If there is anything likely to wind me up and set me off (like a clockwork toy!) it's being told that a piece of music has 'had its day'.
I mean, what gives any of us the right to judge music in that way? Most Mozart music is 225-250 years old, Bach up to 300. Josquin du Pres wrote down his 'Danserye' around half a millennium ago and I have many friends who like 'Greensleeves' which is of a similar vintage.
It pains me to enlarge on this by admitting that the church is, by far, the biggest sinner in this respect. We worship in an age where, to some, only 'modern worship songs' are deemed worthy of usage...there are many good examples of this genre but, largely speaking, these are tuneless, repetitive dirges of minimal musical value - with 'trendy' accompaniments built on bare fifths...basically, as long as it has a guitar, bass and drum kit it 'will do'.
In my 'church' - The Salvation Army - such an ensemble is known as a 'worship band'. Really? What a gross, unfeeling insult to the thousands of Sally Army bandsmen of the past 130-odd years who have expressed their 'worship' through brass banding! And what an insult to the group of Christian musicians who are asked (or told!) to 'stand aside' on Youth weekends so the 'contemporary ensemble' can take the centre stage!
In the Salvation Army 'The Joystrings' are seen as 'ancient history' - something of a joke to the youth of today...a group of ancients who twanged guitars when The Beatles were in the charts and who our parents (or grandparents!) thought were 'relevant' and 'groovy' way back when! Younger Salvationsist musicians will often admit to having an admiration for Lennon/McCartney...but admiration for Webb/Davidson is far less forthcoming!
Even the wonderful legacy of the Gowans/Larsson musicals is often sneered at. Before our service on Sunday evening I played a sequence of tunes from their first musical "Take Over Bid': fine melodies like 'It Happened to Me', 'Inside, Outside' and 'I Dream of a Day'. A few people came up to me and said thank you...others informed me that, in their opinion, these tunes were best consigned to history! What an insult to our great musical heritage!
On Sunday our Songsters (choir) sang one of the finest compositions ever published by the SA - the sublime 'In The Secret Of Thy Presence' (words by General Albert Orsborn, music by Eric Ball). It was a wonderful performance of a marvellous piece of music and one could feel the Holy Spirit moving in the moments after the piece ended. I have long loved this piece; my young son encountered it when it was sung by the Terrirorial Youth Choir a few years ago and the music and words were able to speak to a new generation. Good music transcends time...
Yet, tonight, our Songster Leader shared with us the response to the song - many had thanked her for its use, some had not been as enthused. I remarked to the person nearest me 'how could anyone not love that piece?' The response I received was one of absolute indifference...'I think it's had its day'.
Had its day? Has Mozart had its day? Have The Beatles? What about Glenn Miller? Hoagy Carmichael? George Gershwin? Is Parry's 'Jerusalem' a melody no longer worthy of our consideration? What about the many, many hits penned and produced by Stock, Aitken and Waterman 25 years ago and sung by Kylie, Sinitta and Rick Astley and others? What about ThenRolling Stones? The Beach Boys? Simon & Garfunkel?
Good music is NOT bound or judged by time! 'Shine, Jesus Shine' is still sung today in churches because, despite being a quarter of a century old, it works! Likewise, 'The Lord's My Shepherd' ticks the same boxes despite the melody being hundreds...and the words thousands...of years old!
Like a couple of dozen other Salvation Army discards, 'In The Secret' has, in the last few years, been picked up by quality, non-SA musicians and re-recorded, and treated with respect, reverence and the deference it deserves, by NON-SA musicians (namely the world-renowned 'Kings Singers') and brought to our ears once more. It seems to me that, where the Salvationists' ears have become numbed to its own quality music, the outsiders' ears have lapped up with relish our discards. 'Had its day'? By no means! NO Army music is more than 140 years old! That makes it a century more modern than Mozart, newer than Verdi or Wagner and, at least, contemporary with Puccini, Miller or McCartney!
Give Army music a chance to live before we bury it!!!
I mean, what gives any of us the right to judge music in that way? Most Mozart music is 225-250 years old, Bach up to 300. Josquin du Pres wrote down his 'Danserye' around half a millennium ago and I have many friends who like 'Greensleeves' which is of a similar vintage.
It pains me to enlarge on this by admitting that the church is, by far, the biggest sinner in this respect. We worship in an age where, to some, only 'modern worship songs' are deemed worthy of usage...there are many good examples of this genre but, largely speaking, these are tuneless, repetitive dirges of minimal musical value - with 'trendy' accompaniments built on bare fifths...basically, as long as it has a guitar, bass and drum kit it 'will do'.
In my 'church' - The Salvation Army - such an ensemble is known as a 'worship band'. Really? What a gross, unfeeling insult to the thousands of Sally Army bandsmen of the past 130-odd years who have expressed their 'worship' through brass banding! And what an insult to the group of Christian musicians who are asked (or told!) to 'stand aside' on Youth weekends so the 'contemporary ensemble' can take the centre stage!
