Quotes by Igor Stravinsky

I know that the twelve notes in each octave and the variety of rhythm offer me opportunities that all of human genius will never exhaust.

To listen is an effort, and just to hear is no merit. A duck hears also.

Sins cannot be undone, only forgiven.

Music is given to us with the sole purpose of establishing an order in things, including, and particularly, the coordination between man and time.

I was born out of due time in the sense that by temperament and talent I should have been more suited for the life of a small Bach, living in anonymity and composing regularly for an established service and for God.

The Church knew what the psalmist knew: Music praises God. Music is well or better able to praise him than the building of the church and all its decoration; it is the Church's greatest ornament.

Music and Food

The Kansas City Star ran an interesting article on the possible connection between musicians and cooking. You can find the article here.

John Cage Plays One of His "Compositions"

This is long, but the absurdity of what is meant as "music" is worth watching.

Music for Good Friday

One of the hymns we'll be singing at our Good Friday service, is this wonderful text by Isaac Watts newly set by Henry Owen.

Not all the blood of beasts On Jewish altars slain

Could give the guilty conscience peace Or wash away the stain.
But Christ, the heav’nly Lamb, Takes all our sins away;

A sacrifice of nobler name And richer blood than they.

My faith would lay her hand On that dear head of Thine,

While, like a penitent, I stand, And there confess my sin.
My soul looks back to see The burdens Thou didst bear

When hanging on the cursèd tree, And hopes her guilt was there.

Not all the blood of beasts On Jewish altars slain

Could give the guilty conscience peace Or wash away the stain.
Believing, we rejoice To see the curse remove;

We bless the Lamb with cheerful voice, And sing His bleeding love.

Text: Isaac Watts, 1709; Music: Henry Owen, 2008.
© 2008 Greyfriars Press, Used by Permission.

Cello Techniques

This article from the San Francisco Chronicle tells of two cellists who have extended the flexibility of the cello through either a curved bow or even two bows played at the same time.

Redefining the Music of the Church

I recently ran across an article about Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs. Here is an excerpt:

To sing a psalm is not necessarily the equivalent of singing from the book of Psalms. A psalm is a song. The term psalm, like song, can be used in a general or a specific sense. In the general usage it could include hymns, just as there are hymns included in the book of Psalms. A hymn is certainly a song.

In the specific sense, however, a psalm would contrast with a hymn. Similar to what we today call choruses, a psalm, or song, is generally simpler, shorter, more testimonial and less theological than a hymn. A hymn would usually carry a greater sense of history; a psalm, or chorus, would be more personal. The psalm is also more contemporary and has a shorter life span. The spiritual song is even more a song-of-the-moment than a psalm. The spiritual song, which consists of spontaneous melodies and words, inspired by the Holy Spirit and sung around a chord or slowly moving chord progression, has been referred to as the song of angels because of its mystical, other-worldly quality. Even as the Spirit is the believer's down payment of the future age, the spiritual song must be a foretaste of heavenly worship itself.

According to the author, a psalm is more contemporary, personal, simpler, shorter, and with a shorter life-span than hymns. Nowhere in this paradigm does there appear to be a place for the singing of actual Psalms. The book of Psalms tends to be rooted in the work of God through history, covenantal, employing rich imagery and language, theological, and with a sense of permanence—while also being personal and testimonial.

The definition of a spiritual song as spontaneous melody and words seems to have little or no Biblical precedence. It is interesting to note that when people break forth into praise in Scripture, such as Mary with the magnificat in Luke 1, they do so by quoting the Psalms and the prophets. A “new song” is literally a re-singing of the old songs. The idea that spontaneous singing is the “song of the angels because of its mystical, other-worldly quality” denies the actual words of the song mentioned in the book of Revelation sung by the heavenly hosts—which is in fact a re-singing of the Song of Moses (Rev 15). The foretaste of heavenly worship is weekly and corporately coming before the throne of God with all the great historic clouds of witnesses and singing God’s words back to Him—not stirring up mystical emotions in a transitory moment.

The author suggests that “The evangelical church must learn to sing spiritual songs; the charismatic church must rediscover hymns; and the traditional church must begin to sing a new psalm.” I would suggest that we ought to start with a more Biblical definition of terms and practice.

Steinway Documentary

Film maker Ben Niles is screening his documentary Note by Note: The Making of the Steinway L1037. It's a look at the making of a specific Steinway 9 foot grand from the milling of the wood to its final form. The Boston Globe has a short review of the film.

Come Ye Lofty, Come Ye Lowly

Come, ye lofty, come, ye lowly,
Let your songs of gladness ring;
In a stable lies the Holy,
In a manger rests the King:
See in Mary’s arms reposing
Christ by highest Heav’n adored:
Come, your circle round Him closing,
Pious hearts that love the Lord.

Come ye poor, no pomp of station
Robes the Child your hearts adore;
He, the Lord of all salvation,
Shares your want, is weak and poor:
Oxen, round about behold them;
Rafters naked, cold, and bare,
See the shepherds, God has told them
That the Prince of Life lies there.

Come, ye children, blithe and merry,
This one Child your model make;
Christmas holly, leaf, and berry,
All be prized for His dear sake:
Come ye gentle hearts and tender,
Come ye spirits keen and bold;
All in all your homage render,
Weak and mighty, young and old.

