Comments on: Is An Evangelical Art Music Possible?

By: mraley

mraley — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 23:35:20 +0000

Agreed about Josquin! Luther could be a bit over-the-top.

By: Nancy Gifford(ASCAP)

Nancy Gifford(ASCAP) — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 14:45:19 +0000

Interesting article. I am inclined to suggest that Martin Luther’s condemnation of the sublime music of Josquin to hell might have been inappropriate. Rather, as a Christian musician, might I redeem Josquin’ s choral music, imagining it to be sung by a competent and inspired heavenly choir? Let he or she who has ears hear……

By: Adrian Keister

Adrian Keister — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 18:18:06 +0000

Yes, I am related to Lane Keister. He’s my identical twin brother.

By: mraley

mraley — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 03:07:51 +0000

Jami,

I think you’re onto a key thing. The professionalization of music ministry in the last thirty years has been almost exclusively in the pop direction. It has absolutely driven out the kind of orally received music you’re talking about. Indeed, in many places, such traditions probably can’t be restored. A lot depends on how effectively pastors can break down suburban isolation, and I see some good signs there.

Thanks so much for writing!

By: Jami Blakeley

Jami Blakeley — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 00:52:41 +0000

This is a fascinating blog entry. I come at this subject from a slightly different direction. I’m a banjo player interested in Old Time American folk music. My real link to a living folk music tradition, though, was from my experience growing up in a rural church in Oklahoma. I’m not a regular church attendee, but it certainly seems that, with the exception of some very isolated churches, this tradtion is dead. You indicated that you “have argued that the folk singing dynamic can be recovered, and the richness of local church cultures gradually restored.” Sadly, I wonder if this is the case. I’m not trying to step on any toes (especially yours, since I agree with a great deal of what you said in this post), but I wonder if the problem isn’t what music ministers are presenting to their congregations, but the fact that there are professional music ministers at all. In the churches I grew up in, music was led and made by ordinary people from the congregation who were “talented.” They didn’t receive formal training and therefore had to draw on the music lore they had gathered “orally” in the community.

By: mraley

mraley — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 18:22:28 +0000

Chris,

I’m encouraged to hear about your work! I’d love to hear some examples, if you have link.

I like your questions about musical absolutes. There have been many attempts to create, as you call it, a second-tier dogmatics of music, some more sophisticated than others, but none successful. I don’t think, for example, that there are physical properties that “prove” diatonic harmony to be “correct.” Nor do I think that God “inspired” certain genres of music. The closest we could come to that would be the Psalms, which of course lack the original Hebrew lead sheets.

I think the dogmatics of all the worship arts should be founded on the intent of the artist, as I believe you suggest. Form, it seems to me, has to be evaluated for how it serves intent. Same goes for style. It think it’s a mistake to absolutize forms.

Thanks so much for your encouragement on the book!

Blessings,
Matt

By: Christopher Zodrow

Christopher Zodrow — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:02:07 +0000

Matthew,
Wonderful thoughts here. Very encouraging. Both my wife and I are musicians, albeit of a less refined tradition than your own. But, nevertheless, we are working outside of the primary stream of modern evangelicalism. Not intentionally so, as to make some kind of “point”, but because we are attempting to tap into the musical traditions that are not of the current “popular” kind, and to synthesize our interests. This was not planned so much as it comes from our own life experiences.

I have a question: Bach is, of course, an exemplar. But, is it right to create a sort of second-tier dogmatics of music taken from historical sources outside of Scripture? In other words, what constitutes the “absolute” of acceptable expression? Does it boil down to intent+form? The intent is clearly defined, but the form seems flexible- bounded by intent(?).

I am currently reading your second book. I must say, I have not read anything as incisive and thoughtful from a modern evangelical in many years. You write like William Gibson (think Pattern Recognition), with a heart like Francis Schaeffer. Great stuff. I keep interrupting my wife’s day to read her something from it.

Take care,
Chris

By: mraley

mraley — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 22:31:46 +0000

Thanks, Adrian!I checked out Greg Wilbur’s blog, and I’ll look for his books as well. His ministry looks very helpful! Thanks for the recommendations!

I have heard a lot about Ken Myers, but haven’t read his book. I’ll have to find it.

Thanks so much for your encouragement! Would you happen to be related to Lane Keister, pastor and keyboardist extraordinaire?

By: Adrian Keister

Adrian Keister — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 02:03:53 +0000

Hi. My name is as you see. I’ve been greatly enjoying your blog. I subscribe to many blogs, but yours is about the only one such that I read every post carefully. You sound like someone who has read All God’s Children and Blue Suede Shoes, by Ken Myers. If you haven’t read it, I’d recommend it. He has some very powerful arguments in favor of the things you favor (for example, a de-emphasis on pop culture, and a moving towards folk and high culture, as he defines them).

Although he doesn’t post all that regularly, I’d also recommend Greg Wilbur’s blog over at:

http://wilburianblog.blogspot.com/.

Finally, if you haven’t read Greg Wilbur’s book on Bach, called Glory and Honor, I’d recommend that to you as well.

God bless.