Table of Contents

Prologue: In Defense of Music ...... 11 Part One The Musical Experience Chapter 1: The Nature of Music ...... 17 The Principle of Balance ...... 19 Balance Between Melody, Harmony, and Rhythm ...... 19 Balance Between Variety and Repetition ...... 19 The Elements of Music ...... 20 Melody ...... 21 Harmony...... 21 Rhythm...... 23 Beat ...... 24 Syncopation ...... 25 The Effects of Rhythm...... 28 Chapter 2: The Experience of Music ...... 36 Music as a Universal Experience ...... 37 Music as an Acquired Experience...... 38 Chapter 3: The Meaning of Music ...... 42 Sacred Music ...... 42 The Purpose and Role of Sacred Music...... 44 Sacred Music Conveys a Theology ...... 45 Sacred Music Is a Vehicle for Expression and Communication ...... 45 Sacred Music Is Defined Within a Cultural Setting ...... 46 Sacred Music Is God’s Delight ...... 46 Aesthetics Versus Ethics: Does Music Have Good and Evil in It?...... 47 The Greek Theory of Ethos ...... 49 The Biblical Perspective ...... 53 Appropriate Versus Inappropriate ...... 56 How Does Music Convey Meaning? ...... 57 The Real Power of Music ...... 62 Intensification ...... 62 Beautification...... 63 Stimulation and Empowerment...... 64 Associations ...... 65 The Social Factor of Music ...... 69 A Responsible Use of Music ...... 71 Concluding Remarks ...... 72 Part Two Music In the Bible and the Writings of Ellen G. White: Principles and Lessons Chapter 4: A Philosophy of Music ...... 83 Beauty ...... 83 Mental, Spiritual, and Social Growth ...... 85 Chapter 5: Music for God ...... 89 Music as a Ministry ...... 89 Music, a God-centered Activity ...... 91 Music Pleasing to God ...... 92 Joy and Reverence ...... 98 Skillfulness and Excellence...... 100 The Psalms as a Model for Worship Music ...... 101 Diversity ...... 102 The Old and the New...... 103 Chapter 6: Music in the Temple ...... 106 Organization of Music in the Temple ...... 106 Functional and Participatory Music ...... 108 Instruments in the Temple ...... 109 Harps and Lyres ...... 110 Cymbals...... 110 Trumpets ...... 111 Flutes and Drums ...... 112 Concluding Remarks ...... 114 Chapter 7: Music by the People and Among the People: A Collective Experience...... 119 Music as a Means for Edification, Encouragement, Thanksgiving, and Relationship Building...... 121 Music as an Agent for Tolerance and Respect ...... 122 Music as a Factor of Spirit and Truth: Balance Between Ecstasy and Discipline . . . 125 Formal Worship ...... 126 Emotional Worship ...... 127 Truth and Music ...... 130 Chapter 8: Music as a Personal Experience ...... 135 Music as a Factor of Growth and Transformation...... 135 Chapter 9: A Theology of Music: Concluding Remarks ...... 140 Part Three The Church’s Wrestling With Music Introduction ...... 145 Chapter 10: Singing in the Early Church...... 147 The New Testament Church ...... 147 The Church Fathers and Music ...... 150 The Council of Laodicea ...... 154 Chapter 11: Singing in the Time of the Reformation: Martin Luther . . . 161 Luther and Congregational Singing ...... 161 Luther’s Musical Background ...... 161 The Role of Singing in the Church...... 162 The Role of Singing in Society...... 162 The Practice of Contrafacta ...... 166 The Context of Contrafacta ...... 167 A Definition of Contrafacta...... 168 The Texts of Luther’s Contrafacta Chorale ...... 168 The Melodies of Luther’s Contrafacta Chorales ...... 172 Rhythm in Luther’s Chorales ...... 173 The Derhythmization of the Lutheran Chorale ...... 175 Sacred Versus Secular in Luther’s Time ...... 179 Luther’s Relevancy for Today ...... 182 Luther and Art Music ...... 187 Chapter 12: Calvin and Music...... 200 Chapter 13: The Council of Trent ...... 204 Chapter 14: Heirs of the Reformation ...... 206 Part Four The Contemporary Challenge Chapter 15: The Origins of the Popular Stream ...... 215 Chapter 16: Dissipating the Misunderstandings...... 218 Chapter 17: The Strengths of Contemporary Worship Music (CWM) . . . . 222 Chapter 18: The Challenges of CWM ...... 226 Truth in Theology ...... 227 Truth in Music ...... 228 Truth in Performance ...... 229 Technological Enhancement ...... 330 Sound Tracks ...... 231 Emotional Manipulation ...... 234 Truth in Attitude...... 235 Associations ...... 238 Concluding Remarks ...... 238 Excursus: The Case of Rock Music ...... 243 Part Five Music Ministry in the Church Chapter 19: The Role of the Pastor in Music Ministry ...... 253 Provide an Understanding of Worship to the Congregation and the Musicians . . . 254 Safeguard the Worship Values ...... 254 Safeguard the Unity of the Church...... 257 Safeguard the Relevancy of the Music ...... 259 Safeguard the Unity of Theme ...... 260 Chapter 20: The Role of the Church Musician in Music Ministry ...... 263 Understand the Nature of Worship ...... 263 Understand the Relationship Between the Pastor and His/Her Congregation. . . . 263 Understand the Role of the Musician and Music in Worship ...... 264 Chapter 21: The Pastor/Musician Relationship ...... 267 Chapter 22: The Role of the Worship Commission ...... 269 The Choice of the Worship Commission Members ...... 269 The Qualities of the Worship Commission Members...... 270 The Responsibilities of the Worship Commission ...... 272 Chapter 23: Changes in Worship and Music Through History: The Difficult Task of Change ...... 284 The Process of Change ...... 284 The Power of Tradition ...... 285 The Power of the Past...... 286 Changes in Biblical Worship Through History...... 288 Changes in Church Music Through History ...... 289 Reactions of the Church Toward Change ...... 289 Tension and Uneasiness in the Face of Worship Practices ...... 292 Conflicting Views on the Purpose of Church Music ...... 292 The Exclusive Status of High Church Music ...... 293 The Relationship Between Sacred and Secular Music...... 294 Epilogue: In Tune With God ...... 297 Appendix 1: Sanctuary: Worship-leading Guidelines...... 300 Appendix 2: Worship Survey ...... 301 Prologue: In Defense of Music