High above a star is shining,
And the wise men haste from far:
Come, glad hearts, and spirits pining—
For you all has ris’n the star.
Let us bring our poor oblations,
Thanks and love, and faith and praise;
Come, ye people, come, ye nations,
All in all draw nigh to gaze.

Hark the Heav’n of heav’ns is ringing:
Christ the Lord to man is born!
Are not all our hearts, too, singing,
Welcome, welcome, Christmas morn?
Still the Child, all power possessing,
Smiles as through the ages past;
And the song of Christmas blessing
Sweetly sinks to rest at last.

Advent Carol

We Sing to Thee, Immanuel
Text: Paul Gerhardt, 1656; trans by F.E. Cox, 1865
Music: Gregory Wilbur, 2004

We sing to Thee, Immanuel,
The Prince of life, salvation’s Well,
The Plant of Heaven, the Star of morn,
The Lord of Lords, the Virgin-born.
All glory, worship, thanks and praise,
That Thou art come in these our days!
Thou Heavenly Guest expected long,
We hail Thee with a joyful song.

For Thee, since first the world was made,
Men’s hearts have waited, watched and prayed;
Prophets and patriarchs, year by year,
Have longed to see Thy light appear.
O God!⎯they prayed⎯from Sion rise,
And hear Thy captive people’s cries;
At length, O Lord! salvation bring:
Then Jacob shall rejoice and sing.

Now Thou, by whom the world was made,
Art in Thy manger-cradle laid;
Maker of all things great, art small,
Naked Thyself, though clothing all.
Thou, who both heaven and earth dost sway,
In strangers’ inn art fain to stay;
And though Thy power makes angels blest,
Dost seek Thy food from human breast.

Encouraged, thus, our love grows bold
On Thee to lay our steadfast hold;
The cross which Thou didst undergo
Has vanquished death and healed our woe.
Thou art our Head: then, Lord, of Thee,
True, living members we will be;
And, in the strength Thy grace shall give,
Will live as Thou wouldst have us live.

As each short year goes quickly round,
Ou Hallelujahs shall resound;
And, when we reckon years no more,
May we in Heaven Thy Name adore!

Advent Carol

The choir at Parish Presbyterian sang this text as part of our Lessons and Carols service on December 9.

When Jordan hushed his waters still,
And silence slept on Zion’s hill;
When Salem’s shepherds through the night
Watched o’er their flocks by starry light,
Hark! From the midnight hills around,
A voice, of more than mortal sound,
In distant hallelujahs stole,
Wild murmuring o’er the raptured soul.

The swift to ev’ry startled eye,
New beams of glory gild the sky;
Heav’n bursts her azure gates,
to pour Her spirits to the midnight hour.
On wheels of light, on wings of flame,
The glorious hosts to Zion came;
High heav’n with songs of triumph rung,
While thus they smote their harps and sung:

O Zion! Lift thy raptured eye:
The long-expected hour is nigh;
The joys of nature rise again;
The Prince of Salem comes to reign.
See Mercy, from her golden urn,
Pours a rich stream on them that mourn;
Behold, she binds, with tender care,
The bleeding bosom of Despair.

He comes to cheer the trembling heart,
Bid Satan and his host depart;
Again the Daystar gilds the gloom,
Again the bowers of Eden bloom.
O Zion! Lift thy raptured eye:
The long-expected hour is nigh;
The joys of nature rise again;
The Prince of Salem comes to reign.

Text: Thomas Campbell, 1777-1844

Current Listening

The Return of Chant

Pope Benedict is moving the Vatican, and by extension the whole of the Catholic Church, back towards Gregorian chant. As for his reasons, I appreciate his understanding of the power of music, the inherent morality in music itself, and the need for an ecclesiastical aesthetic. However, turning back the clock is not the answer. Re-connecting to the past heritage of the Church is something that both Protestants and Catholics should embrace, but, in addition, we ought to be about the business of continuing to create from a historically informed position. Hopefully this move will at least spark some discussion in the Church at large about suitability and spirituality when it comes to musical composition for the Church.

The Irony of Old Pop

The very basis of pop art, according to Richard Hamilton, the British visual pop artist, includes attributes of transience, gimmicks, orientation towards youth, and being disposable. In a recent article in the Telegraph, the author discuses the divide between the industry of pop music and the audience's clamor for reunion tours. The author writes, "Much of rock continues to pay lip service to the concept of rebellion, while adhering to musical formulas, fashions and attitudes established by people old enough to be grandparents."

Irony exists in the absurdity of rebellion financed by corporate interests, but it is equally interesting that older musicians are still reaping the rewards of a system based on the foundation that young and sexy are preferable. If a musician is able to transcend the disposable system which made him, one shouldn't expect that same system to offer continued support.

From the Christian perspective, all of this begs the question of the suitability of transient, gimmicky, disposable musical styles as a bearer of profound, permanent, and absolute truth.

New Early Music

Maria Archetto re-discovered the music of Italian Renaissance/Early Baroque composer Francesco Portinaro. The New Trinity Baroque ensemble presented a concert of his works this past weekend in Atlanta.

Current Listening

Luciano Pavarotti (1935-2007)

Luciano Pavarotti died today at his home in Modena, Italy, at the age of 71. He had battled pancreatic cancer for the past year. Pavarotti exuded great force as an artist, presence and personality, and thankfully, he had the voice to back it up. He grew up as the son of a baker and did not turn towards the idea of a career in singing until his early twenties. After a few years of voice lessons, his career as an opera star cannot be described in any other terms than meteoric. His was a distinctive voice full of passion and life. There is no mistaking his characteristic sound.

