Music Philosophy in Christian Perspective

Thursday, December 31, 2015

Thought for the Day

Thought for the Day

The thing that matters most about your music ministry in 2016 will not be how well you perform but rather how good and faithful you are.

Keeping Your Promises to God

Keeping Your Promises to God

Psalm 61:8

So will I sing praise unto thy name for ever, that I may daily perform my vows.

Biblical scholars differ in their understanding of the Hebrew word shalam (7999). Opinions include perform, fulfill, render, restore, peace, finish, pay, etc. The context of each Hebrew thought caused the various exegetes to use the various English words.

In the context of verse 8, which is a musical discourse, I believe that it was just to render shalam as perform. You see that is what Christian musicians do. They perform music! Perform is not a word with negative connotations. How Christians perform is what matters not merely that they perform, fulfill, or render their music unto God. Any sinner can crank out a religious song.

David performed his vows unto God by singing praise unto Elohiym (430) the supreme God. This musician performed his vows unto God every day. Every day David performed “unto thy name” as he praised the supreme God through musicing unto the plurality of Deity. God’s creation (music) provided David the means of grace necessary to worship God.

Christian musician have you made any vows unto God for this next year? Have you promised God that you will give Him back all of the musical talent that he has given you to the best of your ability in 2016? Will you endeavor to keep your promises to God by performing music unto God every opportunity that you are given in 2016?

Wednesday, December 30, 2015

Quote for the Day

Quote for the Day

“Whether Wesley did or didn't use drinking songs is not really the issue. Rather, the issue is why Wesley did or didn't use them. Wesley found the close association of hymn text and tune (even commonly referred to as a "wedding") to be of such importance that the use of tavern songs was beneath consideration. It was never a possibility.” http://www.umcdiscipleship.org

What Kind of Music Did Charles and John Wesley Use? Part 2

The Wesleys did use secular music with their hymns on some occasions. However, there is not a shred of evidence that they used melodies that had been created as concomitants to sensual songs used in the taverns in England. By the term “secular” I simply mean that this music was not originally composed as a concomitant to a sacred text. I do not mean that the Wesley’s used music that was originally “anti- Christ” in its original enactment. Surely twenty first century Christian musicians should understand that the Wesleys were very aware of some secular music’s association with bawdy themes and the ribald manner in which they were often used in taverns in England.

There is absolutely no scholarly basis for the notion that they used such music with the hymns they used in public worship. I would also like to point out at this point in this short discussion that, bases on what is now known about the secular music they used, there was absolutely no contradistinction of style between the secular melodies that the Wesleys used and other melodies that were written especially for use with their hymns. This certainly could not be said of many of the tunes and the styles of music that was often used in the late twentieth century and now in this century to accompany religious music.

Tuesday, December 29, 2015

Quote for the Day

Quote for the Day

“Wesley's aesthetic to "above all sing spiritually" simply would not allow drinking songs to accompany hymn texts.” http://www.umcdiscipleship.org

What Kind of Music Did Charles and John Wesley Use? Part 1

What kind of melodies, rhythms and harmonies did Charles and John Wesley use to accompany their hymns? A multitude of twentieth century authors who were Christians and others who were non-believers jumped to conclusions about the use of drinking and barroom music by the Wesley’s. In an article titled Debunking the Wesley Tavern Song Myth Dean McIntyre very succinctly, in six short explanations, puts to rest that silliness that the Wesleys used tavern or saloon song tunes with their hymns. (See:http://www.umcdiscipleship.org/resources/debunking-the-wesley-tavern-song-myth)

In Mclntyre’s article he also quells another myth about the Wesley’s music. “The oft-repeated legend results from some poor, misinformed person who confused the medieval literary bar form, also sometimes known as “bar tune”, with songs commonly used in taverns in England. “Once spoken out of ignorance, the confused version took on a life of its own and seemingly grows with each repetition.” (ibid.) An explanation of Bar Form is as follows: Bar “In music, the structural pattern aab as used by the medieval German minnesingers and meistersingers, who were poet-composers of secular monophonic songs (i.e., those having a single line of melody). The modern term Bar form derives from a medieval verse form, the Bar, consisting of three stanzas, each having the form aab. The musical term thus refers to the melody of a single stanza, the a sections (called Stollen) having the same melody, and the b section (Abgesang) having a different melody.” (http://www.britannica.com/art/Bar-form)

I am amazed that in this century Christian writers continue to make unfounded assertions such as the erroneous “Bar Tune” notion. Surely a writer should think twice before jumping to conclusions based on a misguided musician’s notions, if he or she has any desire to be credible. There is a vast difference between “Bar Form” and “Bar Tune”. Frankly, this type of musical ignorance is perpetuated most often by church musicians who do not have an understanding of the history of Western music or the history of church music. In their misguided, misinformed zeal they grasp at false notions and half-truths when they are trying to justify some particular style or styles of music in public worship musicing. Intellectual honesty in the writings of Christian musicians is an absolute must if a Christian’s music philosophy is going to be credible in this enlightened century.

Monday, December 28, 2015

Musicing—Spiritual Things—part 2

1Corinthins 2:13, “Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.”

Music often takes preeminence over preaching in many post-modern and post postmodern churches. When it does, that assembly of believers is following a philosophy based on the wisdom of the matrix of this present world rather than the wisdom which the Holy Spirit teaches. Postmodern and post postmodern church philosophy considers a longer sermon and a shorter period of singing to be “weak” and therefore unwise. I Corinthians 1:25 reminds us that, “...the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.”

Corporate worship through singing is a valuable means of grace to the believer. Singing can be a valuable teaching tool. Singing can be used by the Holy Spirit to convict and convert sinners. However, verse 18 above states that preaching is “the power of God.” Music, although it has power and charm is never spoken of in the Bible as the “power of God”. Verse twenty of chapter one of I Corinthians says, “Where is the wise (sophos 4680) Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer (suzetetes 4804) of this world (aion 165) Hath not God made foolish (moraino 3471) the wisdom (sophia 4678) of this world (kosmos 2889)."

Sunday, December 27, 2015

Scripture for the Day

1Corinthians 1:18, “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.”

Musicing--to God and People—part 1

Ephesians 5:19-20, “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Although worship music used in church today should be to “one another” and “to yourselves”, it should always function as a musical offering to God and not a musical entertainment for the people. Since worship music should cause the people to “muse” or think it should never be an amusement. It should edify (draw the people closer to God) rather than to entertain the congregation. So, the fact that church music is not the primary communicator of grace does not mean that it is not very important or that it does not matter. On the contrary, Church Music Matters very much when it comes to the matter of communicating grace.

Since worship music should cause the people to “muse” or think it should never be an amusement. It should edify (draw the people closer to God) rather than to entertain the congregation. So, the fact that church music is not the primary communicator of grace does not mean that it is not very important or that it doesn’t matter. On the contrary, Church music matters very much when it comes to the matter of communicating grace.

Saturday, December 26, 2015

Chorus and Thought for the Day

Chorus for the Day Emmanuel by Bob McGee