Christian music
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| Christian music | |
| Stylistic origins |
various
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|---|---|
| Cultural origins |
various
|
| Typical instruments |
various
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| Mainstream popularity | International |
| Derivative forms | Contemporary Christian Southern Gospel Urban contemporary gospel |
| Subgenres | |
| Christian pop Christian rock Christian hardcore Christian metal Christian metalcore Christian alternative Christian Industrial Christian punk Bluegrass gospel Christian country music (sometimes called Country Gospel) Progressive Southern Gospel Jubilee quartet Christian hip hop Mass choirs Gospel blues |
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| Other topics | |
| Byzantine music Gregorian chant Hymn Mass (music) Contemporary worship music |
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Christian music is music that is written to express either personal or a communal belief regarding Christian life. Common themes of Christian music include praise, worship, penitence and lament.
Like other forms of music the creation, performance, significance, and even the definition of Christian music varies according to culture and social context. Christian music is composed and performed for many purposes, ranging from aesthetic pleasure, religious or ceremonial purposes, or as an entertainment product for the marketplace.
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[edit] Genres and subgenres
Christian music can be divided into several genres and sub-genres, although the dividing lines and relationships between music genres are often subtle, sometimes open to individual interpretation, and occasionally controversial. These genres (sometimes referred to as 'style') like other forms of music may be distinguished by the techniques, the styles, the context and the themes, or geographical origin. Historic categories and genres include (but are not limited to): Hymns, Motets, sequences, psalmody, antiphons, Contemporary Christian music, Southern Gospel, and Urban contemporary gospel. Specific subgenres of Christian music may include (but are not limited to): Progressive Southern Gospel, Christian country music, Christian pop, Christian rock, Christian metal (including Christian metalcore), Christian punk, Christian alternative rock, Christian hip hop, Jubilee quartet, and Mass choir music.
[edit] Performance
Christian music may also be classified based upon the setting it is performed. The most traditional way is to hear Christian music is live, in the presence of, or as one of the musicians in a worship or religious setting.
[edit] Instrumental and non-instrumental
The majority of Christian denominations in the West use instruments of various types to accompany their worship.
But various Western denominations (such as some Exclusive Brethren, the Churches of Christ, the Primitive Baptists and the Free Church of Scotland) have historically not used instruments, citing their absence from the New Testament. During the last century or so several of these groups have revised this stance.
The singing of the Eastern Orthodox is also unaccompanied.
[edit] Worship services
The most prevalent performances of Christian music are at religious or worship services, most frequently at church buildings on a Sunday morning, but often also on other days and nights of the week or at other venues, such as coffeehouses, concert halls, campuses, or even bars. Such performances may include a worship band, church band or choir.
[edit] Music festivals and conferences
A number of Christian music festivals have been organized. The first one was the Ichthus Music Festival which started in 1970, and the biggest ones are the Cornerstone Festival and Creation Festival which may draw upwards of 100,000 people. They are common in the summertime and draw many different people, specifically those from organized groups such as church youth groups and campus groups. In addition to music festivals like those that are part of the Christian Festival Association, there are also many Christian conferences which focus more on speakers, but usually also have musical performances, especially for a Worship service.
[edit] Concerts
Like any musical group or act, many Christian musical artists perform concerts in concert halls, bars & clubs, outdoor venues, or wherever else an secular musician might play. Sometimes it may be for pure entertainment, other times with the intention of proselytizing or witnessing, and other times may be part worship as well.
[edit] Media
Today Christian music is available through most available media. Christian music is broadcast over the radio, television or the internet. Christian Albums and video recordings (CD, LP, digital download, DVD, etc.) have been increasingly more popular and have continued to increase in sales.
[edit] See also
- Byzantine music
- Constantine I and Christianity
- Contemporary Christian music
- Gospel music
- Gregorian chant
- Hymn
- Mass (music)
- Contemporary worship music
- Worship presentation program
- Christian radio
[edit] External links
- News and Information
- Christian Music Central - Christian Music Videos - Music Video Source
- New Christian Music Releases and Upcoming Release Schedule
[edit] References
[edit] Suggested reading
- Boyer, Horace Clarence, How Sweet the Sound: The Golden Age of Gospel Elliott and Clark, 1995, ISBN 0-252-06877-7.
- Broughton, Viv, Too Close To Heaven - The Illustrated History Of Gospel Music, Midnight Books, 1996, ISBN 1-900516-00-4
- Albert E Brumley & Sons, The Best of Albert E Brumley, Gospel Songs, 1966, ISBN na-paperback Amazing Grace
- Darden, Robert, People Get Ready: A New History of Black Gospel Music Continuum International Publishing Group, 2005, ISBN 0-8264-1752-3.
- Heilbut, Tony, The Gospel Sound: Good News and Bad Times Limelight Editions, 1997, ISBN 0-87910-034-6.
- Zolten, Jerry, Great God A' Mighty!:The Dixie Hummingbirds - Celebrating The Rise Of Soul Gospel Music, Oxford University Press, 2003, ISBN 0-19-515272-7.
- Church Music in Catholic Encyclopedia
- Enciclopedia Cecilia (in Spanish) Includes a Catholic Encyclopedia about music, wiki-style
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