Perhaps that is what drew me in to a love of opera in the first place. My earliest memory of hearing opera was from the eight track tapes my grandfather played and Pavarotti figured prominently in that collection. My earliest image of opera was Pavarotti dressed as a clown in the role of Pagliacci. The fact that my grandfather also sang Italian arias explains the close association my young mind had between my grandfather and Pavarotti—that was at times almost synonymous. I thank my grandfather for opening the world of opera to me.

The first two opera recordings I bought were Pavarotti in Puccini’s Turandot and La Boheme—still two of my favorites. My wife and I were thrilled when we got to hear him in concert a few years ago, and one of my prized possessions is a signed photograph of him.

Despite some of the controversies that surrounded his later career, his effortless voice and presence embodied the great things about the art of singing. Such beauty and passion only come around once every few generations. He will be missed.

Qui.. amor... sempre con te!
Le mani... al caldo... e... dormire.

The Sound of Silence

Andrew Waggoner wrote an interesting article about the need for silence in our culture saturated with noise and muzak. He writes:

In many world societies, however, there are still spaces—if only interior, or metaphorical, or temporal—set aside for contemplation, for noiseless recalibration of the soul, and in contemporary American culture there are almost none. Our social rituals are constrained by the incessant soundtrack imposed in our public spaces, and our places of worship, by and large, have given themselves over to a muzak-based sense of liturgy that tells us at every step of the way what to feel and with what intensity.

Music gets its import from both the ordering of sound and silence in time. Where there is no silence, music begins to lose its distinction. And we as listeners are numbed by the aural wallpaper.

Arts Articles

This year marks the 150 anniversary of Edward Elgar’s birth. An assessment of the English composer’s life and legacy appear in the New York Times.


Anglican Church officials announced that the new Anglican church hymnals in Jamaica will include reggae songs by Bob Marley and Peter Tosh⎯despite the fact that they were Rastafarians who vocally opposed Christianity.

While Elton John may go a bit far (with a lot of things), his comments about the dangers of the self indulgent art produced by individuals and computers is right on target. There is indeed a much needed component of community within artistic endeavors.

How Relevant is Bach, Part IV

Fourthly, Bach committed himself to teaching others for the purpose of raising up future church musicians and laity who could worship through song. In Johann Sebastian Bach: An Introduction to His Life and Music, Russell H. Miles points out that “Bach’s interest and patience in helping young people is unique among the great composers.” Bach scholar Christoph Wolff wrote that “Bach was one of the most active, dedicated, and prolific teachers the world has seen” (Johann Sebastian Bach: The Learned Musician). Students lived with him and his family and even moved with him at various times. Based on the number of active students, Bach taught at least four to six professional level students at any given time. By all accounts, his students were devoted to him throughout the rest of their lives.

Most importantly, Bach did not teach dry technique, but passed along life lessons in the application of theology to music. Wolff states that, “Bach explored, probed, and taught the principles that govern music—not only its physical, technical side but also its spiritual and emotional dimension.” A selfless leader is one who is willing to share their knowledge to future generations for the Glory of God.

Part of Bach’s teaching technique included building upon the prior generations of composers and understanding the timelessness of objectively good art. By thinking multi-generationally and not just composing music for the passing style, Bach created a lasting legacy which is just as relevant and affective as when it was written. Working with a view towards the permanent is a reflection of God’s immutability and the covenantal nature of God’s action in history and of his people. Fads and fashions pass away, but those things built on the foundation of the Word of God will last.

Bach’s life illustrates the nature of thinking covenantally and inter-generationally. He was far more successful in leaving an inheritance to subsequent generations than he was in creating change in his own time. Although he stood firm against the secular thought of his day, the fruit of his labors was not fully appreciated for another 70-80 years; however, his influence and example have been incalculable ever since.

Principle #8: Part of leading worship is looking towards the development of subsequent generations of musicians grounded on issues of permanence and with knowledge of the history of Church worship.

Principle #9: Worship leaders should build on the foundation of the past instead of replacing it, relying more on the Biblical notion of craftsmanship rather than the humanist concept of originality.

Fifthly, Sebastian Bach understood the grace of the Gospel and his daily need for that grace. Motivated by an overflowing of love, Bach consistently worked in response to that love through sacrificial service. Bach often started musical scores with J.J. for Jesu Juva (Jesus, help me) and ended them with S.D.G. for Soli Deo Gloria (To the Glory of God Alone). Anyone as talented and gifted as Bach could have turned his art or the perfection of his art into a god or transformed their efforts in legalistic piety. Bach did neither, and his legacy remains as a humble artist fully aware of his need for repentance and rejoicing in the free gift of God’s grace and the promise of eternal life.

Principle 10: Reliance on God’s grace alone—S.D.G.

Bach understood that excellence is its own apologetic of the gospel. All truth is God’s truth. But all beauty is also God’s beauty and all goodness flows from Him as well. The very pursuit of his artistic calling provided, and continues to provide, a rebuke to shallow aesthetics—those things that are transient, temporary, or trendy. The permanent things—those that are true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent and worthy of praise—are profitable to think on. Beauty, finding its source in God and as one of His attributes, reflects the nature and character of God in a powerful and transcendent manner. His adherence to biblical objective standards in his work instilled his music with an ageless quality that secured for him an enduring legacy in succeeding generations.

