Gothic Pillars and Blue Notes: Art As a Reflection of the Conflict of Religions, Part III

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June 1998

Gothic Pillars and Blue Notes: Art as a Reflection of the Conflict of Religions, Part III

Quentin Faulkner University of Nebraska - Lincoln, [email protected]

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Faulkner, Quentin, "Gothic Pillars and Blue Notes: Art as a Reflection of the Conflict of Religions, Part III" (1998). Faculty Publications: School of Music. 14. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/musicfacpub/14

This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Music, School of at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Faculty Publications: School of Music by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. GOTHIC PILLARS AND BLUE NOTES: ART AS A REFLECTION OF THE CONFLICT OF RELIGIONS PART III

Quentin Faulkner, AAGO

Part I of this article appeared in the 5. We ought to suspect, then, the exis that Western Christianity produced. March issue; Part II appeared in the tence of a powerful secular religion What are the characteristics of this May issue. that is making a frontal assault on tra music? ditional religions, particularly on A number of years ago the BBC aired those traditional religions that have • It is entirely vocal, not instrumental. a series of television programs entitled their power base in the developed • It puts primary emphasis on the text, Civilisation, produced and narrated by world: in Europe and especially in not on the music. the distinguished historian Kenneth the U.S. • It is primarily objective, with a severe Clark. Clark opened that series with a ly limited emotional range. quote from John Ruskin: • It is rhythmically subtle, not driving or propulsive. Great nations write their autobiographies • It is calm, tranquil, and noble. in three manuscripts: the book of their • It is conducive to spiritual (as op deeds, the book of their words, and the Great nations write posed to sensual) worship. book of their art. Not one of these books • It exhibits minimal variety or novelty. can be understood unless we read the two • It evokes minimal sensual pleasure. others; but of the three, the only trust their autobiographies worthy one is the last'! These characteristics correspond per fectly to what the earlymedieval church The reason our society may find it diffi in three manuscripts: thought music ought to be. But more im cult to understand fully what Ruskin portantly, they are a perfect analogue, a meant may well have something to do mirror, of early medieval Christianity with the heading that appears over the book of their they tell us in sound precisely what news about the arts every Sunday in those Christians cherished, who those The New York Times: Arts & Entertain deeds, the book of Christians really were. That is what "in ment. Even in so eminent a newspaper, digenous" means: the music is the prod the arts are to a large extent considered uct of a strong culture, and perfectly synonymous with entertainment. And their words, and the mirrors what that culture was. while entertainment is a worthy and ap Don't scholars tell us, though, that propriate aspect of human living, the Christian song (i.e., in the Western word surely doesn't suggest the pro book of their art. church, Gregorian chant) inherited a found significance that Ruskin (and I, as great deal from its Jewish rootS?2 And well) ascribe to the arts. surely Gregorian chant inherited many The first two parts of this article, things from ancient Greek music; even which appeared in the March and May the names of the Gregorian modes (Do issues of this journal, tried to make rian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian) are sense of a number of profound changes I've just asserted the weakness of the taken from the names of the modes of in modern society. Those changes have indigenous art of Christianity and Ju ancient Greek music. All ofthis is prob fundamentally reoriented religion, cul daism. Before going further, it might be ably true (though not provable, since so ture, and the arts in the modern world. helpful to examine what that word "in very little is known about music earlier Here is a summary of the proposals set digenous" means. Webster's Dictionary than Gregorian chant), but it is beside forth in Parts 1 and 2: says "indigenous" means "produced, the point. Any art form owes a great growing, or living naturally in a country debt to its forebears-no art form can be 1. Art-by which I mean all the things or climate; native; 2. inborn, inherent, entirely original. That some elements of a society creates-is the most accu innate." So applying the word to the chant may be traceable to earlier cul rate way of understanding what a so topic being considered here, indige tures and their art forms is unimportant; ciety's culture truly is. nous would be defined as: "produced, what is important is that chant has in 2. Religion-what a society really val growing, or living naturally in Chris corporated these earlier elements into ues-is the powerful generating force tianity (or Judaism], native to Christian an art form that is undeniably, unmis behind its culture and its art. ity; 2. inborn, inherent, innate to Chris takably Christian. 3. There unquestionably exists today a tianity." The best way to understand To make the matter clearer, let's move phenomenon recognized as secular this idea is to turn to examples. To be into the realm of the visual arts. Envi culture, most clearly identified by gin, let's consider Gregorian chant. sion in your mind's eye the interior of a the vibrant secular art it produces. Chant became fully developed and medieval Gothic cathedral. Down both 4. Traditional religions, especially flourished in the Western (Roman sides ofthe nave march two rows ofpi1 Christianity and Judaism, by the Catholic) church during the early Mid lars, columns that support the triforium weakness and scarcity of their in dle Ages, from about 600 to 1000 AD. As and clerestory and that help hold up the digenous art, show that they are cul regards music, it (in its earliest, oral stone-vaulted roof of the church. Are turally sterile, impotent. form) is the earliest indigenous music columns indigenously Christian? Of

