The Impact of Global Christian Music in Worship

[sparky]

Music powerful? you betcha, when we're on top of our game (as a band), we've the righties dancin' with the lefties ,etc.
H*ll, the cowboys danced with the indians at our holloween gig......

and gospel is back too! >>>

sellin' like hotcakes !

~S~

 

[Karl Rand]

Music powerful? you betcha, when we're on top of our game (as a band), we've the righties dancin' with the lefties ,etc.
H*ll, the cowboys danced with the indians at our holloween gig......

and gospel is back too! >>>

sellin' like hotcakes !

~S~

Wow! First time I’ve encountered Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats. Something else - - don’t even care if it’s Christian Music or not. Reminds me a bit of Dr John. Is this what we call ‘Gumbo’? Thanks for posting.
Now for something totally in the other direction - - -

 

[Natural Citizen]

A very interesting topic, even for an unbeliever such as myself. I studied the pipe organ for eleven years in a catholic cathedral eventually leaving those studies due to direct experience of the evil and hypocracy behind the scenes. I’m still inspired though by the music, expecially the High Anglican choral tradition but none of it leads me ‘back to God’.

On the other hand I find the all singing dancing rock and roll approach to sacred music so popular today anything but inspiring and certainly not devine. I am however moved by negro spirituals. No sermon or bible reading has ever moved me the way, for instance, John Tavener’s ‘Hymn to Athena’ performed at Princess Diana’s funeral did.



Then there’s this little gem written to only ever be performed in the presence of the Pope in the Cistine Chappel . Mozart heard it and took it away in his memory. Anglican choirs have been gleefully porforming it ever since. Even though I find most of the text nausiating, especially the reference to being concieved in sin, I still find myself thinking of this as divine.

Pipe organs are pretty cool things. I can understand your interest in studying them. I really enjoy listening to them. I have a lot of soundtracks just for that reason. The Interstellar soundtrack I have, the expanded illuminated star project version with the complete score, they used the Temple Church organ in London, UK. I really like it. And the guy who played the pipe organ? Pffft. He played it like a champion.

Towards the end of the vid it shows him playing it, it's only a few minutes, though...



About the other thing. Having spent my early youth in the south the little church everbody went to that I knew were negro, except for a few families, I know precisely what youre talkign about. I can probably remember as far back as being around 5 five, when they took me in. I remember specifically the first day, too, The one woman was greeting, she looked at me and said, ''boy what is you doing here, are you coming to praise the Lord with us? Come on in we'll get right on with it then." It was without a doubt the most spiritual environment I've ever been in and I'm thankful it was so early in life. Those people were likely the most positive influence in my life if I think about it. There was hardly ever any misic played, we all just like clapped our hands and mostly the women got the place going. Just the sound of the singing itself is very uplifting. You feel it, for sure. Agreed.

 

[SweetSue92]

A very interesting topic, even for an unbeliever such as myself. I studied the pipe organ for eleven years in a catholic cathedral eventually leaving those studies due to direct experience of the evil and hypocracy behind the scenes. I’m still inspired though by the music, expecially the High Anglican choral tradition but none of it leads me ‘back to God’.

On the other hand I find the all singing dancing rock and roll approach to sacred music so popular today anything but inspiring and certainly not devine. I am however moved by negro spirituals. No sermon or bible reading has ever moved me the way, for instance, John Tavener’s ‘Hymn to Athena’ performed at Princess Diana’s funeral did.



Then there’s this little gem written to only ever be performed in the presence of the Pope in the Cistine Chappel . Mozart heard it and took it away in his memory. Anglican choirs have been gleefully porforming it ever since. Even though I find most of the text nausiating, especially the reference to being concieved in sin, I still find myself thinking of this as divine.

Pipe organs are pretty cool things. I can understand your interest in studying them. I really enjoy listening to them. I have a lot of soundtracks just for that reason. The Interstellar soundtrack I have, the expanded illuminated star project version with the complete score, they used the Temple Church organ in London, UK. I really like it. And the guy who played the pipe organ? Pffft. He played it like a champion.