Having its source in God, true beauty points to the reality of the great Sovereign in a manner the false beauty of the world can never do. Paired with truth and goodness, beauty can excite the “joy” and yearning that C.S. Lewis said set him in search of Christianity.

Worship Leaders: We should pursue craftsmanship and excellence in the calling to lead in worship. Rely not on inspiration but dedicated labor. Flee from the transient fashions of the day which may be momentarily rewarding but which will stagnate your art. Dig deep into the well of scripture and apply it not as a script for your art, but as the very weave of your approach, materials, goals, purpose, content, and work habits. In all things, remain steadfast for the glory of Christ’s kingdom and not your own. The biblical standards and theological motivation behind Bach’s work still resonate to the Church in every era and place.

How Relevant is Bach, Part III

Thirdly, Bach understood the unique character and content of corporate worship. Although Bach wrote of all his music to the glory of God and in a manner of biblical beauty, he also understood the difference between what was liturgically appropriate and what was better left for Zimmerman’s—the local coffee house and pub. There should be a separation between what is acceptable in a Christian concert versus what we sing in corporate worship. The intent is different; therefore, the lyric content, manner of playing and singing, musical arrangements, and delivery should be different as well. Because we have forfeited suitable venues to express art in the culture from a biblical perspective, we have pulled into worship forms and content that ought not be part of corporate worship. There is an appropriate and needed place for songs about personal spiritual journeys, the joys and sorrows of the Christian life, and the communal fellowship of the saints in covenantal life; however, the truth of these artistic expressions does not necessarily commend them to corporate worship where the emphasis is Almighty God and His nature and character.

The beauty of Zimmerman’s Coffee House in Leipzig was that it created a venue for people from the town to gather in community and to enjoy the culture of their city. Bach worked diligently to create works of beauty for the coffee house, and that venue enabled him to explore musical, lyrical, and thematic elements that expressed the glories of the Christian life but in a manner that would not have been acceptable in church. Bach wrote musical satire, songs about coffee (a suspect beverage at the time) and domestic life, and instrumental music of great virtuosity—including works for four harpsichords and orchestra. While we seek the integrity of corporate worship, we should also encourage the opportunity for expression of artistic gifts in the culture outside of worship.

Principle #6: How a worship leader plays and leads in worship should be different from the playing at a recital, coffeehouse, or concert.

Principle #7: Worship leaders should choose songs and musical arrangements that are ecclesiastically appropriate—what is appropriate in other venues may not be for corporate worship. The criteria for what is ecclesiastically appropriate refers not only to text but also music, the combination of text and music, arrangements, and execution.

How Relevant is Bach, Part II

Secondly, Bach was a consummate craftsman who sought to perfect his art. He understood that God is the ultimate source and objective standard of beauty. As such, Bach’s desire was to present to God that which was most beautiful. Bach relentlessly pursued knowledge and practice in all areas of his art—from musical exercises and problems to acoustics, instrument design, and metallurgy and woodworking. His goal, though ultimately humanly unattainable, was no less than striving to love God with all his heart, soul, strength, and mind and using and developing his talents to their utmost. Approaching human endeavors with a Godly mindset of excellence or perfection renders a legacy that astounds the watching world.

Reaching towards what was possibly attainable in his art, striving for perfection, being satisfied with nothing less than his best could have made Bach a slave to legalism or a tyrant impatient with the performers of his works. The reason this was not the case, however, was that Bach understood the Reformational teaching sola gratia—by grace alone. Bach’s efforts were a musical offering, a sacrifice of praise, which flowed in grateful response to a loving God. Bach was not trying to win God’s favor or notice; he rested comfortably in God’s love, and his work was the overwhelmed response of a sinner who knows God’s forgiveness. For Bach, striving towards perfection and offering God his best were not a burden, but a joyful expression of thanksgiving and praise.

Principle #3: A worship leader should be a perpetual student of their craft seeking to understand the theological basis of the very inner workings of music.

Principle #4: A worship leader should seek excellence in their work and consistently strive to improve their talents and abilities by growing in skill and depth—musically and theologically.

Principle #5: Worship should be accessible yet excellent.

How Relevant is Bach to our Contemporary Church

The following is part of an article I wrote for ByFaith magazine:

Johann Sebastian Bach was a musical genius, an intellectual giant, and a gracious man. Bach’s achievement in the area of music is one of the greatest tour de forces in the history of the world⎯on par with, or surpassing, that of Shakespeare, Michelangelo, Dante, Leonardo, Rembrandt, Milton, Aristotle, Augustine, or Aquinas. Bach was that great and significant. Even more compelling is the fact that he consciously and deliberately wrote all of his music from a Christian perspective and for the Glory of God.

Bach functioned on a multiplicity of levels: he conserved past styles and musical elements but innovated new forms and styles; he crafted his art and brought it to the highest imaginable summit while creating timeless works of beauty; as an artisan, he perfected his art with almost scientific precision while remaining lively and accessible to average listeners; as a communicator, he clearly conveyed a message while simultaneously embedding layers of symbolism⎯musical and extra-musical⎯that require studious inquiry to uncover.

As Hans Rookmakker once wrote, we must bring the Gospel to bear in the time in which God has placed us. Trying to return to a former musical epoch is chronological arrogance—whether it is the 18th century or the 1980’s. However, whether or not you ever sing his music in your church, Sebastian Bach still has much to teach us concerning the role of worship leader as well as a biblical approach to the arts. The principles of his application of the timeless Gospel to the how, why, what, and when of worship are just as appropriate, and needed, today.

