Church, Wedding and Funeral Music

The Church and the Development of Music

Although music has no doubt been an important part of life for many cultures since antiquity, it was in the hands of the Western Christian Church that music underwent important developments that were to send it on a series of courses leading ultimately to classical forms and then on to influence today's myriad musical styles. An example of early religious music is unaccompanied plainsong, which under its alternative name of Gregorian Chant has made something of a comeback in recent times. While very different in sound from music as we know it today, it obeys early rules of form which were later to develop into important musical concepts.

A number of significant factors contributed to the church's being the natural incubator nurturing music in this way. Firstly the early church was in several ways like the universities of today, educating its members in many subjects, fostering further research and documenting findings, retaining libraries of its knowledge to pass on to future generations. Secondly music (perhaps because of its ability to heighten emotional experience - see What is Music?) has always been an integral part of the process of worship, and much energy was dedicated to this pursuit and developing those musical skills in order to perfect that means of worship. These two factors combined not simply to pass on existing musical traditions, but to further develop them in various directions.

It was in the hands of the church that musical notation was invented and then refined. Prior to this music was learned by example, and other than deductions which can be made from pictures and engravings of musicians on the one hand, and descriptions recorded in literature on the other, we know very little about how music really sounded before the invention of music notation.

Pivotal Composers in the history of the church :

One reasonably well-documented case of an early composer flourishing in a religious setting was Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179) who became a nun attached to a monastery in Germany and later founded her own convent. Well educated, well-read and intelligent, she engaged the greatest thinkers and most influential people of the day in all manner of correspondence on a wide range of topics. On the creative side, she wrote poetry and set this and liturgical texts to music, writing hymns and religious songs. Since her music was recorded and preserved by the order, it represents some of the earliest known examples of such music.

Over the course of many years music was evolved in this environment, different forms were developed, the concept of harmony evolved from simple rules of accompaniment based on intervals, and melodies were combined in different ways to form polyphony. At the time of the reformation, the church underwent substantial change and this had knock on effects on the use of music. Two composers closely involved in such developments in England were Thomas Tallis and William Byrd. The pace of development continued right up to the Baroque and Classical periods, where even still important composers were frequently still employed by the church such as Vivaldi and Bach. It was not until the time of Beethoven that composers were relatively independent artists but traditions continue, and even Beethoven and later composers have composed Masses and Requiems. Many other classical composers have contributed to the repertoire of hymn tunes used in church including Mendelssohn, Sullivan and Gounod to name a few.

Church music today and Hymns :

As for today, the christian and other churches use a wide variety of music in their services and rituals. The central musical form in this context is the hymn, a simple religious poem set to music and often very similar to popular song forms consisting of four lines of verse followed by four lines of chorus, repeated.

Music for Weddings

Everything must be perfect for the big day and it's important to pay attention to every detail. The choice and type of music, and how it is played can make a big difference to the sense of occasion. Many options are possible from live music to recordings, depending on your needs and your budget. Here we present some ideas to help in this most important of choices.

Music Recommendations for Weddings:

Weddings are important events in our lives, and we celebrate them in a variety of ways. In many cultures weddings have a religious significance, but the use of music to enhance the experience is almost universal. There are pieces of music from the classical repertoire that have become so closely associated with the ceremony that just a few notes from the tunes will immediately make people think "wedding". There are many other works that can also be played at various points during the ceremony, often signifying enduring love or beauty, and frequently the happy couple will chose personal favourites which might have a particularly significance to them. The choice is very large, but here are a few traditional suggestions from the mfiles archives which you may want to consider, and within the sheet music pages you will find options to download the music in other formats.

Live music for Funerals

No Sad Songs brings a welcome new dimension to funerals. At short notice we can provide a fine live performance of almost any music or poetry you request. We possess a unique combination of musical knowledge and funeral experience which will help you plan the ceremony. We can take care of all musical details and also provide personally designed service leaflets. Our musicians, as well as being soloists, are drawn from the top British ensembles and choirs. Our music brings life, dignity and meaning to what can be a harrowing experience, and you will leave the service feeling better than when you arrived. Nothing can be more memorable than a private performance of a beautiful piece of music; it is the perfect way to say goodbye to someone you love. www.nosadsongs.co.uk

History of Funeral Music

Historically the view of music for funerals was very sombre. We expected to hear a few traditional hymns and perhaps a funeral march, and several classical composers have included music in this vein within their compositions. The most famous of these are from Chopin's Piano Sonata, Beethoven's Third and some of the symphonies of Mahler. These days there is much more flexibility, and the music for a funeral service or subsequent wake may include favourites of the deceased, songs ancient and modern, and general expressions of love, tenderness and even humour. Among celebrity examples of the latter trend are Glen Miller's "In the Mood" played at Peter Seller's service, not because he liked it but because he hated it and wanted to play a joke on his fellow Goons. Eric Idle's rendition of "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life" was especially poignant at the funeral of fellow Python Graham Chapman. It should also be noted that the approach to funeral music differs across the world, and a mood of joy is as common as one of sadness. Think of the funeral scenes in the Bond film "Live and Let Die" where a funeral dirge breaks out into lively Dixieland Jazz.

Kunjungi www.investasi-saham.com untuk investasi saham dan bermain saham. Panduan Lengkap dalam Berinvestasi di Pasar Modal, Bursa Efek Indonesia, Saham, Obligasi, ORI, SUKUK, Reksadana, Derivatif, Investasi Syariah dan Produk Investasi Keuangan lainnya serta Belajar Menjadi Investor/ Trader (Main) Saham.