Towards the end of the vid it shows him playing it, it's only a few minutes, though...



About the other thing. Having spent my early youth in the south the little church everbody went to that I knew were negro, except for a few families, I know precisely what youre talkign about. I can probably remember as far back as being around 5 five, when they took me in. I remember specifically the first day, too, The one woman was greeting, she looked at me and said, ''boy what is you doing here, are you coming to praise the Lord with us? Come on in we'll get right on with it then." It was without a doubt the most spiritual environment I've ever been in and I'm thankful it was so early in life. Those people were likely the most positive influence in my life if I think about it. There was hardly ever any misic played, we all just like clapped our hands and mostly the women got the place going. Just the sound of the singing itself is very uplifting. You feel it, for sure. Agreed.

There's so much we don't understand about music--its power is majestic, however. Did you know that stars really do "sing", just like the Bible says, for just one example? I also think that music is endemic to a people in the way certain vegetation grows in a certain region. We have the beginnings of some science to prove this may be true...

I love, love love a great Spiritual. I mean a real Spiritual, not like just any "Christian" song and call it a Spiritual. So a few years ago, when I was driving and heard "Go Tell It On the Mountain" sung by....(get this) a FRENCH CHOIR...I thought I was going to drive off the road. It was...shocking.

God love them. They tried. But the accent combined with the total lack of African-American Spiritual rhythm--just no. It was...it was painful. Horrid. Almost car crash horrid, and I am NOT a music snob. That's why I give them so much credit for tackling it.

 

[Karl Rand]

Pipe organs are pretty cool things. I can understand your interest in studying them. I really enjoy listening to them. I have a lot of soundtracks just for that reason. The Interstellar soundtrack I have, the expanded illuminated star project version with the complete score, they used the Temple Church organ in London, UK. I really like it. And the guy who played the pipe organ? Pffft. He played it like a champion.

In some ways I’m glad a moral crisis had me leave behind organ studies and the church. I was probably only ever good enough to accompany congregational out of tune singing, a pet hate of mine. Very few individuals have the talent to become concert organists and even some of them are forced to accompany dull congregational hymns to make ends meet.
As to the interstellar organist he did a good job with great materlal but the most skilled players operate at a level way beyond that even I find astonishing.
Probably wandering way off topic here but it’s important to remember not all organ music is written for worship. There’s a huge concert repertiore out there. Here’s one piece with no religious intention as far as I know.

There are other recent compositions by composers, such as Messiaen, supposedly with a theological inspiration but often I can’t hear it.

There are so many kinds of Christian music though - here’s another :-

Unfortunately this performance takes place in a dull acoustic which robs it of a lot of grandeur more evident when performed in a large cathedral space.

 

[Karl Rand]

Trained originally as a classical lyric soprano Lisa Fischer has sung just about everything from backing the Rolling Stones to contemporary jazz and the odd sacred song. Here’s an example of the later......
For me though, the grinning pianist and clean Christian youth rocking backwards and forwards in the background have me closing my eyes.

 

[onefour1]

Music can play a sermon to the heart



Lyrics

1. 1. He is risen! He is risen!
   Tell it out with joyful voice.
   He has burst his three days’ prison;
   Let the whole wide earth rejoice.
   Death is conquered; man is free.
   Christ has won the victory.
2. 2. Come with high and holy hymning;
   Chant our Lord’s triumphant lay.
   Not one darksome cloud is dimming
   Yonder glorious morning ray,
   Breaking o’er the purple east,
   Symbol of our Easter feast.
3. 3. He is risen! He is risen!
   He hath opened heaven’s gate.
   We are free from sin’s dark prison,
   Risen to a holier state.
   And a brighter Easter beam
   On our longing eyes shall stream.

 

[Karl Rand]

Music can play a sermon to the heart

It can indeed, although I find some performances border on the militaristic in tone. The English made an art form of the ‘battle hymn’ too.
Anyhow, here’s another large scale work worthy of a listen although the modern attention span on average being 3min 45secs few of you will probably make it to the end.