Firstly, Bach was a theologian who clearly and firmly understood the Gospel. Bach’s personal understanding of biblical truth resonates throughout his music as he presents sound and weighty doctrine in a manner that challenges the listener to consider issues of the faith. The margin notes he wrote in his personal Bible testify to the depth of Bach’s knowledge and study of scripture and clearly indicate he was a thorough student of scripture—especially as it related to his specific calling. That fact should come as no surprise considering the careful and instructive manner in which he set scripture texts to music and used scripture to comment on other texts.

Bach preached musical sermons of theological complexity that explored the problem of sin and need for redemption as well as the path of grace and the way that Christ has made to fulfill the law and bring true freedom. His are no vague and sentimental works of dubious religiosity, but rather a firm assertion of the doctrines of grace as outlined in Reformation teachings. At the time of securing his position in Leipzig, Bach freely signed a statement indicating that he subscribed to the beliefs of sola Scriptura, sola gratia and sola fide and none other. Bach expressed a real and profound hope in eternal life and the resurrection of Christ. He readily identified himself as a sinner in need of God’s grace and mercy, he looked expectantly for redemption, and he expressed these beliefs through music.

In addition to the gospel-centered content of his vocal music, Bach’s faith and knowledge gave him the courage to stand against the erosion of biblical theology by the ideas of the Enlightenment. This struggle caused him decades of turmoil and strife, but he refused to relinquish his belief in the authority of scripture. After all, as a child of the Reformation, sola Scriptura was the bedrock of his faith—scripture alone as the rule and guide for all of life.
Bach was aware of the cultural trends and ideas of his day that demanded more subjective sensation in music, but he rejected those ideas based on his understanding of scripture.

Principle #1: A worship leader should be a student of Scripture who is constantly seeking to reform their ideas, worship, and aesthetics to the Word of God. God is the standard of beauty and excellence—our worship should seek after biblical excellence and objective beauty, goodness, and truth.

Principle #2: A worship leader should seek to understand the role of music and liturgy in worship in teaching doctrine—not only on a week-by-week basis but in the macrocosm of the life of the church.

Current Listening and Viewing

Orlando di Lassus (ca. 1532-1594)

On this date in 1594, Orlando di Lassus, the greatest composer of his age, died in Munich. Lassus is another one of those composers who has several variations and forms to his name. He is known as:
Orlande de Lassus
Roland di Lasso

In 1532, he was born in Mons, a Frankish-Flemish town in Northern Europe. The legend goes that he was such a fine singer as a boy that he was kidnapped three times for the sake of his voice. At the age of 12, in 1544, he entered the service of Ferrante Gonzaga and journeyed with him to Italy where he served in Mantua, Naples, Florence, Sicily, and Rome.

In 1553, at the age of 21, Lassus became the music director at St. John’s Lateran in Rome. A year later he returned home to Mons and began the supervision of the publication of his early madrigals and motets.

In 1558, he married Regina Wackinger. By 1563, he was named the Music Director of the Bavarian court—a position which required him to provide numerous sacred compositions. In his capacity with the court, Lassus traveled around the major European musical centers to recruit singers. As such, his own international reputation became more defined and secure.

In 1574, the Pope made him a Knight of the Golden Spur. Over the next five years, Lassus traveled to Vienna and Italy and his five volumes of sacred music were published.

Lassus died on June 14, 1594 in Munich.

In total, Lassus wrote more than 2000 works—many of which were published in his lifetime and highly regarded by his contemporaries.

Because Lassus traveled for much of his life, he was able to blend the best of several national styles in his own music—“the beauty and expressiveness of Italian melody, the charm and elegance of French text-setting, and the solidity and richness of the Flemish and German polyphony.” In addition, Lassus filled his works with his own unique ability to evoke dramatic and emotional responses through his music.

Not just a “serious” composer, Lassus was light-hearted, witty, and rambunctious as well as devotional and expressive.

Current Reading

Tomaso Albinoni (1671-1751)

Yesterday was the anniversary of the birth of Venetian Baroque composer, Tomaso Albinoni in 1671. Although famous in his lifetime for his fifty operas, he is most remembered for instrumental music including his oboe concertos and the “Adagio in G minor”—a later reconstruction from some of his works. Of Albinoni’s operas, twenty-eight of them were produced in Venice in a period of 27 years.

J.S. Bach wrote at least two fugues based on themes from Albinoni and utilized his bass lines for instructing students in harmony.

The Erato recording of Adagios is a great place to start listening to Albinoni.

Current Listening

Bach in Leipzig

On this day in 1723, J.S. Bach was introduced to his new students at the St. Thomas School in Leipzig. His first official day was May 30, the first Sunday after Trinity Sunday, and one of Bach’s cantatas was sung in the service. At the time Bach took up his post as cantor, the St. Thomas Choir already had a Protestant tradition spanning a hundred and seventy years. Bach’s position was a combination of school teacher and church musician and he remained in this post until his death in 1750.

Bach first few years in Leipzig were marked by a prodigious outpouring of music for the service of the church. In a period of about thirty months, Bach wrote almost one hundred and fifty church cantatas. At the very least, the St. John and St. Matthew Passions were products of his first four years. Other music written during these years included motets, choral movements from the Mass, and the Easter Oratorio.