38 THE AMERICAN ORGANIST course not; the Gothic style borrowed them from the earlier Romanesque, which in turn borrowed them from Greek and Roman architecture. Gothic architecture thus uses elements that are derived from other cultures. (We could trace the same process with the stone vaulting, or with the arches.) The bor rowings aren't important, though. It's what the Gothic style does with those borrowings that is important. What is crucial is the question, "Does Gothic ar chitecture incorporate those borrowed elements into something new and unique to its own culture (that is, to me dieval Christianity)?" Would anyone ever mistake a Gothic cathedral for a Greek or Roman temple? Would anyone ever mistake a Gothic cathedral for any thing other than a medieval Christian place of worship? Surely not! To sum up: what makes an art form "indige nous" is not its individual elements, but the way those elements are put togeth er, and the degree to which the resulting synthesis is truly a hallmark of a given culture. So in the case ofthe Gothic cathedral, the powerful internal conviction, confi dence, and consistency of medieval Christianity has borrowed various dis parate elements, has combined them with some new ideas that spring direct ly from its own self-identity, and has forged all of these into an art form that is its signature, its hallmark, the very essence of its message. The Gothic cathedral unmistakably says, "We wor ship a transcendent, awe-full God, and we hold that worship to be of vital im portance, of immense significance." Now let us consider Christian art in the present-day U.S. Consider the typi cal American large neo-Gothic church, at least one of which can be found in most sizable U.S. cities. Such buildings are often rather attractive and imposing, but is their style indigenous to modern Christianity? Not really; it's pretty much a clone of medieval Christian Gothic style. Or consider the typically utilitarian buildings that often house rapidly growing Christian congrega tions. Is their style indigenous to mod ern Christianity? Not really; it says, loud and clear, "warehouse," "storage What's wrong with it?" The answer to then present-day Christianity is adver shed," "shopping mall," "economical, that question has to be "nothing at all." tising, indeed trumpeting, to the entire modular business architecture." What Surely the musical style of praise cho world: "Look! We're so sterile, so impo about the music on cassette tapes pro ruses isn't inherently wicked, nor is tent, we have so little internal passion, duced to accompany soloists or praise contemporary modular architecture confidence, conviction left that we can't choruses? Would anyone recognize the used for church buildings sinful. In come up with anything that's original to music (alone, without its text) as in deed, there are some rather attractive our faith, that's identifiably Christian. digenously Christian? The text may examples of this music and this archi We have to borrow our art completely well be Christian, but the music (nor tecture. "What's wrong with it?" how from a culture that has nothing to do mally produced electronically, not ever, is the wrong question. The right with us. And when we borrow, we don't acoustically) is clearly the product of a question is, "What's right with it?" And even have the internal energy and vital secular culture that has fundamentally the answer to that question has to be ity to add anything to it that one might nothing to do with Christianity, or with "Not much." In fact, it seems to me that clearly identify as Christian (or even re any other traditional religion for that when present-day Christianity borrows ligious). We're just a facet of the pre matter. lock, stock, and barrel from identifiably vailing secular culture." Is it any won The usual response to assertions such non-indigenous, secular styles to carry der that the church is having a hard time as the ones I've just made is, "So what? on its work or to promote its message, of it in the modern world? Whom do