 

[Karl Rand]

There’s always been a place for improvisation in the Western Christian music tradition. Sometimes wonderful,

sometimes downright scary, sometimes just plain silly.

 

[Natural Citizen]

That was a good article. It brought to mind my experience at YWAM Kona. It was a truly amazing experience, because there were people there from literally all over the world… from every continent. And one of the coolest things about that base was that you’d get to experience all different kinds of worship music/styles. Everyone gets the opportunity to sing/worship in the way all the different cultures represented there do…so there was so much diversity, but unity at the same time. Because that’s what happens when believers come together, it doesn’t matter where you’re from, you’re brothers and sisters… children of God.

That’s why I loved that video I posted on the other thread. To me there’s something beautiful about hearing people praising God in all different languages. As the article said, it is one step closer to Rev. 5:9 (“from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.”)

And the thing is, music is powerful. There’s a really good quote by Brooke Fraser about music… Hold on a minute and I’ll find it.

They have a youtube page for just their music outreach. Seems in-line with your thought on your experience there. It sure is a pretty place, too.

YWAM Kona Music

Here's there main video, their 'about' video. I'll go ahead and assume you alrighty know it, but I put it here for other people so they know roughly what you're talking about.

 

[Natural Citizen]

`
When I'm in the mood, Christmas Catholic Choral music hits the spot;
`
`

​

Yeah. Yeah, it does. Thanks, Wind.

 

[Natural Citizen]

We sang this every day in school assembly and as you can see here the audience join in because they did too. Its an unofficial national anthem.


Nid wy'n gofyn bywyd moethus,
Aur y byd na'i berlau mân:
Gofyn wyf am galon hapus,
Calon onest, calon lân.

Cytgan:
Calon lân yn llawn daioni,
Tecach yw na'r lili dlos:
Dim ond calon lân all ganu-
Canu'r dydd a chanu'r nos.

Pe dymunwn olud bydol,
Hedyn buan ganddo sydd;
Golud calon lân, rinweddol,
Yn dwyn bythol elw fydd.

Hwyr a bore fy nymuniad
Gwyd i'r nef ar edyn cân
Ar i Dduw, er mwyn fy Ngheidwad,
Roddi i mi galon lân.

Translated -

I don't ask for a luxurious life,
the world's gold or its fine pearls:
I ask for a happy heart,
an honest heart, a pure heart.

Chorus:
A pure heart is full of goodness,
More lovely than the pretty lily:
Only a pure heart can sing -
Sing day and night.

If I wished worldly wealth,
He has a swift seed;
The riches of a virtuous, pure heart,
Will be a perpetual profit.

Late and early, my wish
Rise to heavan on the wing of song,
To God, for the sake of my Saviour,
Give me a pure heart.

That was a pretty song. That's an interesting thing you mention about alternate national anthems. A lot of countries have those, you're the first person I've ever seen mention it. It's kind of neat. Thanks for adding something, Tommy, and thanks for the translation.

 

[Natural Citizen]

Hey Natural Citizen, I wish more people could own up to mistakes and foibles like you just did. I didn't read the thread you reference, I just know if we could all say "mea culpa" the world would be a more polite place.

OKay, I'm back from reading the article. I'm not sure what there is to debate here to be honest? This seems non-debatable to me.

Music is language--when God scattered the people and the tongues at the Tower of Babel, well, you were also going to get a myriad of different musical "languages". That to me is just part of the beauty and majesty of His creation--just like the blonde hair and blue eyes of Norwegian people, and very dark skin and dark hair of Nigerian people. It's not really debatable, it just is--it's not something the church should debate, but celebrate.

Hi, Sue, what's gawn awn. Sorry, I read responses the other day, but you guys caught me off guard, I was like wait, what?

I'm gonna respond to your other couple of posts later. I do have some thoughts on what you mention here about music being it's own language. You being a music educator, you'll probably know what I'm taliking about, even if I don't exactly know what I'm talking about. Ha. I have to think on it first.

