Thought for the day- conductors-part 3

Name for me the famous conductors of the world who did not use conducting gestures when they stood before the professional musical organizations they conducted.  Why should a minister of music have lesser expectations for musicing unto the King of Kings and Lord of Lords who was and is very God, who left the splendors of heaven, took on the form of man,  suffered and died for our sins, arose from the dead, ascended unto the throne of God and now sits at the right hand of the Father making intercession for us?

Song Leaders? part 3

For the last two days we have been very seriously discussing the requirements of a congregational song leader.  One thing about reading my music philosophy blog or hearing my lectures in a college class is that you will never have to ask, "Mr.Wolf, what do you really believe about the topic we have been discussing?" As you could probably guessed, I an what is called an "over conductor" and a very passionate one at that!  As I have had the privilege to watch some the great conductors of the world in Europe and the USA, I have noticed that they were all very passionate conductors and that it shows in the way they conduct.
       You might honestly ask at this point in our discussion,"Is there room for a song leader who has a sane, sophisticated, quiet, reserved personality?  The answer is yes.  All conductors do not have to be "over conductors", but I submit to you that being almost insane helps! A song leader can have a more quiet approach to conducting, but he or she can not afford to outwardly show complacency. 
     There is a notion among ministers of music and church orchestra conductors that when a conductor stands in front of a choir, orchestra or congregation of worshipers, he or she is not an exceedingly important functionary.  This notion brings ministers of music to the erroneous conclusion that vibrant performance conducting gestures are not necessary.  These so called music leaders believe that a good leader only "facilitates" in performance and that he or she doesn't actually change the way  that an instrumental or choral organization  or congregation musics unto God.
       These conductors tell me that they could walk away from their church choir, church orchestra, or congregation and they would sing, play and worship just as well without them.  My answer is always, "then you should walk away if you are not helping," No director should do something that isn't necessary or efficacious.
       I an afraid that this faulty philosophical notion has been very detrimental to public worship.  A conductor that doesn't passionately lead, gives off  signals that are most often misread by a church orchestra, church choir or a congregation of worshipers--that he or she is  apathetic. So, I am drawn to the conclusion that although a song leader doesn't have to be a "wild man" he or she must be a passionate conductor and it must show in the way he or she conducts.

Thought for the day-song leaders?-part 2

Should someone sing J.S. Bach's "Sleepers Awake" after you lead congregational singing?

Song leaders? part 2

Yesterday we began a discussion of the requirements of a congregational song leader.Today we will continue our discussion.  I can understand a song leader who is not knowledgeable of good standard conducting techniques and I understand that many of them are sincerely trying to lead musical worship. However, I have a hard time understanding a song leader who stands before the congregation with facial expressions that accurately represent the “Great stone face.” When I watch song leaders I often see no smile, no joy, no enthusiasm, no excitement, no outward facial expression that represents all the joy and grandeur of corporate singing about our Savior "who taketh away the sins of the world". Great joy should exude from the song leader as the congregation sings the great hymns, gospel songs and worship choruses. These songs and choruses are capable of being vehicles to express the awesomeness and solemnity of the worship of a triune God.
 Jesus, quoting from Isaiah 55:7 stated in St. John 7:38: stated, “He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.” Is it too far-fetched to suppose that the song leader, who really believes on the Lord Jesus Christ, can be capable of letting his or her love show through conducting techniques?  I contend that out of the song leader’s belly (heart, or inner being) should flow effusions of love and praise!  They come forth like gushing water from an artisan well.  These “living waters” cannot be contained because the director believes what Jesus said.  It is amazing to me that a minister of music can stand in front of an  assembly of worshipers and fail to let this "living water" be effectually expressed through his or conducting gestures, facial expressions, and deeply passionate body language. 

Therefore, the song leader’s love, joy, belief, understanding, praise, adoration and blessing should all show on his or her face.  The song leader’s body language, facial expression and conducting gestures should all passionately express the glorious praise of our God!  If this happens,  musical worship will be changed dramatically.  Not every member of the congregation  will  have a degree in music or necessarily deeply understand music, but they will all  understand when a song leader is overflowing with deep and meaningful compassion for what he or she is doing and expresses this understanding through performance conducting  and body language that is expressive of his or deep love for the Lord!

Quote for the day-song leaders part 1

"Worship is the single most important event that happens weekly (and sometimes weakly ) in the local church." Church Music in the Real World, by Bob Burroughs p. 86.  It is our responsibility as song leaders to make sure that it does not happen weakly.

Song Leaders? part 1

 

          My earliest memories of going to church include standing with a hymnbook in my hands, singing vigorously while trying to see over the pew in front of me.  It never entered my mind that the day would come when the hymnbook would begin to disappear in the sanctuary.  It also never occurred to me that effective song leaders who are passionate music directors with obvious effective conducting skills would also ,little by little, begin to disappear. 