JUNE 1998 39 Christians think they're fooling when The first half of the 20th century was to the risen Lord,"6 as well as Roman they do this? a fallow period in the creation of new Catholic offerings such as Suzanne Are my accusations then valid? Chris hymn texts and tunes; most that came Toolan's "I am the bread of life"7 and tianity has no contemporary examples of into being during this period were not Michael Joncas's "Eagles' Wings."8 indigenous art; all its art is either cloned especially original. There are some no Taiz8 is an ecumenical monastic from the art ofa former Christian culture, table exceptions to this observation, but community founded right after World or it's borrowed completely from the sur the exceptions prove the rule. There is War II by Brother Roger, a young Re rounding secular culture, which in any no more eloquent witness to the regen formed pastor, who still serves as the body's estimation is not very Christian. erative power ofthe Holy Spirit than the community's leader and inspiration. Therefore present-day Christianity is im immense upsurge of new, vital, and "Ecumenical" means about 70 brothers potent, sterile; it has lost all its zeal and powerful hymns and hymn tunes that (monks), about two thirds of whom are vitality, its inner conviction, its confi began to appear in the 1960s, and that Protestant and one third Roman dence, its consistency. Is this true? have grown into a veritable creative tor Catholic (including some priests). They Thank God, no, it isn't. I think that there rent. Their appearance has brought are bound by a common commitment to are a few "beacons of light," a few vital about a fundamental change in many celibacy, community of goods, and ac ly creative artistic expressions, a few new hymnals. Hymnals published in ceptance of authority. As George Black artistic happenings of real integrity, that the 1960s placed great emphasis on re wrote in this journal a number of years contradict my accusations. For example, capturing the treasury of hymns from ago, "The brothers and those gathered there's the occasional architectural ex past ages. Hymns such as "Of the Fa around them come much closer than pression that is both contemporary and ther's love begotten," "For all the most people do to closing the gap be identifiably part ofthe continuing Chris saints," or "What wondrous love" began tween the Christian ideal and everyday tian religious heritage. An example of to cross denominational boundaries behavior in such matters as love, joy, this is the celebrated Thorn Crown and to crop up in a wide variety ofhym and identification with the op Chapel in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. nals. Most recent hymnals, in contrast, pressed."9 The community has drawn Though that structure has many prob have been more selective about older increasing numbers of young people lems as a place for corporate Christian hymns to be included, in order to make from all over Europe (recently as far worship (being best suited for private room for some of the contributions of away as Russia), who come to Taiz8 to meditation), it seems to me to be a build the great hymnodists living in our own attend retreats for prayer and medita ing that is both ofthe present and is also day: Brian Wren, Frederick Pratt Green, tion in order to deepen their spiritual identifiable as religious, and perhaps as Fred Kaan, Shirley Erena Murray, Mar lives: an average of 30,000 at Easter, specifically Christian. garet Clark, Jane Parker Huber, Carl over 100,000 in the course of a year. In the area of music, there are a num Daw, Thomas Troeger and Carol Doran, The problem of a common musical ber of contemporary artistic expres Jaroslav Vajda, and Carl Schalk-the repertoire was a significant barrier to sions that I think clearly give the lie to list could go on and on. This hymnic re communal worship, and so the com my accusations. That is, they exhibit birth knows no denominational bound munity turned to its friend, French or great artistic vitality and integrity, and aries, and some of the hymns have be ganist and composer Jacques Berthier, they are identifiably, indigenously come familiar, even beloved: Pratt to solve the problem. He developed Christian. These include (1) the explo Green's "When in our music God is glo several unique sorts of music to serve sion of late 20th-century hymn texts rified,"3 for example, orJaroslav Vajda's the community. and tunes; (2) the music that has been "God of the sparrow, God of the Although all ofBerthier's music func composed for the use of the Christian whale."4 In the list must be included, tions in the same way as more familiar monastic community at Taiz8 in eastern however, charismatic hymns such as mainline hymnody, his pieces are not France; and (3) the texts that have been Kathleen Thomerson's "I want to walk really hymns in the sense that most created at the impetus ofthe Iona Com as a child of the light"5 and Donald Americans understand the term. There munity in western Scotland. Fishel's "Alleluia, alleluia! Give thanks are various types of compositions: re sponses (soloist[s] alternating with a re frain sung by all), canons, brief repeat ed sung prayers (mantras).10 At first, in an attempt to solve the language prob lem, all the texts ofthese pieces were in Latin. But since the texts are all quite brief and familiar, and since they have long since been translated into many languages for use all over the world, the practice now at Taiz8 is to sing in a wide variety of languages. Settings such as "Jesus, Remember Me" (a mantra) and "Adoramus te, Domine" have become especially well known, and are found in some recent hymnals. The instrumental descants that Berthier supplied for most of the settings provide great potential musical enrichment; their addition can transform a Taiz8 piece into an extend ed musical passacaglia/chaconne. A passage in the setting of the Latin hymn text "Ubi caritas" ("Where chari ty and love prevail") is especially inter esting, since it bears out the observation I made above about the relationship of borrowing to the creation of an indige nous art form.