am writing this book in defense of music. I am a music lover. My life has I been filled with—and fulfilled by—music, starting with piano lessons at the age of 4 and continuing through my conservatory degree in piano performance, my studies in organ, and my Ph.D. in musicology. Awakened and nourished in my childhood by the sounds of eastern European folk music, my love for music took off to farther shores, embracing the strains of the simple church hymn and the wonders of the great classical works. Later, after having the privilege to live a number of years immersed in Hebrew, Arabic, African, Indian, and even Chi- nese cultures, I also developed a love for the sometimes strange but always in- triguing resonances of various musics of the world. My activities as a church musician, beginning at an early age, have added practical insight to my work in church music, and, together with my academic background, today inform my contribution as chair of the Worship and Music Commission at Pioneer Me- morial Church, on the campus of Andrews University in Michigan. Much has been said about music during my journey through life so far, and much is still being said. Too much of what I have heard is vilifying, ac- cusing, destroying. Fifteen years ago the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary of Andrews University asked me to develop a course in the phi- losophy of church music and to consult with pastors, churches, and musicians all around the world who had a burden for worship music. These past 15 years of my teaching career have given me the opportunity to reflect about this subject, to research what really happened in history, to observe, analyze, share, and discuss experiences and thoughts about music with people from a great spectrum of cultures. Often, other people’s reactions to music left me surprised or perplexed, and obliged me to learn to listen to others even more carefully and to open my mind to different and new understandings of music. I wrestled with questions and sought answers, but music always re- mained for me a wonderful companion and source of inspiration. The time has come to speak up in defense of music. What was meant to be a most beautiful gift to humanity has often become a source of discord, disgust, hatred, and separation. It is time to come to the rescue of music and to give it back its innocence and dignity. This book does not want to add to the interminable debate about music. While it does dissipate or correct some misconceptions along the way, its purpose is not to criticize, destroy, or prove wrong existing theories and opinions. Rather, it proposes to look outside personal opinions and prefer- ences to find objective criteria that can transcend subjective approaches and help formulate a balanced and informed opinion about these important mat- ters. I am a strong believer in the principle that one of the best ways to coun- teract error is to implant the truth.1 When dealing with religious matters such as music in worship, it seems only natural to turn to the Sacred Scriptures to find wisdom, counsel, and guidance. This is one of the major aims of this book. In addition, I will fre- quently refer to the writings of Ellen G. White, which are abundant on the topic, and filled with great insight and common sense. Further, I will look at history to draw lessons from the experiences of the church in the past and to see how problems similar to today’s were dealt with in other times and places. Finally, practical lessons will be drawn to apply what has been learned to the reality of musical practice and discussion in the church. Before any study about music can be undertaken, it is important to un- derstand the process of music: what it is made of, how it functions, and what determines our reaction to it. Here, too, many misunderstandings and pre- conceptions need to be weeded out so that discussions and dialogue may rest on facts and reality rather than on imagination and perpetuated myths. In order to be convincing in one’s argument, it is important to look for truth in matters of music. I invite you to follow me on this journey through the intricacies of music and the musical experience, especially—but not exclusively—as they relate to practices in the church.2 At this point I would like to express my gratitude to a number of individ- uals who have accompanied me on my journey in music and in one way or another, though always significantly, have contributed to the present work. My first thought goes to my parents, who instilled in me at a very early age the love for music, together with the discipline needed to develop talent through assiduous and hard work. Then my gratitude goes to my husband, Jacques Doukhan, and my daughter, Abigail, faithful but also challenging partners in dialogue and discussion, who encouraged me all along the way on this difficult task. A number of my teaching colleagues, musicians, the- ologians, and scientists contributed to a better and more correct understand- ing of the topic. Finally, I want to thank my many students who, by sharing their own experiences, have always been a source of inspiration and renewal, leading me constantly to reconsider and adjust my position on the vast and diverse reality of the musical experience.

