Early Church Music
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This
lesson is titled “Early Church Music” and covers pre-Reformation Christian
music from the first century up to 1500 C.E. It is impossible to do justice
to this long period in the time we have in this class. Nevertheless, we will
look some highlights. Christian historians often divide these 1500 in three
basic periods: o
Early (100-325) o
Middle
(325-1200) o
Late
(1200-1500) Several
musical developments were especially important during this period: 1)
The development
of the “mass” and its various parts 2)
The
continuation of chanted scripture as a musical expression 3)
The role of
choirs, musical instruments, and trained professional musicians in Christian
worship. |
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Christian Liturgy, the “Mass,”
and Music >
Christian
liturgy and the associated music o
The meaning of
“liturgy.” Liturgy is an ordered
sequence of worship elements such as scripture, songs, ritual acts, and
proclamation of the word by the clergy. Liturgy also includes the act of
communion in many traditions, and is celebrated every week. o
Early church
liturgy. There are early indications that Christian worship followed an
order. That is, the worship was organized. Moreover, the services included
certain elements every time. It came to be common to include at least one Old
Testament scripture, a Psalm, and two New Testament scriptures. One of the
two New Testament scriptures had to include one with the words of Christ. o
The meaning of
“missa” and “eucharist.” The liturgy was known as the “mass” or, in Latin,
“missa” which meant “Go, you are dismissed.” The term “eucharist” refers to
communion, and it was common to celebrate communion every week in the early
church. This is still the case in Catholic and Episcopal traditions.
o
Parts of the “Mass.” As the mass became more and more set, composers
were asked to set the some of the texts to music. The most common are these: -
Kyrie: “Lord, have mercy” and “Christ, have mercy”
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Gloria: “Glory to God in the
highest” (from Luke 2:14 with other scriptures) -
Credo: Sung statement of belief (Nicene creed) -
Sanctus/Benedictions: “Holy, Holy, Holy -
Agnus Dei: “Lamb of God” (from John 1:29) o
Music and the mass: -
Musical settings of the mass fall into two categories: -
Below are examples of both: Composed Kyrie (Ralph
Vaughan Williams) o
Learn more: -
Wikipedia “Music
in the Mass” Chanting >
The tradition of “chanting”
or “plainsong” is ancient. It is
certainly the case that scripture was “chanted” in Old Testament times and in
the early church. That tradition continued for the first 1500 years of the
Christian church. Most Protestant churches (including the BIC) eliminated
this practice because it was thought to be “Pope-ish”
and too closely connected to Catholic worship. However, some Protestant
traditions use chanting of scripture. And, in recent decades a return to
older worship practices has re-introduced chanting into some contemporary
Protestant services.
o
An excellent
explanation of chanted text o
Some chanted texts have entered the musical repertory of many
Christian churches. In some cases, these are freely metered; in others they
have been set in a more metrical fashion. Two excellent examples can be found
in the music of Christmas (both included in the 1984 BIC hymnal). There are
hundreds of settings of “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” which is a testimony to
the beauty of the tune and meaning of the text. “Of the Father’s Love
Begotten” is less common but widely used nevertheless. -
Of The Father’s Love Begotten
(Lutheran Choir, Orchestra and Congregation) -
O, Come, O Come Emmanuel
(4-part acapella men) -
O, Come, O Come Emmanuel (Pentatonix arrangement) -
O, Come, O Come Emmanuel
(David Crowder live) / same recorder -
O Come, O Come Emmanuel
(Brass Choir) -
O Come, O Come Emmanuel
(Bluegrass) -
O Come, O Come Emmanuel
(Electric Guitar) -
O Come, O Come
Emmanuel (Contemporary Rock) Role of Choirs, Instruments,
and Professionals in Christian Worship >
Choirs are mentioned in the
Old Testament, but not in the New Testament. And, it is unlikely that formal
“choirs” were a part of the earliest Christian worship. However, eventually
choirs again emerged as a musical expression in the church. Despite the
recent contemporary emphasis on “worship teams,” choirs have continued to
play a role in Christian worship in many churches. >
The earliest evidence of multi-part choir music in Christian worship
comes from the Medieval era. However, the sound was
quite different than a modern choir. The harmonies were different, the
movement of the melodies was different, and the combination of voices was
different: o
An explanation
of chanting and the origins of Medieval choral Christian music >
Eventually, choral music developed into multi-line, multi-part,
complex music, and Christian composers wrote thousands of settings of
biblical texts as well as settings to other Christian texts. The mass setting
of the French composer, Guillaume de
Machaut, is one of the best known examples from the late Medieval period. It is based on traditional chant melodies
but with harmonies added. This unique musical style was used in Christian
churches in Europe from the 12th-14th centuries: o
Machaut Mass
(Kyrie) (“Lord, have mercy”)
>
By the early Renaissance
(just before the Reformation), large cathedrals existed in all the major
cities of Europe. These were staffed by paid clergy and music provided by
professional musicians. Composers had expanded their harmonies and the sound
began to be more like modern harmonies. Examples from this period include
Palestrina, Victoria, Thomas Tallis, and William Byrd. Many of their compositions
used the Latin texts of the Christian church at the time. o
Wiliam Byrd: Ave Verum Corpus (“Hail, true Body, born of the Virgin
Mary“) o
William Byrd: Mass for 4 Voices o
William Byrd: This Day Christ Was Born
(Christmas composition for the church) o
Tallis: Lamentations of Jeremiah o
Many cathedrals maintained choirs to sing this Christian music. Even
today, many British Cathedrals continue to support schools for boys (who sing
in the church choir) and pay professional male singers to cover the lower
parts. Oxford Cathedral is one such church in England -
Oxford Cathedral Choir singing
“Miserere Mei” (based on Psalm 51) o
It should be noted that composers are still writing choral music for
liturgical Christian worship. One of the most famous Latin texts is “O Magnum
Mysterium” which comments on the mystery of salvation and grace given through
Jesus birth, death, and resurrection. Several settings are widely sung. Below
are links to two: 1) Victoria (16th
century), and 2) Lauridsen (20th century). -
Victoria’s “O Magnum”
(1500s) -
Lauridsen’s “O Magnum” (1994) >
At some point after the first century, Christians began to use musical instruments regularly. In
time, the most commonly used instrument for Christian worship was the organ. The earliest organs did
not have keys. However, eventually keys were added, more pipes were added,
and by 1500 the instrument had become quite powerful and flexible. Pipe
organs are still used in Christian churches today. Some of the biggest have
as many as 20,000 pipes. o
During the medieval period, the portative organ was quite common. The
pitches were limited but it was used as by Christian musicians as this
painting of two famous composers shows.
o
Some modern musicians still play the instrument: o
By 1500 three types of organs existed: portative, positive, church -
Tutorial -
Oldest organ in the world
(1442) -
Hand pumped organ (notice
the “stops” which control the pipes) -
Medieval organ play a melody
plus “drone” (with hand pump) -
Medieval organ composition
(“Kyrie” from a setting of the Mass) >
Professionalization of Church Music had clearly taken place by 1500 o
Tallis, Bryd and many others were paid to compose music for the
church or to play the instruments or to sing in the choirs. |
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