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~';4. Love nev-er fails. Prophesies will cease, and tongues will be si- - lent,

In the excerpt above, the music set to of Christian living. The community's the phrase "and tongues will be silent" main tenets came to be peace and jus exhibits a blue note, a phenomenon na tice, work and a new economic order, tive to jazz in which some notes (no and community and celebration. tably the seventh of the chord, as is the Today, the community is led by some E~ here) are performed in the cracks be 200 men and women who reside main tween the notes of the piano. It is hard ly in Britain, but also in Africa, Aus ly surprising to find an element of jazz tralia, India, and North America. Al in this music, since jazz has had a long though the community comes under the and profound influence on 20th-century auspices of the Church of Scotland (Re French music. Berthier mayor may not formed in theology and government), its have been aware ofthe borrowing; how members are drawn from many Chris ever, if the right singer performs this tian denominations, Roman Catholic as passage, its origin is unmistakable. But well as Protestant. Like Taize, thou does Berthier's setting of "Ubi caritas" sands journey every year to lana in sound like jazz? Not in the least! It search of deepening their spiritual sounds like only one thing: the music of lives. Taize. It grows out of and is fully in The major hymn writer and compos digenous to that Christian community. er for the lona Community is an intense lona is an ecumenical community of and charismatic personality and gifted men and women, founded in Scotland poet by the name of John Bell. In his in 1938, during the depths of the Great music, Bell is much influenced by Scot Depression, and with the specter of war tish (Celtic) folk tunes; he sets many of looming ever more menacingly. Its his texts directly to these folk tunes, and founder, George McLeod, was a restless the tunes he himself writes usually inner-city minister whose gnawing dis sound like Scottish folk tunes. But Bell satisfaction with the church's lack of and his collaborators in the Wild Goose impact on the poor and vulnerable im Worship Group in Scotland have been pelled him to drastic action. Convinced in the forefront of creating new and that the church would always be powerful texts, and also of collecting marginal for working people until its and publishing indigenous music creat clergy was given a new vision of ser ed by Christian communities in many vice, McLeod led half a dozen clergy lands around the worldY men and the same number of craftsmen What is it that makes all of this hymn to the remote island of lona, off the poetry and music "indigenous"? western coast of Scotland. Their imme diate goal was the rebuilding ofa 1,000 year-old abbey that had fallen into dis 1. It grows out of an intense, passionate use and ruin. The decision to rebuild Christian religious conviction; there lona was not coincidental; lona is the is nothing lukewarm or half-hearted site of the earliest Christian monastic about it. community in Scotland, founded in the 2. It arises from those places where a sixth century by Irish monks, from strong Christian culture not only sur which all the rest of Scotland and much vives but thrives. of northern England were evangelized 3. In every instance, it is not divorced during the seventh and eighth cen from earlier Christian artistic tradi turies. The rebuilding effort was a ges tions; rather, it rests on these tradi ture symbolizing the unity of worship tions and develops them further. and work, the church and industry, the 4. Although its various elements may spiritual and the material. As a sign of be drawn from diverse sources (some the community's growth and matura of which are not specifically Chris tion, its members began to return to the tian), the final product belongs recog inner city, to build housing for the poor nizably, uniquely, to the Christian and to experiment with alternate forms church.

