The Bible and Music

I thought the way we opened class was very interesting. The mislabeled video really makes me think about the meaning of songs. I think while the lyrics can add more meaning, the basic meaning is interpretative and up to the listener. You can interpret the meaning of a melody how ever you want. Just because the song is in a different meaning, does not mean you cannot connect with it. Like the concert on Saturday, I did not understand every song but I was able to appreciate the music. I also enjoyed how we ended class. It added a new twist to psalms. It showed that the meaning of the psalm can stay the same but the melody can make it more modern. I enjoyed looking at the psalms in a new way. It was a fun interactive way to end class.

Yesterday Professor McGrath brought in his guitar to demonstrate how a lot of Psalms are in common meter an can therefore be easily adapted to the tunes of well known songs such as Amazing Grace and House of the Rising Sun. We were able to easily join into his songs and follow along to the tunes because it follows the four lines with six and eight syllables alternatively. Now we are expected to work in groups to but a tune to a Psalm, and then eventually we will be doing just that by ourselves, for the final project. I am not at all looking forward to it.

Last Saturday, I attended the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir’s performance in the Schrott Center. As I took my seat, I was a little skeptical and curious at what the next hour would be. I have been to a few symphonies when I was little, however I was too inexperienced to truly understand the music being presented. After looking at the program before the choir began, I read the history of the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir. This musical institution is currently in its 81st year and reaches over 25,000 people in nearly 25 performances every year. I was quickly enlightened in the history of this choir and the voices that have been apart of this group.

The beginning of the performance was kicked off with music that seemed louder than what I initially expected. Through the first few songs, I made the mistake of not following along in my program and was lost for the majority of it. When I began to follow along, I found myself understanding the material better. The performance had pieces from Psalms and even ranged to poetry derived from Walt Whitman. As far as instruments go, I was completely  mesmerized with the harp. The harp was an instrument throughout the performance that never dominated the music, yet it caught my attention with the peaceful sounds it reflected. The last piece that I enjoyed listening to was Philip Lima, a well-know baritone that has performed on various big stages. His voice was extremely powerful and I was interested in how he pronounced every single word with strong emotion. As a whole, I enjoyed attending this event and would go back with eager anticipation to learn more.

Yesterday’s class was one of the most interesting thus far. It was interesting to see that the writings of the Bible could be matched with the cadence of modern music. I guess I had never thought about how the writings were never really set to music, that all came later. Having this discussion makes me wonder if doing this makes ideals of religion more attainable to a younger audience. Modern churches use a lot of music to get their point across. I think doing this is a smart idea as the traditional way of going about religion will get stale to the younger generation. Using modern music, linked with the words of the Bible, helps to spread the ideas of Christianity while making it entertaining.

To finish the class, we got into groups and discussed how a song would fit with a certain Psalm. Racking my brain, it was easy to see how many songs go along with Psalm 23. The one that my group chose is “Casey Jones” by The Grateful Dead. It almost made me laugh that a song laced with drug references could match so perfectly to the words of the Bible. They obviously have no correlation with each other, for their meter.

In class today, for the last part of our discussion, we talked about how meter/rhythm can make other songs sound very similar. In most cases, two songs that are totally different can be sang at a similar pitch and melody. These different songs can come from different time eras and artists from a variety of genres. An example that I enjoyed listening to was how Psalm 25 and Jack & Diane have similar meters. Doctor McGrath played Psalm 25 on his guitar and as soon as he started playing it to the beat of Jack & Diane, I recognized it. Another comparison between biblical music and more modern music is Psalm 27 and Another Brick in the Wall by Pink Floyd. I am excited to see if I can find other songs for our group project that can be parallel in rhythm to an extent. The last one we discussed in class was Psalm 125 and Renegade by X Ambassadors. A big aspect of the factors that can make these songs sound similar or even how you distinguish the two is where the emphasis falls. Either way, I never realized or put thought into how music from the Book of Psalms can have similar style to music that we all listen to today.

Today during class, we matched Psalms to common songs with meters that are easy to match. We did this with songs such as Amazing Grace, Yankee Doodle, Rudolph the Red Nosed reindeer, and other songs with easy to match meters. Dr. McGrath bought his guitar for us to have more of a rhythm to follow. He would start off and then expect us to follow along and start to sing with him.

Although this activity, made me feel uncomfortable because I don’t like singing out loud it was very interesting to hear. I never would think that you could match ancient Psalms to current songs such as “Renegades”. It me, this shows the power of music and the Bible. It shows us how much music connects to our world and how much the influence the Bible has on every aspect of our lives. These two outlets come together in both new and traditional ways. It was a unique experience to hear and listen to these different pairings.

To be honest, I really did not know what to expect coming into this concert. When I got there with my friend, there were just a bunch of older people and I felt really out of place. As the concert started, right away it had a very formal element to it. I ended up really enjoying the concert. I thought the orchestra was the most impressive of all things. The way they are able to play the notes perfectly really left me in awe. I always wished when I was younger that I could learn to play the string bass. It has always been one of my favorite instruments to listen to. Also, the soprano singer was very impressive as well. I would never be able to hit notes that high! Overall, to my surprise, I thoroughly enjoyed this concert. The only thing was that I thought it was a long concert to sit through.

When Cantor Giora Sharon came in to share about his life, it really opened my eyes to his perspective. One of the things he said that stuck with me most was “you don’t choose to be a cantor, it chooses you.” This is true for all aspects of life. I believe every person has a calling, or something they were born to do. And I feel as though God reveals your path to you as you take on life. Giora really showed us that no matter how hard life is, there is always something you can do to escape from it. His whole family came from cantors. Looking back, I wish I asked if he felt pressured to be a cantor at all. I wonder if he did? I feel like if my whole family did something, I would feel really pressured to do the same thing. This shows that people shouldn’t be afraid to be their own person. I enjoyed hearing his story.

I was pleasantly surprised by having our guest speaker in class. Initially, I was expecting for the speaker to preach to us about Christianity. As someone who does not even believe in any deity, I was worried that I would not enjoy what he had to say. However, Cantor Giora Sharon made his presentation incredibly interesting with so many stories from his time as a cantor and even before. Not only did he discuss the trials and tribulations of being a cantor, but also about his life in Hungary and his eventual immigration to America.

I have so much more respect for the profession now after hearing what he had to say. I am now more informed and can now better understand the material of the class.

On Saturday night, I attended the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir concert in Schrott. I also listened to the lecture before the concert. It helped a lot because I knew nothing before hand. I thought it was really interesting and it helped me understand the concert.

I really enjoyed the concert. I liked that they incorporated English and Latin, psalms and poetry by Walt Whitman. I have never heard music quite like this before. There were so many voices and instruments, yet they were all harmonious together. I enjoyed following along in the program since I do not understand Latin. The concert was much shorter than I expected and the songs really flowed and told a story. I enjoyed hearing the psalms this way. It was very different than what I have heard in the traditional sense.