- Psalm 150
Over and over throughout the Scriptures we are commanded to praise God with music, thus music instruction is never optional for the Christian. At the very least, all Christians should know how to sing with a hymnal. Now, I understand that God has blessed people with differing natural talent for music, but our music abilities can be strengthened with practice just as our math or linguistic abilites are. Similarly, our musical abilities can atrophy with lack of use, like any other skill. Thus, with practice, anyone should be able to sing hymns without causing major ear trauma to the surrounding listeners. I plan on teaching "psalms, hymns and spiritual songs" (Eph. 5:19) to my children. We will draw our songs from the Trinity Hymnal, Judy Rogers CDs, and Psalms for Singing, by Vic Lockman. If they are able, we can introduce harmony. We will work on basic breathing techniques, matching the proper pitch, and ennunciating. Our little chorus will work on each piece until it is respectable, and perform it (even if it is only for papi), then move onto the next piece.
Besides singing, praising God with an instrument is also commanded repeatedly in Scripture. Thus, each of my children will learn an instrument. Parents I have talked to prefer the Suzuki method. It produces the best pitch and does not require the ability to read, so the child can start in pre-school. Further, it relies on active involvement by the parent, which should make learning more fun, and keep the child accountable to practice. I am told that it is wise, after a few years, to have the student learn to sight-read as well though. I plan on choosing an instrument for my child to start with, since it is difficult for a three- or four-year old to make an informed choice. However, the student can choose to change instruments later, or add another instrument if he so chooses. In high school I will give the student the option to discontinue music training, if he chooses, but I pray that he will get so much joy and blessing out of praising the Lord with music that he will not want to stop.
During my post on art I mentioned that one way to learn that is encouraged in the Bible is to study the "great cloud of witnesses" that proceeded us. As we study great musicians (or artitst) of the past, and their God-honoring works, we learn how to create our own music that honors God. My husband reminded me that God, as God, causes all things to glorify Him. They either glorify His goodness, mercy and grace, or are judged by Him to the glorifying of His justice. So, I was wrong to say that we should not study works that do not glorify God...since that is impossible. What I should have said, is that we want to study men and music that are worthy of emmulation, that are good witnesses. Now, none of these men or pieces will be perfect, but their needs to be something that we can learn from them that will assist us in serving God with our music.
The philosophy of humanists, buddhists and other anti-Christians is reflected in their music. Eastern music (made in a Buddhist culture) and Buddhist western musicians create music that seldom, if ever, resolves; this reflects their views that time is cyclical and meaningless, which is antithetical to reality of time as the progression and working out of God's plan, ever moving forward, through periods of tension and periods of resolution, toward the ultimate resolution at the Last Judgment. Humanist, who believe man is his own god and authority rebel against God's laws for music, especially laws of tonality. God made us to appreciate, and find beautiful, sets of notes, called keys; humanists try to create music that is not confined to keys, but it is ugly and chaotic. Some might say that we should study this music anyway in order to understand our times, and perhaps we should mention to our children that it exist, and explain the philosophy behind it, however, we must never forget that "bad company corrupts good morals" (1 Cor. 15:33); if we keep company with music that is in rebellion against God by studying and analyzing it at length, He promises that it will corrupt our music.
Thanks be to God for His common grace, not all anti-Christian composers make music that is consistent with their presuppositions. For instance, Wagner was a notorious God-hater, but some of his music is quite beautiful. One of my husband's favorites, Mussorgsky, was a drunk, but his music is beautiful and stirring, as well. Also, it is impossible for us to judge the intentions of men's hearts and thus study only those who sought to honor God; instead we must try and study music that is beautiful and creative, musicians that use the gifts God has given to create in a manner that reflects God's own Creation. This will be a rather subjective exercise. As Christians seek to redifine the classics, there will need to be a thoughtful dialogue. This is just the beginning, so with prayer that I would be thinking God's thoughts after Him, and not just echoing man's praise, I will begin to gather musicians and pieces to teach my children.
More on this in my next post. As always, your comments and suggestions are most welcome.
Besides singing, praising God with an instrument is also commanded repeatedly in Scripture. Thus, each of my children will learn an instrument. Parents I have talked to prefer the Suzuki method. It produces the best pitch and does not require the ability to read, so the child can start in pre-school. Further, it relies on active involvement by the parent, which should make learning more fun, and keep the child accountable to practice. I am told that it is wise, after a few years, to have the student learn to sight-read as well though. I plan on choosing an instrument for my child to start with, since it is difficult for a three- or four-year old to make an informed choice. However, the student can choose to change instruments later, or add another instrument if he so chooses. In high school I will give the student the option to discontinue music training, if he chooses, but I pray that he will get so much joy and blessing out of praising the Lord with music that he will not want to stop.
During my post on art I mentioned that one way to learn that is encouraged in the Bible is to study the "great cloud of witnesses" that proceeded us. As we study great musicians (or artitst) of the past, and their God-honoring works, we learn how to create our own music that honors God. My husband reminded me that God, as God, causes all things to glorify Him. They either glorify His goodness, mercy and grace, or are judged by Him to the glorifying of His justice. So, I was wrong to say that we should not study works that do not glorify God...since that is impossible. What I should have said, is that we want to study men and music that are worthy of emmulation, that are good witnesses. Now, none of these men or pieces will be perfect, but their needs to be something that we can learn from them that will assist us in serving God with our music.
The philosophy of humanists, buddhists and other anti-Christians is reflected in their music. Eastern music (made in a Buddhist culture) and Buddhist western musicians create music that seldom, if ever, resolves; this reflects their views that time is cyclical and meaningless, which is antithetical to reality of time as the progression and working out of God's plan, ever moving forward, through periods of tension and periods of resolution, toward the ultimate resolution at the Last Judgment. Humanist, who believe man is his own god and authority rebel against God's laws for music, especially laws of tonality. God made us to appreciate, and find beautiful, sets of notes, called keys; humanists try to create music that is not confined to keys, but it is ugly and chaotic. Some might say that we should study this music anyway in order to understand our times, and perhaps we should mention to our children that it exist, and explain the philosophy behind it, however, we must never forget that "bad company corrupts good morals" (1 Cor. 15:33); if we keep company with music that is in rebellion against God by studying and analyzing it at length, He promises that it will corrupt our music.
Thanks be to God for His common grace, not all anti-Christian composers make music that is consistent with their presuppositions. For instance, Wagner was a notorious God-hater, but some of his music is quite beautiful. One of my husband's favorites, Mussorgsky, was a drunk, but his music is beautiful and stirring, as well. Also, it is impossible for us to judge the intentions of men's hearts and thus study only those who sought to honor God; instead we must try and study music that is beautiful and creative, musicians that use the gifts God has given to create in a manner that reflects God's own Creation. This will be a rather subjective exercise. As Christians seek to redifine the classics, there will need to be a thoughtful dialogue. This is just the beginning, so with prayer that I would be thinking God's thoughts after Him, and not just echoing man's praise, I will begin to gather musicians and pieces to teach my children.
More on this in my next post. As always, your comments and suggestions are most welcome.
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