As Robin Leaver explains, the texts of the cantatas were closely associated with the hymn of the day, the Gospel of the day, the exposition of the Gospel in the sermon and the confession of faith in Luther’s creedal hymn. The texts themselves consisted of Bible verses and passages, stanzas from hymns, and religious poetry, all designed to highlight and illustrate a theme from Scripture.

Bach wrote the music of the cantatas to reflect the various texts and to provide a musical illustration of the theological content of the words. These were intended as musical sermons to edify the congregation and to bring glory to God through the proclamation of truth. The text generally opens with a passage from the prescribed Gospel lesson as a point for departure and is sung by the full choir. Explanations of the passage in the form of other scripture references, doctrinal statements, or elements of the original text are conveyed through recitative (short, declamatory sections) and aria (lyrical movements for solo or duet). As Bach scholar Christoph Wolff wrote. the “considerations of the consequences to be drawn from the lesson and the admonition to conduct a true Christian life” is also expressed through recitative and aria. The cantata concludes with the use of a hymn stanza which acts as a corporate prayer with the congregation joining in with the singing.

Current Reading

Gustav Holst

On this day in 1934, English composer and educator Gustav Holst died at the age of 59. Born in 1874, Holst was born into a musical family—the grandson of a harpist, his father was an organist, pianist, and choirmaster, and his mother was a singer. Holst began composing around the age of twelve having already learned to play the piano and violin.

He studied music at the Royal College of Music in London where he met his fellow student, and lifelong friend, Ralph Vaughan Williams. In 1905 he became the Director of Music St. Paul’s Girls’ School in Hammersmith, London—a post he held over the next two decades.

Along with Vaughan Williams, Holst became interested in the simplicity and distinctiveness of English folk songs. These melodies greatly influenced his own compositions.

Holst liked to ramble and walked extensively throughout England as well as France, Italy, and Spain. He traveled also to Algeria, Arab areas of the world, and completed a bicycle tour of the Algerian Sahara. He believed that the best way to elarn about a city was to get lost in it.

Holst wrote more than 200 works (including ballets, opera, songs, and brass ensemble works), but by far his most famous is the orchestral suite The Planets (1916). This piece is divided into seven movements and each relates a different personality. For instance, Mars is the bringer of war and the music reflects the bellicose nature of the planet (so much so that Han Zimmer quoted elements of this movement for the soundtrack to Gladiator). The Planets made Holst celebrity and kept him busy composing, conducting, and lecturing.

In 2007, BBC Radio 4 presented a radio drama called “The Bringer of Peace” which was a biographical play about Holst and the creation of The Planets.

Choral Evensong On-Line

The BBC Radio 3 is kind enough to broadcast weekly evensong services and to make the services available on-line. They also have a host of other interesing art music programs.

Current Listening

Music for Zimmerman's

J.S. Bach understood the unique character and content of corporate worship. Although Bach wrote of all his music to the glory of God and in a manner of biblical beauty, he also understood the difference between what was liturgically appropriate and what was better left for Zimmerman’s—the local coffee house and pub. There should be a separation between what is acceptable in a Christian concert versus what we sing in corporate worship. The intent is different; therefore, the lyric content, manner of playing and singing, musical arrangements, and delivery should be different as well. Because we have forfeited suitable venues to express art in the culture from a biblical perspective, we have pulled into worship forms and content that ought not be part of corporate worship. There is an appropriate and needed place for songs about personal spiritual journeys, the joys and sorrows of the Christian life, and the communal fellowship of the saints in covenantal life; however, the truth of these artistic expressions does not necessarily commend them to corporate worship where the emphasis is Almighty God and His nature and character.

The beauty of Zimmerman’s Coffee House in Leipzig was that it created a venue for people from the town to gather in community and to enjoy the culture of their city. Bach worked diligently to create works of beauty for the coffee house, and that venue enabled him to explore musical, lyrical, and thematic elements that expressed the glories of the Christian life but in a manner that would not have been acceptable in church. Bach wrote musical satire, songs about coffee (a suspect beverage at the time) and domestic life, and instrumental music of great virtuosity—including works for four harpsichords and orchestra. While we seek the integrity of corporate worship, we should also encourage the opportunity for expression of artistic gifts in the covenantal community outside of worship.

Heinrich Schütz (1585-1672)

Born in 1585 to an inn-keeper, Heinrich Schütz, the great Church composer, learned music from the local church and then pursued studies in law. When a Landgrave heard his musical abilities, he offered to pay for Schütz to study in Italy. Schütz spent several profitable years studying with Gabrieli in Venice. At his death, Gabrieli left Schütz his signet ring as a token of his respect for his abilities and warm friendship. Schütz said of his studies:

“Gabrieli—What a man he was…After I had been but a short time with my teacher, I found out how important and difficult was the study of composition…and I realized that I still had a poor foundation in it. From this time on I put away all my previous studies and devoted myself to the study of music alone. Upon the publication of my first humble work Giovanni Gabrieli urged me with great warmth to continue the study of music.”

Schütz returned to Italy after the death of his wife to study with Claudio Montverdi for a short time. When he returned to Germany this time, he stayed in the employ of the Duke of Saxony for the rest of his life.

