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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
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Open Position Piano Chords - Perfect for the New Age Style The Open Position Chord (OPC) allows you to create a vented sound. A sound that is open, literally, as opposed to the closed triads taught in most course books. Beginner Guitar Tips: How to Get a Feel "I don't like to go into the studio with all the songs worked out and planned before hand?. You've got to give the band something to use its imagination on as well. That can make a very ordinary song come alive into something totally different?.. the X Factor ? so important in Rock And Roll - which is the feel" - Keith Richards. Reaching For The Soul Zone Every searching artist wants to get there. It's that magical place where something takes over, you know, when something bigger than you whispers in your ear and says "Relax - I'll take it from here!" Musicians Injuries: OUCH, It Hurts When I Play (But Please Dont Tell Me To Stop!) This article takes a look at musicians' injuries. For an expert perspective, I interviewed Dr. Sarah Mickeler, B.Mus., D.C. Dr. Mickeler is a former professional musician and a chiropractor who concentrates on musicians' injuries in her practice. Living Life Loud Change is good. Just ask the millions of unsigned artists worldwide trying to get their music heard. Since the music industry is changing drastically, unsigned musicians are able to make their music available to listeners. Record labels are realizing new techniques need to be created in order to promote music, and find new talent. New Age Piano and Improvisation There are so many areas in life where one must do things right. Thankfully, art is an area where great discoveries are made by making mistakes! The Post-rock Revolution (Explosions in the sky) A lot has been said about the 'post-rock' revolution as of late. The rise of instrumental bands such as Explosions in the sky, Godspeed you! black emperor, Maserati, and The Mercury Program has raised questions about the direction that music is traveling. More and more people are looking for something different, something fresh. We are sick of the same pop songs being shoveled down our throats, we are sick of mindless rap, we are sick of mindless rock. We are sick of mindless music. So what happens when you remove the vocal aspect of music? It becomes exceedingly difficult to fall into the 'mindless' category; the instrumental soundscapes allow your mind to apply its own story to the music. It's remarkable what happens when you let the listener dictate the theme of the music. Effective Band Rehearsal If your band is in rehearsals, either preparing for gigging, or practising new songs to add to your repertoire, the chances are you will have to hire a rehearsal room. The costs of hiring a room can soon mount up if you don't organise your time effectively. You could be wasting time and money going around in circles, with a growing frustration that your band doesn't seem to be making any progress. Greg Koch Fender Guitar History The Greg Koch Fender guitar began to take shape all the way back when Greg Koch was in the third grade. Greg cut out cardboard Fender Stratocaster guitars, then Koch used his sisters sewing machine pedal as a wah-wah. By watching, listening and copying what he heard on records he was able to advance quickly. Rickenbacker 4003 Electric Bass Guitar The Rickenbacker 4003 electric bass guitar is one of the few electric basses to have earned the accolade "classic" as a title for itself. The Rickenbacker 4000 Series guitar is attributed for creating new dimensions of bass playing capabilities. Basses by Rickenbacker are made by hand in America, using traditional methods refined and honed. Top Rap Song After months of email and posts, we've finally compiled and rated what you submitted as the top rap songs of all time. At first we tried to rank these, but we realized that due to the diverse nature of these songs it seemed unfair to do so. Depends on personal opinion, right? Wrong! How to Buy an Electric Guitar Online With the increased proliferation of online guitar and musical equipment stores, as well as the lower prices and greater selection that these stores generally offer, most people are now turning to the internet to help them make their guitar purchases. Shopping online is simpler and more convenient than shopping in a store and, since all major guitar manufacturers have good websites, product information and specs are more easily accessible online than they are simply by asking a salesperson in a store. Creating Your Own Compositions The idea of actually creating a complete piece of music to play frightens many students. They just don't understand how someone could come up with something, put it down on paper, and call it their own. Adults Can Learn to Play the Piano Too Are you well past puberty and have always had a hankering for tickling the ivories? Maybe you didn't have the money as a child. Or your family was always moving. Or you probably didn't even know there was such a wonderful thing as the piano. Whatever the reason it is never too late to start. Really! Record Collecting Still Thriving in the Twenty-first Century It may surprise many to find that the hobby of record collecting, long thought dead after the introduction of the compact disc, is still alive and well. Granted, many music fans have long replaced their records with CDs, but for many Baby Boomers and Generation X-ers, the hobby of buying and collecting record albums and singles continues to be a focal point in their lives.Records offer the tactile sense of a substantial product, unlike the CD. The seven-inch, 45 RPM single often came with a picture sleeve that has no equivalent among compact discs. The nostalgia of records draws many back to their younger days. And records still sound great. A recent check of the Bay auction site showed 959,857 records for sale. That's just under one million records!These records aren't selling at garage-sale prices, either. At any given time, there might be six thousand records by the Beatles for sale, some of which have sold for up to $40,000. Elvis isn't far behind; his first five singles, issued on the small Memphis-based, Sun label, routinely bring $2000 at auction in nice condition. Other artists, such as the Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, James Brown, or Madonna have issued records that not only command sky-high prices, but also draw a lot of bids. The greatest interest in record collecting is in artists of the 1960's and 1970's, but newer bands, such as Nirvana, draw a lot of attention from younger collectors. Nivrana's first single, Love Buzz issued in 1988, sells for up to $2000 and there are several other bands, such as the Misfits, that have released numerous records that sell for more than $1000. What do collectors do with these records? Some play them, some frame them, some simply put them on the shelf. There are collectors who only buy records that they intend to play and others that simply want anything that was ever commercially released by the artist that interests them. There is no pigeonholing a collector; they come in all shapes and sizes. For them, finding a long-unavailable single that has eluded them for years is like winning the lottery.For those who are interested, there are literally thousands of Websites devoted to artists, records, and record collecting. There are well-known magazines, like Goldmine , Discoveries, and in the UK, Record Collector. Anyone who thinks they might be interested in collecting records has more resources available to them than ever before. Twenty years ago, people thought that records would be long forgotten by now. They couldn't have been more wrong. Music & Emotions: Can Music Really Make You a Happier Person? How many times have you turned to music to uplift you even further in happy times, or sought the comfort of music when melancholy strikes? Beginner Guitar Lessons - Learn Guitar without Ever Leaving Your Home! So, you think you'd like to learn to play guitar, but you're put off by the high cost of lessons? You don't want to put up with a teacher showing you a bunch of theory and boring songs that you don't want to learn and won't get you where you want to go? Look no further, online instruction is now available that provides comprehensive beginner guitar lessons to anyone who wants to learn to play guitar quickly and easily. To Record or Not To Record - At Home, That Is I will be honest. I am addicted to music recording. I love moving faders, adjusting levels, panning, reverberating, sequencing, you name it. I especially love all that software, and the colorful ways that they show the music as a waveform. It is just cool. How to Compose Using ABA Form ABA form is like a musical sandwich. You have the 2 slices of bread with the contrasting meat and cheese on the inside. Instead of bread and meat, you use musical materials. Perhaps an 8-bar phrase for the A section followed by a 4 or 8-bar phrase for the B section. A nice little musical sandwich. A Brief History of Gongs The gong is one of the oldest musical instruments in the world. Archaeologists have unearthed gongs built almost four thousand years ago. No wonder when we hear a gong we feel like we are being touched in our soul.
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