whom one trusts, the Christian musician must choose wisely.  Musical actions speak much more loudly than words. 

A large number of Christian musicians have grown silent about music and musicing because they have been so squeezed into the world’s mold of musicing that this conformation has caused them to order their musicing in the same manner that the world musics.  When a Christian performs the same music (with a religious text) in exactly in the same manner as the world performs secular music that is designed to appeal to “”the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life” (St. John 2:16), without regard for it whether it is appropriate to be a concomitant to Christian worship, that musician is failing to make any difference between the sacred and the profane. This lack of distinction has caused much confusion about the purpose of what should actually happen in public worship. 

 

 

God Is Faithful!

 

God Is Faithful!

1Corinthians 1:9 “God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.” 

          Since God is faithful we should as Joshua 23:6 admonishes, “Be ye therefore very courageous…” and as Mt 10:16 states, “be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.”   We should also as Luke 6:36 said, “Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.”  Furthermore  Luke 12:40 reminds us, “Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.”  Also, as St. Paul reminded the Christians at Ephesus in Ephesians 5:1, “Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savor.”   1Peter  4:7 solemnly reminds us, ”But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.”

          All of the above are made possible by the great faithfulness of our faithful Savior Jesus Christ.  God’s grace is truly faithful in and through every situation.  God’s promises are true.  What God says He is always faithful to do.  We should never forget that Ephesians encourages us to believe that we, as 6:10  that we should,”… be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.”   We must always remember that the battle is not ours but rather it is the Lord’s battle and He will win it.

Prayer for the Day

My heavenly Father, I want to bring glory to Your matchless name today.  You are worthy of all the praise that we would ever give You because you are completely faithful.  Lord, I am asking You to help me to be an overcomer!  Your Word is true truth.  So, help me to believe Your Word and allow the Holy Spirit to apply it to my heart and understanding.  I know that I can pull through every problem of life if I will only allow You to pull me through each situation.  So, help me to simply “Trust and obey”.  This I am asking in Your strong and faithful name.  Amen.