Schütz’s ambition was to take the ideas of Martin Luther with regard to music and worship and translate them into practical use. He wrote a series of pieces for choir on the Psalms of David using Luther’s own Biblical translation so that the text would be understandable to the people. In addition, he set the text in such a way that the music enhanced and elaborated the meaning of the words to give greater clarity. Schütz also composed the music for the Becker Psalter.

The German Requiem, several settings of the Passion, The Christmas Story, “The Last Words of Christ,” and more than 500 extant works testify to his desire for good liturgical music to be available for the worship of the Church. Since many of his other works were destroyed by fire, war, and other causes, his full output is unknown.

Schütz died on 7 November 1672 after living a full life and composing to his last days. He was survived by his granddaughter and great granddaughter. Schütz was born 100 years after Luther and 100 years before Bach. He did more than anyone to establish Luther’s ideas about worship in such a manner that enabled Bach to build upon his foundation in his own remarkable way. Schütz’s music is energetic, complex, understandable, and a wonderful testimony of God’s faithfulness and glory.

Worship Notes: Good Friday Service

From the early days of her worship, the Church utilized the Passion story either sung or recited from scripture. These passages formed an important element of their Holy Week observances.

In the fourth century, a Spanish nun named Egeria took a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. One of the foremost elements in her travel journal was the liturgy and worship observed in Jerusalem. “Her account of the services held during Holy Week includes the earliest surviving reference to the chanting of the Passion story.” Sometime at the end of the fourth or beginning of the fifth century, Augustine of Hippo made a reference to this same tradition, and by the middle of the fifth century, Pope Leo the Great codified the use of the Passion narrative during Holy Week. According to his directives, the Passion story from St. Matthew’s gospel should be chanted in the services for Palm Sunday and Wednesday of Holy Week and the Passion narrative from St. John’s gospel should be utilized on Good Friday.

Subsequent changes over the next five hundred years included the addition of the Passion according to St. Luke on Wednesday and the St. Mark Passion story on Tuesday of Holy Week. The height of musical settings of the Passion occurred during the 18th century with Johann Sebastian Bach’s St. John Passion and St. Matthew Passion.

Our service at Parish Pres next week continues the great tradition of the Church. We will gather on Good Friday in order to contemplate the death of Christ, mourn for our sins, and seek forgiveness in preparation for the celebration of Christ’s resurrection on Easter Sunday morning. The service includes the reading of the Passion story from the book of John as well as congregational hymns, responses, choral music, and communion.

Happy Birthday, Sebastian!

Johann Sebastian Bach was a musical genius, an intellectual giant, and a gracious man. Bach’s achievement in the area of music is one of the greatest tour de forces in the history of the world - on par with, or surpassing, that of Shakespeare, Michelangelo, Dante, Leonardo, Rembrandt, Milton, Aristotle, Augustine, or Aquinas. Bach was that great and significant. Even more compelling is the fact that he consciously and deliberately wrote all of his music from a Christian perspective and for the Glory of God.

Bach was able to function on a multiplicity of levels: a conservator of past styles and musical elements and an innovator of new forms and styles; a craftsman who brought his art to the highest imaginable summit while creating timeless works of beauty; an artisan who perfected his art with almost scientific precision while remaining lively and accessible to average listeners; a communicator who clearly conveyed a message while simultaneously embedding layers of symbolism - musical and extra-musical - that requires studious inquiry to uncover.

Sebastian Bach remains an agent of the power of cultural change through his clear presentation of the gospel in his work, his commitment to biblical excellence, and his reformational approach to cultural change. In all these areas he provides a corrective and example of how to fulfill the calling of an artist from a biblical perspective and how to engage the world.

May the Thunder of the Desert, Rain Blessing on Our Heads

I’m becoming increasingly convinced that one element of post-modern worship music is lyrics filled with disjointed images. The lines themselves may refer to Scripture or an image from Scripture, or an application of a biblical concept, but the combination of the lines only serve to deliver a hodge-podge of diverse images that have nothing to do with one another, seem to be chosen for their rhyming potential, and do not work as a systematic line of reasoning or discourse which grants any sort of understanding.

The images of Scripture form a rich tapestry of recognizable and consistent ideas that promote an intellectual and emotional understanding. There is inherent unity, repetition, expansion, and irony that is possible because of the context and connection of these references.

This is rarely true in lyrics that seem to rely upon a “cool” concept or “safe” religious words. If stuck for a two-syllable word, “holy” generally works well. Sometimes “holy, holy” is effective. Forget about the biblical, Trinitarian repetition of holy—especially if you’re only lacking four syllables. Of course, “hallelujah” works for four syllables as well.

The dripping emotionalism of God being “the air we breath,” of Jesus thinking of me “above all” others while on the cross (not you, but me—Jesus loves me best), of the “passion in the art,” the resolve that we make to live in the light of the reformation truth of Soli Deo Gloria (which contradicts the Reformation teaching), the subjective assessment of God being altogether lovely, worthy, and wonderful to me because of my personal experience with Him, and songs that talk about the fact that we’re just about ready to sing about the fact that we are planning on joining in worship after we sing about what God is going to do when we do finally get around to worshipping.

The other thing I can’t understand is why it takes three of four people to write a song with four lines of repeated lyrics and two lines of music.

It bears repeating that even though lyrics may be biblically true, they may not be presented in a manner that is good or beautiful. In fact, the very way in which they are presented may undermine the actual content. For example, we should ascribe glory to the Lord, but by the time we’ve repeated the word “glory” 25 times, have we really understood the concept of ascribing glory? Has there been a deepening of our understanding? A growing in knowledge or wisdom?