In the Salvation Army 'The Joystrings' are seen as 'ancient history' - something of a joke to the youth of today...a group of ancients who twanged guitars when The Beatles were in the charts and who our parents (or grandparents!) thought were 'relevant' and 'groovy' way back when! Younger Salvationsist musicians will often admit to having an admiration for Lennon/McCartney...but admiration for Webb/Davidson is far less forthcoming!
Even the wonderful legacy of the Gowans/Larsson musicals is often sneered at. Before our service on Sunday evening I played a sequence of tunes from their first musical "Take Over Bid': fine melodies like 'It Happened to Me', 'Inside, Outside' and 'I Dream of a Day'. A few people came up to me and said thank you...others informed me that, in their opinion, these tunes were best consigned to history! What an insult to our great musical heritage!
On Sunday our Songsters (choir) sang one of the finest compositions ever published by the SA - the sublime 'In The Secret Of Thy Presence' (words by General Albert Orsborn, music by Eric Ball). It was a wonderful performance of a marvellous piece of music and one could feel the Holy Spirit moving in the moments after the piece ended. I have long loved this piece; my young son encountered it when it was sung by the Terrirorial Youth Choir a few years ago and the music and words were able to speak to a new generation. Good music transcends time...
Yet, tonight, our Songster Leader shared with us the response to the song - many had thanked her for its use, some had not been as enthused. I remarked to the person nearest me 'how could anyone not love that piece?' The response I received was one of absolute indifference...'I think it's had its day'.
Had its day? Has Mozart had its day? Have The Beatles? What about Glenn Miller? Hoagy Carmichael? George Gershwin? Is Parry's 'Jerusalem' a melody no longer worthy of our consideration? What about the many, many hits penned and produced by Stock, Aitken and Waterman 25 years ago and sung by Kylie, Sinitta and Rick Astley and others? What about ThenRolling Stones? The Beach Boys? Simon & Garfunkel?
Good music is NOT bound or judged by time! 'Shine, Jesus Shine' is still sung today in churches because, despite being a quarter of a century old, it works! Likewise, 'The Lord's My Shepherd' ticks the same boxes despite the melody being hundreds...and the words thousands...of years old!
Like a couple of dozen other Salvation Army discards, 'In The Secret' has, in the last few years, been picked up by quality, non-SA musicians and re-recorded, and treated with respect, reverence and the deference it deserves, by NON-SA musicians (namely the world-renowned 'Kings Singers') and brought to our ears once more. It seems to me that, where the Salvationists' ears have become numbed to its own quality music, the outsiders' ears have lapped up with relish our discards. 'Had its day'? By no means! NO Army music is more than 140 years old! That makes it a century more modern than Mozart, newer than Verdi or Wagner and, at least, contemporary with Puccini, Miller or McCartney!
Give Army music a chance to live before we bury it!!!
I cannot disagree Brother! When I had the amazing privilege of singing with the Salvation Army's International Staff Songsters a few years back - the Songster Leader brought out 'My Treasure' to use on the forthcoming recording. I believe that song to be 'newer' than 'In The Secret' when it was sung it left a 'glorious glow' in the heart of the singers & listeners alike.
ReplyDeleteSimilarly singing Len Ballantine's 'More Than Wonderful' (which has seemingly become the ISS's "theme tune" - left me breathless the first, second and umpteenth time I sang the song with them. I am of a belief that if music lifts the soul, gives you goosebumps, blesses or is a testimony of what God is doing in your heart then SING ON.....
I am always sad when songs that Dad used to call 'gems' are no longer used. Who knows what influence these 'old' songs have on a person really? "Had it's day?" is a personal opinion given by one singer - how much blessing did it have upon the other people around her/him?
Since meeting Gary (my hubby for those that don't know) my musical boundaries have been pushed and stretched to places I never thought possible - some of the songs I have come to enjoy, others despise but ultimately I listen. I love to hear songs like "Come Into Our World" like Bedlington Songsters sang 30 years ago!!
To me, no music is age defined. I have firm favourites and sometimes hear 'old Army favourites' that I feel are (maybe in the words) out of date but if God is really leading the Leader - the choir will sing the songs that God knows someone needs to hear. I can't help but think of the saying "You can't please all of the people..."
I'm going to spend some time tomorrow listening to some 'Classics' - whether they be from the noughties, nineties, eighties or the 1800's. It's our obligation to keep these alive. By writing this tonight I thank you for reminding me of the songs I never want to lose...
Love you :) x
Cannot disagree with your comments, and any music, no matter what age it is has a different significance to the individual listening to it. Current music trends are moving around rapid turn over and it is this that ages music quickly, commercialisim is really to blame for this and whilst that in itself should not be a hindrance to the talented people who create the music, unfortunately the exposure window in some cases can be limited due to dilution of so much other work.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I now think that some Salvation Army / Brass Band music in the mainstream can be seen as secular, not due to its music quality, but by how it is percieved and presented. I have absolute admiration for Joy Webb, as she with the other Joy Strings brought Salvation Army music to the mainstream and into the pop charts ( a feat I believe that has not been repeated since). So I think that music in itself is ageless, but the way it is presented is not.