Contemporary Music: The Cultural Medium and the Christian Message
On a recent Sunday, I found myself visiting a Protestant megachurch. Entering the "worship center" was eerily similar to being ushered down the aisle of a movie theater: floor lighting, padded chairs, visual effects shown on two large screens, and music over the speaker system.
A band appeared on stage to begin the service with live music. It was dark, and I thought I heard the audience singing along, but it was impossible to tell. And although I was seated in the front row, I sensed that the congregation was almost superfluous to the activity on stage. As in most forms of entertainment, the audience functioned as passive onlookers, participating only in an unseen, intensely personal way.
While the band played, song lyrics flashed across the two big screens, with words like great figuring prominently. The musical performance was outstanding, even if the vocabulary was extremely limited. If the songs aimed at an emotional response, they were probably successful, but like so much contemporary worship music, they lacked any element of substantive teaching.
Immediately after the singing, without any announcement, much less Paul's words of institution (1 Cor. 11:23-26), the elements of the Lord's Supper were hurriedly handed around. Again, I was amazed at the blandly efficient nature of this activity. We could have been passing pretzels and soda pop. No one offered any guidance whatsoever on the sharing of this critical ordinance or sacrament. It seemed a strictly vertical encounter between each individual and God.
Next came the sermon, offered by a capable person who worked very hard to relate while teaching some biblical content. A simple outline appeared on the screen so that we could follow the train of thought. So did the relevant Bible passages, lest anyone could not find them in an actual Bible. I noticed that the illustrations came almost solely from popular movies and television. Then the service ended as abruptly as it began, with a few announcements over the speakers and a cordial "thank you" to the congregation. No benediction or closing prayer—not even a person to give it. The house lights came on, and it was time to leave.
To say that the service was religiously "dumbed down" is not quite right. In fact, I wish that were the case, since the goal of comprehension sometimes demands that complex ideas be simplified. No, it seemed rather that the presentation aimed at finding a theological and cultural lowest common denominator in order to attract and engage the greatest number of people. As a result, there was no need to be a Christian to understand most everything that was said or sung.
Contemporary Music Era - News
Most contemporary gospel music, which is represented in Rejoice & Shout by acts like Andrae Crouch and Darrel Petties, relies on modern rhythm and blues and sometimes hip-hop arrangements. It often puts mass choirs to work in conjunction with slick
The bebop era brought to jazz music a heightened emphasis on velocity and virtuosity. Yet most contemporary jazz masters still suggest that the true measure of an improviser's talent is
The musical performance was outstanding, even if the vocabulary was extremely limited. If the songs aimed at an emotional response, they were probably successful, but like so much contemporary worship music, they lacked any element of substantive
He and beloved concertmaster Elizabeth Wallfisch transformed the Bach Festival ensemble into a leading group of 18th century music specialists adept in contemporary classical performance as well. Goodwin, too, brings a background that combines a deep
Elizabeth McMillen and Duane Paluska, Center for Maine Contemporary Art, Rockport, paintings and wooden sculptures, 1 to 5 pm today; 10 am to 5 pm Tuesday through Saturday; 1 to 5 pm July 3. Through July 10. "Paul Caponigro: The Hidden Presence of
Current News: Student Performs Benefit Recital , Southeast ...
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo., June 23, 2011 -- James Thompson, a flute performance major at Truman State University, will perform a benefit recital for the Southeast Missouri Music Academy on Sunday, July 10.
The recital is scheduled for 3 p.m. in the Robert F. and Gertrude L. Shuck Music Recital Hall on the River Campus of Southeast Missouri State University. This concert is free and is open to the public. Donations to the scholarship program of the Southeast Missouri Music Academy will be accepted at the door.
His one-hour recital will include music from the Baroque era to contemporary music, and will provide a sampling of colorful and diverse music for the flute. Thompson will perform several unaccompanied works, including a solo movement by the great Baroque composer J. S. Bach, as well as a virtuosic solo composition by French composer Jacques Ibert. Also on the program will be a French Romantic showpiece for flute and piano by Paul Taffenel. A lively and fascinating contemporary work for flute and tape by the British composer, Ian Clarke, will also be performed. Thompson also will present two ensemble works: a flute duo by 20th-century master composer, Paul Hindemith, and an enchanting selection from the famous “London Trios” by Joseph Haydn. Assisting in his recital will be Paul Thompson, flute and piano, and Sara Edgerton, cello.
James Thompson is currently a senior flute performance major attending Truman State University, where he studies with Dr. Julianna Moore. At Truman State, he is the piccoloist of both the Symphony Orchestra and Wind Symphony I. He is also a member of the Truman State Flute Quartet and Flute Choir and is the piccoloist of the Cape Girardeau Municipal Band. Thompson attended the Sewanee Summer Music Festival on a scholarship for two summers. He was a finalist in the 2010 Jacqueline Avent Scholarship Concerto Competition at Sewanee, as well as a finalist in Truman State's 2010 Gold Medal Competition. He has performed at many venues, including recitals of the Southern Illinois and St. Louis Flute Societies.
A native of Cape Girardeau, James Thompson attended Notre Dame Regional High School, where he was a member of the Notre Dame Band. While at Notre Dame, he was a member of the All-District Band for four years and participated in the district solo and ensemble competition as well as the state music competition.
Contemporary Music Era - Bookshelf
Encyclopedia of contemporary Christian music, pop, rock, and worship
Still, much of what was considered contemporary Christian music in that era had a raw, ''seventies rock'' feel to it. But at the end of the decade, ...Ornamentation, a question & answer manual
... architecture and music in the Contemporary era changed from that of the Romantic era?6 A Romantic Setting for Romantic Performances Grandiose concert ...Billboard
... Assn. of Broadcasters — "American Country," a contemporary music service, .... to artists and their hits as they relate to this exciting musical era. ...The Incredible Shrinking Church
Then came the folk music era and the Woodstock generation that didn't connect ... So churches began introducing contemporary music and instrumentation into ...The Oxford handbook of computer music
The launch of an era of technological progress, namely, the “age of mechanical ... The focus in this first part of the chapter is on contemporary art music. ...Detailed Information Directory
The Contemporary Era - Classic FM
Find The Contemporary Era and listen to all the best classical music on Classic FM. Composers & artists, tv and film themes and music suggestions for special occasions.
Era – Free listening, videos, concerts, stats, & pictures at ...
1. Era (Enminential Rythmn of the Ancestors) (styled as eRa) is a New Age music project ... Era mixes Gregorian chants and occasionally world music with contemporary electronic ...
Classical music - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
During the Baroque era, keyboard music played on the harpsichord and ... [edit] 20th century, modern, and contemporary music. Igor Stravinsky and Pablo Picasso ...
Era Art Bar and Lounge
Era Art Bar and Lounge offers diverse music, curated collections of contemporary art and boutique cocktails in an elegant environment.
History of classical music traditions - Wikipedia, the free ...
The history of musical development in Iran (Persian music) dates back to the prehistoric era. ... music era may also refer to contemporary but traditional or folk music, ...