|
|
| Free Music Downloads Information |
|
|
|
|
Anglican Arrogance: Small-Minded Choirmembers
What is "Episcopal" music? We often hear people express concern about losing ties to our Anglican heritage, which dates back about 500 years. One area that draws attention is music. To approach the question of what is official Episcopal music, we might look to our own denominational hymnbook, The Episcopal Hymnal (1982). Compiled by the Standing Commission on Church Music, this edition surely reflects what is both traditional and sanctioned. A brief sampling of selections from TEH '82 should shed some light on what is authorized and what is not. First, a survey of origins will be useful. Of the 726 hymns in this book, several are Gregorian chants, which originated in the Middle Ages. They were codified under Pope Gregory in the 8th century and compiled in the Roman Catholic Liber Usualis. An example of chant (or "plainsong") is Of the Father's Love Begotten. Naturally, it existed only in Latin for centuries. Other chants in the hymnal include Russian Orthodox, Slovak and Czech. Another source of hymns is the Lutheran chorale, having been composed specifically for the German Reformation to provide a singable alternative to chants. They were first found in collections by Johann Walther, Martin Luther's right-hand man commissioned to bring music back to the people by providing singable tunes in the vernacular, i.e., German. An example of this is A Mighty Fortress (words by Luther with tune derived from a German tavern song and later harmonized by J. S. Bach, a devout Lutheran). Don't forget Angels We Have Heard on High, also written by a Lutheran, Felix Mendelssohn, who incidentally was a convert from Judaism. Many of our hymns are borrowed from the colonial American "Sacred Harp" school, found in songbooks like Virginia Harmony and David's Psalter. Amazing Grace is an example of this, written by an ex-slaveship captain. A few, like Donald Fishel's Alleluia No. 1 or Kathleen Thomerson's I Want to Walk are recently composed and are associated with the non-denominational renewal movement of the late 60s/early 70s. Some come from other denominations like Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian and even Shaker (Tis the Gift to be Simple). Finally, let's not forget Christmas carols, many of which are French in origin (Il est né), Negro Spirituals (Go Down Moses) and Hispanic folk songs (Duérmete, Niño Lindo). In fact, in the preface to our hymnal, the Commission states plainly they deliberately tried to represent the church's diversity by selecting from non-European traditions such as Afro-American and Asian. After all is said and done, a survey of TEH '82 reveals that "Episcopal" music is really "Eclectic" music. Our church has borrowed from many traditions and put its seal of approval on it. So the next time you feel anxious that we are losing touch with our roots, just remember our musical roots spread out far and wide, and yet it is still an Anglican tree, perhaps stronger for its diversity! P.S.: James and his wife were confirmed Episcopalian in 1979. Since this writing, Mr. Weinberg has left the Anglican communion due to corruption, heresy and unGodly politics in the Episcopal Church (ECUSA). James began piano lessons at age 5 with his mother. In time he studied at a variety of private studios including the Eastman School. After high school, he entered SUNY Fredonia as an organ major, transferring to Stetson University in Deland FL. While raising a young family, James entered Peabody Teacher's College in Nashville. Later he trained as a Navy broadcast journalist, and once a civilian again, spent five years as a classical radio announcer & producer at WPLN in Nashville. In 1985, James completed a bachelor's degree in church music at Belmont College (cum laude) and returned for a master's in music education, conferred in 1991. His area of emphasis for the M.M.E. degree was Elementary/Primary Pedagogical Methodology. His internship was at Montessori Academy in Brentwood teaching pre-school through 6th grade. Now in his 6th year of teaching piano at Belmont Academy in Nashville, James has 35 students. He is also organist at Belmont Heights Baptist Church. See http://88keys.8m.net
MORE RESOURCES:
Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
