INTRODUCTION
It is often said, that music attunes the heart of
God. That is like saying music is
inseparable from God, like word is inseparable from Him; since the Word is said
to be God according to John 1:1. “In
the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was
God. He was in the beginning with God.” Incidentally, we made use of word in
music! Even music without word is
equally powerful. We learnt of Davidic
instrumental music, as a device to exorcise Demons! Against this background, biblical music or
church music which combines the word with tonal power is like power raise to
power 2.
Music is one of the greatest gifts to us from God.
It changes how we feel, energizes us and
speak to us in ways like nothing else can.
Brain research from the last two decades has shown an amazing thing.
Studies have revealed that listening to music
can improve social interaction, spatial reasoning, and even test scores.
Hence it is encouraging to children when
parents play music at home, or a variety of music to enhance the emotional
stability of their children.
HISTORY OF CHURCH MUSIC.
Music is a science, and that is because musical
characters: forms of sounds and letters, or notes are scientifically
discerned.
The different kinds of sounds
one makes are represented by the letters of the alphabet, A-G.
However, the putting together of sounds, and
the arrangement of musical instrument, and voices that make sense in
composition is itself an art of science.
That can be traced not only in the
contemporary times, but even from time out of mind.
Jubal, the brother of Jabal was the first musician on the
earth.
He was said to be the father of
all those who play the harp and flute.
Not only that, there are several other
references from the Holy scriptures to convince us that “the Bible itself
magnifies music.”
This is against the background that out of
the 66 books in the entire scriptures, about 44 of the books includes psalms,
hymns or spiritual songs, with references to occasions where music and
musicians are employed.
Even, there are
more than five hundred accounts of admonitions for God’s people to praise God
with instruments and voices.
From time immemorial, music has always been associated
with worship, without which, worship may be worst than being in the
graveyard.
The Hebrew people loved and
used music so much in the worship of Yahweh that an average choir or orchestra
was in the neighbohood of 200 to 288 for Ezra 2:65, or Davidic choir.
They stopped extensive music only in
Babylonian captivity, because they repudiated singing the Lord’s song in the
land of captivity.
Notwithstanding, that
tradition of singing to the Lord was carried over into the time of Christ, the
early church and even it was a model for the 20
th century
Christianity.
The Hebrew music life may be categorized into
religious, social, economic and political, to show that virtually every event in
Hebrew’s life is accompanied by music.
Let us examine this in turn.
The creation song is rendered in Job 38:4-7, while idol
worship was even accompanied by music!
The song of dedication is rendered in 2Chronicles 5:12-14; the song of
worship and funerals is rendered in 1 Chronicles 16:4-7, 2 Chronicles 30:21 and
2 Chronicles 35:25. Sacrifices and
feasts’ song is rendered in 2 Chronicles 29:27-30. Songs were rendered in the prison (Acts 16:25) by the apostle Paul and
Silas, even the return of the prodigal son attracts a celebrative song in Lk. 15:25. In James 5:13, we found singing as it is
attracted by happiness.
In social gatherings like partings (Gen. 31:27), weddings
(Jer. 7:34), and mental and
physical effect (2 Kg.
3:15), songs are used
extensively. Likewise in the grape
gathering in Isaiah 16:10;
27:2 gives the economic impulse of music; while the political undertone is
reflected in coronations (1 Kings 1:39-40),
triumphs, or victories in war (Ex. 15:1-21; 2 Chron. 20:21-11,27-28) and a city/s destruction (Isa. 23:15-17).
Furthermore, the Hebrew music is considered to be highly
organized for the worship of God. David,
for example commanded the chiefs of the Levites to appoint their brethren as
singers who should play loudly on musical instruments like: harps, lyres and
cymbals to project the sound of joy.
Among the Levites, Chenaiaiah was the leader of music as the first music
director. He was to lead 4000 choir members
to sing praises to God. Among this army
of Praise, about 288 were skilful in handling one instrument or the other made
by David (1 Chron. 25: 7-8).
This army of praise singers and instrumentalists can be
categorized as follows: (1)
Soloists.
We have example of that in Genesis 4:21
(Jubal); and also in 1 Samuel 16:23
(David).