JUNE 1998 41 All of the examples I've cited are far from that of secular religion. To the de doesn't just carry the message, the art is from the kind of art that many people gree that the new music sounds like that the message. No matter how novel or consider on the "cutting edge" of Chris ofthe secular culture, it cannot help but appealing or effective it may seem to set tian artistic expression in the U.S. I reveal the vitality of secular religion Christian texts to rock music, for exam hope that it is clear why I've avoided and the embarrassing sterility of the ple, the text is bound ultimately to be discussing this popular Christian art: I traditional. obliterated by the art that accompanies think that a rational analysis of the sit Can the Christian church borrow ele it. uation leads to the inevitable conclu ments from secular art and shape them If history is any indication, it will sion that the so-called "Contemporary into its own artistic forms? It has done probably take the church about 100 Christian" arts are not only not Chris so in the past, and with the guidance of years to figure this out. In the meantime, tian, they are the clearest signs of the the Spirit (and the labor of gifted musi we will have to live with the heresy, and present weakness of the Christian cians and poets!), there is no reason deal with it as kindly, patiently, and church in modern society. why it cannot do so again today. There fruitfully as we can. What we can do Does this mean, then, that Christian are, in fact, already tentative beginnings now, at least, is to realize just what is worship ought to shun all the art forms ofthis process: music intended for wor happening-what it means, what it of modern secular society, ought com ship that borrows and attempts to trans implies. pletely to reject them? That is, I think, a form elements ofmodern secular music An institution's weaknesses usually very difficult and perplexing question. (synthesized sounds and popular musi lie in those places where it least expects In the first place, it is probably impossi cal mannerisms and chord progres them, about which it is most compla ble, since secular culture is so powerful sions) into a kind ofmusic that commu cent, which it pays the least attention and all-pervasive in our society. The nicates a sense of a transcendent, to, takes the most for granted. "After all, case presented above, however, devel awesome God. The "bottom line" is it's only music, or only a church build ops a cogent argument that simply this: can the church reshape whatever ing, or onlya picture, or only (fill in the adopting such art forms into Christian elements it borrows into new forms that blank) ...." "Letting the kids kick up worship advertises just how sterile are so unmistakably Christian that no their heels a bit with their kind of mu Christianity is today in the developed one will be aware of the borrowing un sic-what could be wrong with that?" world. less they consciously look for it-like This series of articles may contribute Yet shouldn't today's Christian the pillars in a Gothic cathedral, or the to viewing questions such as these church be free to adopt those features of blue note in Taize's "Ubi caritas"? from a broader, more comprehensive any sort of art that serve its purposes? perspective. In order to gain perspective on that ** * * * * * ** * When the church finally does sort all question, let's consider the major char of this out, then the church will finally acteristics of, for example, the music of This article began entirely on a theo be free to begin to discover, to begin to secular religion and culture. It's either retical plane, where reason and logic invent, new forms ofart that are truly its produced, amplified, or broadcast elec make answers far easier to arrive at and own. That means not merely art that is tronically; syncopation of some sort is defend. It has ended on a practical resurrected from the past, or art that is its unerring hallmark; and it is charac plane, the "real world," a world every imported lock, stock, and barrel from terized by a distinct, often driving beat, one knows is imperfect, a world in another culture and another religion. It normally produced electronically with which good and bad, Christian and non is these new art forms that the church so machine-like precision. It is music by Christian and anti-Christian are mixed desperately needs in order to grow, and and large intended to be performed by a and mingled, and ambiguities abound. to be healthy, and to flourish. soloist or small group, and listened to It seems to me that the uncritical im by an audience. Contrast this sort ofmu portation of non-Christian art into the NOTES sic with music indigenous to tradition church has at least this one great bene 1. St. Mark's Rest (1877), preface. al Christianity (still very much alive in fit: it will hasten the day when the 2. Eric Werner has written a book that treats most Eastern Orthodox churches, and church realizes that pure, unadulterat this common heritage: The Sacred Bridge less so in the Roman Catholic and other ed secular art and traditional religion (New York: Columbia Press, 1959). traditional Western churches), which is mix like oil and water. "Oil and water" 3. Hope Publishing Company, c.1972. acoustic (live, not electronic), is smooth is, in fact, an apt analogy. You can make 4. The Carl Schalk Hymnary (Chicago: G.I.A. and chant-like, and often exhibits great them seem to mix as long as you keep Publications, c.1989), pp. 39ff. 5. Episcopal Hymnal 1982, No. 490. rhythmic flexibility. At its most authen stirring them vigorously. But stop stir 6. Ibid., No. 178. tic, it involves music for participation ring, and what happens? 7. Ibid., No. 335. by all in attendance. Every generation has its great heresy. 8. North American Liturgy Resources The pronounced personality of secu The great heresy of our time is the be (Phoenix, Ariz., c.1979). lar religion's music makes it a perfect lief, the assertion, that the medium is ir 9. "Church Musician in France: Taize," in reflection of the values of secular reli relevant to the message; that is, it really Music, the AGO-RCCO Magazine, April gion and culture. That same personality doesn't matter what type of art we use, 1976, p. 44. inevitably creates manifold problems as long as we get the message across. 10. All of the music of Taize is available in when traditional religions abandon But, as the prophet Marshall McLuhan the U.S. from G.I.A. Publications, 7404 South Mason Ave., Chicago, IL 60638. their indigenous artistic heritage in or reminded us more than 25 years ago, 11. Music of the Wild Goose Worship Group der to forge a new music largely derived "The medium is the message." The art is available in the U.S. from G.I.A. Publica tions, 7404 South Mason Ave., Chicago, IL 60638.

Portions of this article appeared previously in "Cult and Culture at the Millennium: Ex ploratory Notes on the New Religion," Soundings: An Interdisciplinary Journal (Fall/Winter 1996), pp. 399---420.

Quentin Faulkner, AAGO, is Steinhart Pro fessor of Music at the University of Nebraska Lincoln.

42 THE AMERICAN ORGANIST