So You Wanna Learn How To Start a Record Label? Well, you love music so much that you have decided you want to start a record label of your own. This can be a very exciting step and a fun one. Review: The Bled - Pass the Flask Released in 2003, Pass the Flask turned this little quintet from Tucson, into a mainstream success overnight. Classifying this band as 'metalcore' or 'indie' or 'hardcore' is quite futile, because for every genre you pick, someone is going to disagree, and have a solid backing for their view. Guitar Facts: A Glossary of Terms It is said that the forerunner of the guitar, the lute, was created by the Greek god, Apollo. In India, it is believed that the sitar, another stringed instrument from which the guitar is descended, is sacred to the goddess Saraswati. Irish Fiddle Ornaments When I started playing jigs, my default bowing pattern made a groove like Pop Goes the Weasel: "Long-short, long-short, muberry bush, the long-short, long-short weasel."And that still works for me without having to think about it. Arpeggios and New Age Piano Playing Chopin used them extensively. So did Beethoven and Mozart. They Laughed When I Sat Down at the Piano... but When I Started to Play... Remember the old ad that used to run endlessly in magazines and newspapers:"They laughed when I sat down at the piano.. The Irish Harp The harp that once through Tara's halls the soul of music shed,now hangs as mute on Tara's walls, as if that soul were fled.So sleeps the pride of former days, so glory's thrill is o'er,and hearts that once beat high for praise,now feel that pulse no moreTo tell the history of the Irish harp is to tell the history of the Irish people. Why You Cant Play Piano It's really not your fault. You see, you've been taught that in order to play piano you need to first learn how to read music, and second, play other peoples music. Hip Hop Clothing Celebrities now such as Outkast, a fashion wear can be a must have. Likewise gainful for celebrities included within the clothing lines world, which is how come we are in possession of these most up to date hip hop clothing lines on the market like, FuBu. Mp3s - The Future of Music? Mp3 music is audio that has been digitally encoded and compressed to make the amount of data smaller without compromising the overall sound quality. It's a revolutionary technique with incredibly good results; mp3 music is frequently indistinguishable from music found on a CD (though some audiophiles with very sensitive ears dispute that statement). Why Learning How to Improvise is So Important Imagine asking a beginning writer to write a short story from scratch. Our writer does not yet have much experience in writing but accepts the challenge and begins to plunge ahead. Acoustic Or Electronic Drums - What Is Your Choice? A debate rages on in the drumming world! You might think that the debate centers on brands of drums, or different styles of drums. However, you would be wrong. History of the Clarinet From the 19th Century While composers had already begun to write music for the clarinet, such as Mozart with the Clarinet Concerto and Clarinet Quintet, it was the 19th century that saw an explosion of use of the clarinet in the music of most composers of the day. This was mainly due to two factors. How to Find Musical Ideas The Russian Composer Igor Stravinsky once said: " A good composer does not imitate; he steals."I think what he meant by this is that it's OK to use a technique developed by another and make it your own. How I Compose a Piece of Music A number of people have asked about my own methodology for creating a complete piece of music at the piano. At the risk of oversimplification, the steps are as follows:1. Establishing Your Mix Now that you've spent hours and days and weeks and months recording your musical masterpieces (and you've also read my article "Tips for a Great Recording Session"), you have arrived at my favorite time in the studio; The Mixdown.But don't think your job is done yet! The mixdown is just as important as recording. Your PC Is An Awesome Singer... If You Let It! As an amateur songwriter, who struggles with a computer far from powerful enough to run the necessary software to record vocals of good quality, I have looked for good solutions. And I've found a few. Learning the Piano and Playing the Piano Many piano students spend much time learning how to play the piano. Years upon years of study time devoted to perfecting technique, tone, dynamics, etc. The Ostinato - What It is and How to Use It Ostinato means "repeating pattern" and is used frequently in all types of music. For New Age piano players, it provides a great way to lay down the background of the piece while the right-hand improvises a melody!For example, in the lesson "Winter Scene," we have a repeating pattern going on in the left-hand using 2 chords. Health and Beauty Tips for Your Brass: Keep It Shiny! Did you know that the health and beauty of your brass instruments require extra special attention? It's true-their wellbeing and happiness depend upon it. While we're not talking about putting your tuba on a weight-loss program or taking your trumpet to the spa for a makeover, you do need to treat your brass instruments with care or they'll refuse to come out and play.
|
| Free Music Download Sites (Home Page) | Free MP3 Downloads | RSS Feed | Artists | Music Resources | Music Downloads |
