Music: June 2019 Archives
Why WOULD Anyone Sing in Church These Days? | Jonathan Aigner
"We have a rich history of hymns and songs dating back centuries, set to beautiful, singable melodies with a rich harmonic framework, a group to which each generation added their best. Then we decided we didn't need these anymore. Their language was too difficult for us, we said, and it just got in the way of our emotional experience, anyway.
"So we replaced our hymns with new songs, written for solo commercial recordings. That's right, we replaced songs created for many voices with songs meant for one or a few....
"We used to give everyone the printed music, so that they could follow along. But nobody reads music anymore, right? (Of course, many of us once did when we were in the school choir or band, but, well, nevermind...) All those books are heavy. And a waste of paper. So we started projecting words (no music) up on the wall. They're there one minute, and gone the next, kind of like the songs themselves. People crane their necks and raise their chins to read them in their place on high. They have no idea if the next syllable will be held long or released short. They don't know if a pitch rises or falls. They just hope to catch on by the time it's over.
"So, we stopped empowering those among us who do read music to use those gifts. And we stopped expecting anyone else to learn. Just sing along with Mitch, and see how it goes. Maybe if you listened to more Christian radio, you'd know what to do....
"We used to have these majestic and beautiful instruments, with infinite musical palettes and soaring, sustained tones that gave them the ability to breathe life into congregational singing. Now, we've dismissed those as passé, and substituted a rock band, fronted by a lead singer worship leader. He (it's usually a he, for some reason) sings his song, and we try to sing along with his cover of our jesusy hot 100 favorites. What's more, few of these leaders it seems are capable of just plainly, accurately singing the melody. Some of them croon with a whiny, closed-mouthed tone, turning every vowel into an ee-ended diphthong. Others wail in reckless abandon with primal, orgasmic strains, while we sit and watch. They often embellish their performanced with ad libs, rubato, rhythmic embellishments, and melodic freedom, while the congregation audience struggles to keep up.
"So, we replaced an instrument uniquely adept at leading a congregation with a cover band....
"Most of the music churches are now attempting to sing is instrumentally-driven music in a vernacular style that was written for a solo artist recording. Replicating that style of music, with its syncopation, affected vocals, aimless melodies, and awkward vocal ranges, is impossible congregational task. There are new songs and hymns being written that are excellent for a congregation, but you won't usually hear them on Christian radio."