1 Ellen G. White, Christ’s Object Lessons (Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald Publishing Assn., 1941), p. 77. 2 While each of the chapters of this book present self-contained sections, the reader is encouraged to follow the proposed order of topics; indeed, the progressive acquisition of knowledge proposed in the outline will help in bringing about a more solid understanding of the subject under study. C H A P T E R 1

The Nature of Music

ne of the major reasons disagreement occurs in discussions or dia- Ologues about music is the lack of information on the topic. The part- ners in dialogue may be ill-informed or not informed at all about the subject matter and may rely entirely on their personal feelings,1 taste, opinion, or presuppositions. Instead of speaking to each other in an informed way, they might be speaking about two different things or about the same thing from a different perspective. Music is first of all an objective phenomenon, related to multiple aspects of life. It is connected to physics through the laws of acoustics; to mathe- matics by way of the numerical proportions that define the intervals; to psy- chology because of its impact on human behavior; to history in the way it reflects the values and thought patterns of the various epochs; to culture, of which it functions as a mirror; to economics, which drive the business of music; to politics, which appropriate music as a means of propaganda; etc. This is not to say that anyone who wants to carry on a sensible conversation about music needs to be informed and proficient in all these subjects. It shows, however, that music is an objective subject matter that needs also to be approached in an objective way. Before we can undertake a fruitful study or discussion of the topic of music or, more specifically, church music,2 we must take care to devote some time to understanding how music functions and how it affects us: What is music, and what is the nature of the musical experience,3 from the side of both the artist/performer and the listener? Obviously, we will be able to scan only the surface of this topic. It is much too broad for the scope of this book, and must therefore run the risk of appearing schematic, especially in the eyes of