There is also Asaph in 1
Chronicle 16:5,7,37; Heman in 1 Chronicles 6:33; Chenaniah in 1 Chronicles
15:22,27; Jeduthun in 1 Chronicles 16:38,42; Jezariah in Nehemiah 12:42.
(2)
Duet: Deborah and Barak in Judges
5:1.
There is the (3)
women’s choir
led by Miriam in Exodus 15:21,
and Jepthah’s daughter in Judges 11:34.
We also have the
men’s chorus (4)
among the Levites in 1 Chronicles 25:1-6, and the prophets in 1 Samuel
10:5.
Mixed ensemble (5) is led
by Moses in Exodus 15:1, and David in 1 Chronicles 13:8.
Several choirs is also noticeable (6)
in Davidic Tabernacle Choir comprising of 10 men and a director in 1 Chronicles
15:12-22; 16:4-5; Solomonic Temple Choir comprising of 4000 voices, and
orchestra comprising of 288 teacher-instrumentalists, and directors in 1
Chronicles 23:5,27-32; Zerubabelic Temple Choir comprising of singing men and
women in Ezra 2:41, 65, 70; 3:10-13; 7:7,24; 10:24; Nehemiahic Temple Choir
comprising of 245 singing men and women in Nehemiah 4:18-20; 7:1,44,67,73;
10:38-39; 11:22-23; 12:27-30,43,45-46; 13,10, and lastly (7)
Composers
like Moses in Exodus 15, and Psalm 90. David has a composer, has many of the
psalms to his credit e.g 3-9, 11-15, 17-32; 34-41, 108-110; 138-145; Solomon’s
song is replete in 1 Kings 4:31-32, Psalms 72, 84-85, 87-88, and 127.
The song of Asaph is found in Psalms 50, 73,
and 83; while the song of Ethan Psalm 89 and several other psalms whose author
are unknown or perhaps controversial.
In those biblical times, the common hymnal is the
book of Psalms for all temple worship especially from the time of Solomon
onward.
The Psalms is considered as the
most wonderful collection of sacred songs known in the realm of hymnody
consisting of one hundred and fifty classic, literary gems given by inspiration
to meet the need of all times and emotions in the following categories namely:
adoration, comfort, complaint, history, humility, supplication, lament,
longing, the Messiah, penitence, petition, praise, imprecation, procession,
teaching, thanksgiving and trust.
That is to say that most of the psalms were
written primarily to be sung in varieties of ways.
Several verses of the Bible give us an idea
of the instructions for singing from the Psalms and the word of God as a
whole.
Colossians 3:16 says: Let the word
of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all
wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in
your hearts to God.
This will underscore the fact that like the Old Testament
is replete with a lot of singing activities, so also the New Testament has a
lot to do with music.
The birth of our
Lord Jesus was surrounded by music experiences beginning with Elizabeth’s song, known as the Benedictus
found in Luke 1:41-45.
The song of Mary
called the “Magnificat” is found in Luke 1:46-55, but shares some similarities
with the prayer of Hannah in 1 Samuel 2:1-10.
Likewise, Luke 1:67-80 reveals the song of Zacharias otherwise known as
the “Benedictus”; the song of the angel “Glory to God in the highest, and on
earth peace among men with whom He is pleased” is recorded in Luke 2:13-14, but
also referred to as “Gloria in Excelsis.”
Lastly, to mention but a few is the song of Simeon, recorded in Luke
2:25-32 also called the “Nunc Dimittis” as an expression of faith that the baby
Jesus is the Saviour, Christ , the Lord.
In the whole of the early Christian centuries, singing, both vocal and
instrumental, praying, and reading the Scriptures were part of the integral
part of the order of worship forms.
The above is the cistern from which the church music grows
up, and that foundation must be adhered to.
That is the source and if a river forgets its source, it dries up.
Suffice then for us to have a working
definition of church music.
According
Eveline Miller, Church music ministry is defined as a “
comprehensive,
church-wide ministry service for Christ, for all organizations and services of
the church, involving all ages and levels of appreciation and ability, and for
all members and participants of the church.”
The above working definition presupposes that
the church music is wide.
It embraces
all ages, wherein churches provide music activity for three year-olds to
provoke a logical expectation of achievement in musical knowledge and
performing ability at each age through various rehearsal.