          First, even more disappointing than the disappearance of the hymn book has been the vanishing of the effective song leader. By "effective song leader", I mean someone who is knowledgeable in conducting skills and expresses the essence of the worship music while utilizing these skills. I am fortunate, where I attend church to have a minister of music who understands conducting, but as I travel to a variety of churches, I experience fewer and fewer song leaders who use both arms in the process of conducting patterns and gestures, (remembering that there are worshipers on both sides sides of the conductor) .
       There seems to be a lack of understanding among directors that there are performance conducting techniques  that are a non-verbal method of  "drawing" the congregation into the experience of musical worship. Those who do not understand the function of conducting patterns seem to not understand how conducting gestures should visually express the essence of the text and the music part of the music they are trying to lead. Directors seem to forget that conducting is not merely a rehearsal function. 

          Second, I seldom see a song leader who actually  leads the people in singing. The congregational song leader should direct the music with passion.  The character of the song leader’s conducting gestures should reflect the essence and character of the song he or she is trying to represent with conducting gestures. The conductor should remember that he or  she is leading the congregation in presenting a musical offering unto God, and that it should be a meaningful musical offering which is, as much as is possible, without blemish.  The director is not leading the congregation in singing songs for fun, but rather, he or she is  leading them as they  are responding to God through singing!

          Third, the facial expressions of the song leader should mirror the message of the text. Believe it or not, the conductor’s visage should change as the meaning of the text changes.  The body language of the song leader should be a non-verbal effusion of the director’s inner desire to express the meaning of the text and the music part of the music.  When the music "weeps, the conductor should obviously be moved with great compassion.  When the music rejoices, he or she should almost burst with enthusiasm and obvious joyful, passionate expression   through both  conducting and facial expression!  I believe that Church Music Matters and that a strong philosophy of worship conducting also matters and will effectively change the worship experience!  Remember, every music choice we make exudes from our music philosophy.

Thought for theday-Genesis rec. part 3

 Christians who deny a literal creation as recorded in Genesis often find themselves without ancient biblical philosophical foundations for music.

What we know about music from the Genesis record-part 3

            There is one more concept of God's creation  recorded in the Book of Genesis that we should be discuss here. As we considered  on February 5 2013, Genesis 1:31 recorded that in God’s opinion His music creation was very (ma’od 3966) good (towb 2896).  In other words, His music creation wasn’t merely good, but it was exceedingly good or beautiful.  The Hebrew word ma’od is a superlative term.  To God, music was not “just there”, but rather it was exceedingly good when used as He intended.  The word towb connotes not only goodness but also beauty.  Although it is difficult to fully ascertain what is meant by beautiful it is possible to understand that God created music for His glory and created it to be exceedingly beautiful and wonderful. We can also justly conclude that this creation which was ma'od 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 pervert, for evil.. 

            It stands to reason that if God created music to be exceedingly good and that it is the objective of Satan to pervert it by removing its goodness.  Since towb also means good or best, we may safely conclude that it is the work of Satan to pervert those elements of music that make it exceedingly the best.  If one believes that Satan’s perversion of music produces “good music”, then that person has just bequeathed Satan with the ability to produce “perverted good” music.  (See Chapter 5 of my Book, Church Music Matters).

Thought for the day-styles-part 2

It is one thing to sing the song "Give of your best to the master", but it is another thing to perfect one's musical offering by careful vocal study.

Music Styles--part 2

       One of the objectives of these posts on music styles is to apply music philosophy to music praxis.  Music philosophy is actually only so much rhetoric until it is put into practice.  One’s music philosophy may look excellent on paper, but unless it is applied to music “doing” it only serves to ease a musician’s conscience.   It is one thing to say you believe something, but it is entirely another to back it up by what we actually "do" when you music.       
         If the words of the songs we sing unto God are completely biblical, then they embody truth.  They represent absolute truth because their message is absolute truth. They represent what Francis Schaeffer would call “true truth”.  If the words are congruent  with biblical principles then it stands to reason that the style of singing should also be congruent with the words sung.  the words and the music must send the same message.
        I Corinthians14:7-8 states, “And even things without life giving sound, whether pipe or harp, except they give a distinction in the sounds, [melodies] how shall it be known what is piped or harped?  For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?”  There is much deeper musical truth in this Bible music reference than is commonly understood. When a soloist’s vocal performance style allows scooping up to pitches, breathy indiscriminate nonvocal sounds, delayed vibrato (or no vibrato), the result is without doubt an “uncertain sound” vocally speaking. The vocal performance style actually belies the constant truth of the message of Christ crucified.  So, when a vocalist juxtaposes biblical “true truth” with a vocal performance style that is not accurately in pitch, constant or aesthetically presented, then the musical message, which affects the spiritual message, is greatly hindered, diluted and therefore obscured.