There is a burden of discourse, biblical connectivity, historical continuity, and intellectual as well as emotional instruction that should be inherent in the songs we sing. Artsy images may catch our imagination, but having been caught, where do they ultimately lead.

Education: Why Music is More Important than the Other Arts

Although we have a sense that the arts are an important part of a child’s education, typically our approach has more to do with a secular understanding than a biblical approach. A smattering of knowledge about the great composers and artists usually suffices.

However, even our measure of who is “great” has much more to do with secular criteria than with a biblical model of artistic objectives.

The importance of music education is to train worshippers. God calls some to be artists; God calls all to worship. As such, the focus and aim of music education is to train and equip students to learn to read, understand, analyze, critique, and create music for the purpose of worshipping well in spirit and in truth. Music itself can be true—not just the lyrics. Since beauty is an attribute of God, ought we not to offer back to Him in worship that which is truly and objectively beautiful? As such, we need to better understand the nature of music to more fully assess its worth and objective value.

In order to that, we need to train students in music for a task greater than recognizing the melodies of symphonies. I love the arts and have taught art history and aesthetics for a number of years; however, to give equal weight to the visual arts and to music in education short changes our ability to worship well. The fact that we do not have a fully integrated concept of music in education is testimony to the triumph of Enlightenment principles.

For the sake of worship, we must restore music to its rightful and equal place in the “core” curriculum of our education.

Psalm 66:1-4 (ESV)
Shout for joy to God, all the earth; sing the glory of his name;
give to him glorious praise!
Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds!
So great is your power that your enemies come cringing to you.
All the earth worships you and sings praises to you;
they sing praises to your name.”

Worship Notes 19 January

Following are some of the controlling principles with regard to the leading of worship that should be helpful from the congregational perspective as well:

• Worship is not performance
• The role of leading and facilitating worship is for the purpose of encouraging the congregation in worship, not to worship “at” them
• Arrangements and songs should be chosen that are ecclesiastically appropriate—what is appropriate in other venues may not be appropriate for corporate worship
• The criteria for what is ecclesiastically appropriate refers to text, music, the combination text and music, arrangements, and execution
• Worship should be accessible yet excellent
• As musicians, we should be growing in skill and depth—musically and theologically
• Craftsmanship is a biblical concept; originality is a humanist concept
• How we play and lead should be different than how we play and sing at a recital, coffeehouse, or concert
• God is the standard of beauty and excellence—our worship should seek after biblical excellence and objective beauty, goodness, and truth

More Thoughts on Worship

I still maintain that we often ask the wrong questions about issues of theology and worship. As a result, we create opposing categories which are not really in opposition because they both contain the same erroneous thinking. As such, I offer a critique of both modern and traditional worship with the caveat that despite the surface negativity, the affirmation of those things which are good and true and beauty about worship should be apparent.

Things I dislike about "Modern" Worship:
• Rejection of the past through chronological arrogance
• Effeminate music
• Lack of printed music to encourage part singing
• Being "worshipped at" instead of led in worship
• Instruments played in a secular, instead of Biblical, manner
• Disjointed images and truth conveyed in unbeautiful ways
• The following of cultural trends
• Lack of intentionality
• Lack of holy ruts
• Slave to tradition


Things I dislike about "Traditional" Worship:
• Acceptance of the past through chronological arrogance
• Stodgy music
• 1950's form of liturgy—three hymns and a sermon
• Empty traditionalism; focus on externals
• The discouraging of children in church
• Failure to be constantly reforming
• Formality for formalities sake
• Solemn and funereal communion
• Stuck in non-holy ruts
• Slave to tradition

Effeminate Music

Now before I get blasted before I even get started, there is nothing wrong with feminine music; however, since Yahweh created Man male and female, the current lack of masculine music in the Church is troubling.

The ancient Greeks were highly concerned with the power of music to shape character. Wimpy music would produce effeminate men feared Plato. I believe such a thing has occurred in the modern evangelical church.

The use, or misuse, of bass lines is one of the most egregious examples. In the feminization of the American church, we’ve eliminated strong bass lines and thus have eliminated the need and place for men to sing manly music. In some songs we’ve removed bass vocal lines altogether. I have even been in church situations in which worship teams have sung hymns a capella but without a bass line!

Another element that weakens ecclesiastical music is poor vocal technique that makes breathy singing the norm. The full use of the voice, vocal projection, and good breath support is unnecessary, and actually undesirable, when microphones and amplification are used.

In addition, theology that presents God as a cosmic teddy bear who longs to have us climb in his lap and run his fingers through our hair while telling us he loves us is a far cry from singing the psalms that ask God to destroy his enemies. How many modern hymnals leave out the third verse of “Be Thou My Vision” (Be thou my battle shield, Sword for my fight) or “The Son of God Goes Forth to War” because they are too militaristic?

All of these elements leave church-going men without a vocal line to sing, no opportunity to sing robustly, and lyrics that major on emotional theology and not a balanced approach of emotional and intellectual truth.

The Christmas Oratorio

On January 6, 1735, J.S. Bach premiered the sixth, and final section, of his Christmas Oratorio.

One of the things that I appreciate about the music of Sebastian Bach is the liturgical context of his work which integrated with worship services. This fact is true with regard to the six-part Christmas Oratorio (1734-35)—a work written and conceived as a who