That is to say it recognizes grading
according to the ages of the people in the church, but most importantly is
congregation singing.
The best singing
that will bring down the hand of the Majesty on High is the congregational
singing where every worshipper is actively involved in singing heartily to the
Lord.
To do that effectively, the church’ music
ministry must be maintained by the church through music appreciation, training
of persons to lead, sing, and play music activities, provide music for services
and organizations of the church, provide and interpret information regarding
the work of the church and denomination.
Against this background, this paper shall
briefly examine what has become of church music in the recent past.
Music tradition in the church, such that is described
above in both the Old and New Testament should inform the basis of what we do
today in the church, but alas most of our congregation, especially choir have
settled for high life, route singing and playing of instrument. Let us not talk about the degeneration in the
playing of musical instruments in our churches today, simply because most of
our children are not ready to learn music.
The skilful discipline of singing in parts has become a thin of the
past. Singing of hymns has been
adulterated to the effect that special arrangement of some songs has actually
distorted the image and the meaning of the song. The discipline that used to be in the choir
has degenerated into do it your own way kind of life-style.
The tradition to train congregational song leaders,
directors, accompanist etc has been neglected in some quarters. Even where the opportunity is available, it
is grossly abused. Some have neglected
it altogether, not taking advantage of it.
Even when the opportunity is utilized, it has been abused. Most of our church members that have been
given first hand training have ended up taking employment in some other
churches or perhaps they go from one church to the other. Worst still are those, like Lucifer, after
all the trainings and the gaining of the skills have ended up playing music for
the devil instead of using such gift to bless the church!
The same thing goes for song conducting.
Conducting is a universal technique.
In it, the leader employs expressions through
movements of the hands, eyes, body and nuances to communicate to his
audience.
With conducting, the song
leader interpret the song, and this acceptable or more properly understood where
there is considerable knowledge of music.
The song leader must learn this.
It is not just the waving of hands like some people do.
In conducting, the rhyme, melody, harmony
must agree with each other.
The time
signature of a sound determines the pattern of the conductor.
In songs like choruses, listen very well to
all the strong beats, then count the beats in-between them, this will give you
the time signature.
However, most choruses are in common meter of
the popular 4/4.
All these go with practice.
Kingdom work is not a lazy man’s work, and
God is not interested in lazy kids who will not want to perspire, and go for
the trouble it will take them to be properly trained. However, when you are
trained, stay in the fold.
Dot not go
with the Devil, neither should you because of one morsel like Esau sell your
birthright into the hand of the road-side theologians, who lure you into error
because of just what you can eat today.
When you do conducting, the rule is practice, practice, practice until you
become skilful to the glory of God.
Most of the folks who remain in the choir today want to
sing the contemporary music rather than the old songs.
However according to the testimony of Emily
M
Akin, the old songs renew the
Spirit.
In his testimonies, he hated the
old songs, but he did not know that God was preparing him to minister to the
needs of millions of people through the old songs.
“My lesson from this experience is that we
may not always understand God’s plan, but we should do our best, wherever we
are.
Because I learned the
“old
songs” so well as a teenager, I can more readily use them to serve others
now. The message in those songs, though
expressed in words and music of another era, is eternal.”
What are we saying in this paper? We are saying church music cannot be detached
from biblical music as found in the Old and New Testament; hence it is
necessary if our music will glorify God and bring blessing to humanity to trace
our music back to its biblical foundation, pattern, order, and style. Style comes and goes, but the principle of
the word of God is constant.
Music is essentially part of worship, and if worship is a
dialogical, dynamic and dramatic encounter between man and the triune God, in
which God is speaking to man, and man is responding positively to the effect
that transformation is taking place in the man, then the Old and New Testament
resource must be a tool in our hand in conveying that message to the people of
God.
Remember the music of Israel
consisted of songs of praise, thanksgiving, instruction, personal experience,
and historical celebration.
This calls for dedication of our self, time
and talent to God in this end time.
We have come of age to go for “more than the note, the
melody and the Harmony.” This is the
insight we have from 1 Samuel 16:17-23.
The issue here has to do with skill, precision, and dexterity. These are three words that has no substitute
if our church music will glorify God.
O