17 In Tune With God the professional musician. The following observations and elaborations should be taken for what they are intended, namely, a quick introduction, on behalf of the novice in musical matters, to the mechanisms of music, music writing, and music perception, with the purpose of creating a starting point and common ground for reflection and discussion.

THE NATURE OF MUSIC “Music is a universal language.” This statement can be heard again and again when dealing with music, particularly church music. It is certainly a true statement. Indeed, all human beings respond to music; they do so, how- ever, in different ways. In order to better understand the extent to which this statement is true, we need first to explore what music is and how it func- tions and affects us. At first we will take a look at the three main elements that make up music: melody, harmony, and rhythm. Then we will consider general principles that make a piece of music work. Contrary to popular myth, musical composition does not happen by chance. It is a conscious and willful act, during which the artist uses musical language—very much in the same way a writer uses letters, syllables, gram- mar, and syntax—to convey not only beautiful sound but meaning, thoughts, ideas, and ideals as well. The language of composers is always determined by cultural language, i.e., the language of their time and place. Through their works composers celebrate life, comment on life, express their view of life, draw attention to issues in society, protest, criticize, accuse, stir awareness and consciousness, or drive home a reality. They entertain and please, excite and move, challenge and liberate, or they simply create a musical background. Some of their works are meant to elevate thoughts and inspire hope, courage, and vision. True artists have something to say to society, and they say it in a language—art—that speaks to their culture. Moreover, while music speaks to many people at the same time—in a universal manner—it also addresses each individual in a very personal way, according to his/her own experience, needs, and sensitivity—in a particular manner. The interest in and longevity of a piece of music will depend on the way the essential components of music—melody, harmony, and rhythm—are put together and interact with one another. The more complex and subtle the relationships, echoes, variances, and allusions, the more satisfying, deep, and

18 The Nature of Music long lasting the listening experience will be. Balance is the key behind any durable musical work. There must be balance between the elements of music—melody, harmony, and rhythm—and balance between the principles of variety and repetition.

THE PRINCIPLE OF BALANCE Balance Between Melody, Harmony, and Rhythm It is the mutual interaction of the three basic elements of music that makes up a musical composition. Each composer uses these elements in his/her own creative ways and thus gives expression to the creative genius. This is the essence of style: through an infinite variety of possibilities in combining the elements of music, each composer develops his/her own style, distinct from that of other composers. The way melody, harmony, and rhythm and other elements of music interact, how they alternate, and the lesser or greater emphasis that is given to one or the other, in turn, makes a composition unique and at the same time creates what we call style. On a broader level style also applies to a type of music distinctive of a particular time in history (baroque, Romantic, jazz), society (folk), or group (country, hip-hop, etc.). This is how we distinguish between jazz (which itself created a number of substyles), bluegrass, country, rhythm and blues (R&B), gospel, Christian contemporary, and, in classical music, between baroque, Romantic, and a multiplicity of twentieth-century styles. The concept of style, however, goes beyond an artist’s particular approach to composition. Style is also determined by a society or culture and its values. Music is at its very core a cultural phenomenon, a mirror of society. As the composer is part of his/her culture, his/her music and style will always hap- pen within the context of a society, dependent on its understanding of art and the beautiful, the purpose of art and the artist, the source of inspiration, etc. The composer will make use of a particular musical language that is pro- duced, understood, and assumed by people living in that culture.4

Balance Between Variety and Repetition The richness of the musical experience is governed by yet another basic principle verified in life and nature, namely, that of variety and repetition, the equivalent of tension and relaxation. Tension is essential to create di-

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