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Friday, December 16, 2011

Music, Instruments, Worship and Singing – How about this history? Part 7

“If worship transforms us into kinder, more loving people, then why do we fight over worship?” Paul Basden

The controversy over the organ continued to be played out in church circles for years.

John and Charles Wesley, the founders of the Methodist movement, were both song writers. Charles Wesley was the most prolific. He wrote 6,500 songs during his lifetime. He often used bar tunes as the musical background for the songs he wrote. Many of the songs that Charles wrote were paraphrased from the Church of England’s Prayer Book.

John Wesley was said to have commented about the organ: “I have no objection to the organ in our chapels provided it is neither seen nor heard.”

During the 1860’s Charles Spurgeon refused to place an organ in his 5,000 seat Metropolitan Tabernacle out of fear that people would come to hear the music, and not the message. Over time though the organ and the style of music the organ was suited for became the tradition of the church.

On the other end of the spectrum of the discussion and controversy over church music, worship style and instruments, William Booth (1829-1912), founder of the Salvation Army, used brass bands on the streets, which he was criticized for. His response to the criticism was, “Why should the Devil have all the best music?”

The controversy around music continued! Stay tuned for Part 8.

Thursday, December 8, 2011

Music, Instruments, Worship and Singing – How about this history? Part 6

“If worship transforms us into kinder, more loving people, then why do we fight over worship?” Paul Basden

One of the most prolific worship song writers of all time was Isaac Watts (1674-1748). He has been called the “Father of English Hymnody.” During his song writing career he created a stir by paraphrasing Scripture into his ‘man-made’ hymns.

Watts was brilliant as a young boy, having learned five languages by the time he turned twelve. As a young man Watts was distressed by the dry singing in the English churches. His frustration motivated him to produce over 750 hymns. His derision for the existing church music moved him to remark, “The singing of God’s praise is the part of worship most closely related to heaven; but its performance among us is the worst on earth.” The influence of the hymns that Watts wrote on the English churches of his day compares to the impact that ‘contemporary music’ has had on the church in the last 50 years. In Watts’ time churches often split due to the conflict between traditional church music and the sacred music. Much of this conflict was directly related to the songs that he wrote.1

The sacred music that Watts wrote once again allowed people to move from being audiences of great works of music to participants in the worship service. Throughout the 18th century, composers "borrowed" common melodies of popular non-church songs as the tunes for worship music. The worship lyrics were sung to the popular tune. During this period hymns, anthems, and choruses, as the church has come to call them, were written by musicians, clergy and lay people.

The controversy around music continued!
Stay tuned for Part 7.
Matt

1. (Resource: THE PHILOSOPHY OF CHURCH MUSIC AND ITS EFFECTS ON THE EXPANSION OF THE CHURCH -- A Paper Presented to Dr. Thom Rainer - The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary)

Music, Instruments, Worship and Singing – How about this history? Part 5

“If worship transforms us into kinder, more loving people, then why do we fight over worship?” Paul Basden

Today it is unusual to find a musical instrument that at one time was in the forefront of the worship controversy – the organ! It is not unusual for a church to get a call from someone who would like to donate an organ that is no longer wanted. In some church circles the organ is seen as a symbol of the ‘good ole’ days and the lack of one as a capitulation to the ways of the world. This was not the way it was historically.

Reformed churches fought against the use of the organ given that it was a ‘worldly instrument.’ The father of the ‘Reformed’ movement, Martin Luther, rejected the organ as an “ensign of Baal.” John Calvin, another one of the reformists, said of the organ in worship “it is no more suitable than the burning of incense, the lighting of tapers or revival of the other shadows of the law. The Roman Catholics borrowed it from the Jews.”

Though the Reformers were against the use of the organ, some 17th century churches began to use it in their worship gatherings. Employing the organ was using the “world’s” methods, so this practice caused quite a stir. Controversy and division ensued for an extended period of time. Eventually the organ became part of ‘proper’ musical instruments to use in worship.

The celebration of the Eucharist [Eucharist means ‘thanksgiving’ and is the official name for Holy Communion in the Roman Catholic Church] in the Roman Catholic Church service is called ‘The Mass.’ In the 17th and 18th centuries some of the world's greatest composers contributed to the music for
‘Mass’ or the church services. Bach composed a Mass in all twenty-four keys! Handel created the Oratorio ‘the Mass’, a sacred opera with a narrator. Handel's most famous religious composition was "The Messiah." Schutz composed "The Seven Last Words." Mozart wrote eighteen ‘Masses.’ Haydn penned fourteen ‘Masses’, all positive and happy, focusing on faith in God. Most of this worship music was for the congregation to watch and observe as spectators and not for participation.

These spectator driven concerts [Masses] became controversial and led away from the common person worshipping as God instructed.

The controversy around music continued!