Karl, we might want you to chime in, too. I want to talk about frequency, if only for a few minutes. There's two aspects to it I want to ask about. It's just kind of early in the morning, I'm not even all the way awake yet. lol.

 

[Windparadox]

Yeah. Yeah, it does. Thanks, Wind.

`
I raised my daughters to be non-denominational and free to believe or disbelieve what they want. However, I send them all to a catholic high school because their scholastic stats are higher than any of the surrounding schools. My oldest actually chose to become a Catholic at 15, which I had no objection to, and sang on a choral. Twice I attended midnight mass just to hear them sing. Some songs brought tears to my eyes. It's a mom thing.
`

 

[Natural Citizen]

`
I raised my daughters to be non-denominational and free to believe or disbelieve what they want. However, I send them all to a catholic high school because their scholastic stats are higher than any of the surrounding schools. My oldest actually chose to become a Catholic at 15, which I had no objection to, and sang on a choral. Twice I attended midnight mass just to hear them sing. Some songs brought tears to my eyes. It's a mom thing.

Hey, good morning, wind, how's it going? I had posted about a paragraph and a half in that response, but then I backspaced it all, I was like, dang that 's too wordy. lol.

But. I'm glad you replied, because your thoughts here are in the ballpark of what I'd initially jottd. I think /i mentioned to you that I went to a Catholic school for several years, when you mentioned about it before somewhere around here. It was the best education I ever had, a very small school, too, and it had daycare and k-8. A Catholic Priest paid my tuituion because I cut gis fields wit hhis tractor and cleaned his barn out and whatnot, real nice dude, he made me lunch and everything. So, I can relate. I sent my son to a private school, too, except for High School.

The first time I ever went to a Catholic mass was in 5th grade, the whole school crossed the street to the Chruch after 4th period in Wednsdays, and had Mass. I passed out. That incense they were shaking around dropped me cold, wind. I had to go sit on the step out front til it was over.

But, yes, I remember the first time I heard the Catholic choir. At first I was caught off guard, I was like 9 or 10, never heard it before. Gradually I came to enjoy it. So, yeah. Agree.

 

[Natural Citizen]

Ruh roh.

Somebody have a birthday today.

I wonder who it could be.

Oooh, I remember.

buttercup

 

[buttercup]

Ruh roh.

Somebody have a birthday today.

I wonder who it could be.

Oooh, I remember.

buttercup

Thank you sweetheart!!! As you know I don’t really celebrate my birthday anymore, but still, you are sweet for posting that...I loved that version of happy birthday!

 

[Karl Rand]

The first time I ever went to a Catholic mass was in 5th grade, the whole school crossed the street to the Chruch after 4th period in Wednsdays, and had Mass. I passed out. That incense they were shaking around dropped me cold, wind. I had to go sit on the step out front til it was over.

You may be interested to know the traditional mix of incense used by the Roman, Greek Orthodox, Anglican Church and others contains frankincense which in itself contains an ingredient (tetrahydrocannabinol) chemically similar and almost as psychoactive as the form contained in marijuana .
Make em fast for week, get into the cathedral, blast em with the organ and choir all stops out and give em a big sniff of the good stuff and you’ve got em. Simple really.

 

[Karl Rand]

Another duplicate post deleted - - - I’l probably be dead before the software that runs this place doesn’t fight me.

 

[Karl Rand]

I’m not simply an un-believer I’m told I’m musically a puritan as I find just about all ‘rock & roll’ forms of musical worship beyond tasteless and certainly without more than a hint of the divine.
So, here’s more of my kind of sacred singin’ and dancin’
BBC Radio 3 - Choir and Organ - Six Easter Choral Gems

_________________________________________________________________
Sometimes I wonder if posting links to music of any kind here makes sense. The MP3 compression used on Youtube often bleaches performances of harmonic richness and micro and macro dynamic contrast.
For instance, the following work really needs to be either exprienced live or heard on a very good audio system fed by a high resolution recording. Anyhow, I’ll post it anyway in the hope some of it’s magic survives this medium ;-