From Chants, to Psalter, to Hymns , and more

Medieval church music

The span of history between the end of the Roman Empire, and the beginning of the Renaissance (1450) did not leave much in the way of written records, including church history.  Church music in this period would have been mostly ‘plainchant’ in style: one melody line.  Later, two or more lines were combined together and sung in large cathedrals.

            Parishioners in the medieval era were spectators rather than active participants. Most could not read and would not have had access to Scripture even if they had been literate.  The songs sung in worship were still mostly psalms. Over time, written chants developed, sung mostly by choirs of men rather than by worshippers themselves.  Pope Gregory is attributed with the origin of the chant but some suggest that his name was simply used to gain acceptance of that style of song throughout the Holy Roman Empire.

            As the Gregorian chants continued to evolve, they were accompanied by an organist, in part because they had become more and more complicated to sing.  The introduction of the organ was notable. During the first thousand years of the Christian church, instruments had been rejected by religious leadership due to their association with pagan worship[1].

             Reformation church music

With the onset of the Reformation, no longer would parishioners be passive – they would become participants in the psalms, hymns and spiritual songs of the church, in their own language![2] This change in worship style reflected the belief espoused by Calvin and other Reformers that grace for the individual was not attained through sacraments, good works, or indulgences offered by priests and clergy. Grace was attained through faith alone. Power shifted from Rome to the local church, where each believer had a responsibility to participate in the life of the church. These beliefs began to work their way into the texts of the hymns that developed out of this new paradigm.

            In the 17^th century, hymns were not available for everyone to sing- public singing of text which was not directly from the Bible was still regarded as ‘error on Popery’[3]. Hymns were written for aristocracy and performed in their private chapels by professional musicians.  Hymn singing in the early years of the Lutheran church took place primarily in homes. Robert T. Coote, quoting Peter Balslev-Clausen notes that such singing “…enabled people to ‘meet the lord and to be united with him.” [4]  Calvin’s psalter was sung unaccompanied, since the organ and other instruments were deemed inappropriate for use in the newly Reformed worship service.

Benjamin Keach, a British pastor in the Particular Baptist church, was instrumental in making the singing of hymns by congregations a common practice. [5] In 1673, he introduced a hymn after communion, stirring a great deal of controversy, yet he persisted. He went on to publish a collection of thirty seven hymns in 1697. The singing of hymns today is considered typical of church worship, but in Keach’s era, parishioners debated such issues as singing with accompaniment of instruments, the rhyming of words, and whether or not men and women could or should sing together.

            Isaac Watts, 1674-1748, has been labeled the ‘Father of English Hymnody’.  Through words and music, he summarized those emotions and experiences that were common to many Christians.[6] This was just the beginning of a burst of hymn writing in that era; more than 450 metrical psalters and hymn books were published in the 18^th century.

Charles Wesley – brother of John Wesley, founder of the Methodist movement –was also a prolific writer of hymns, many of which are still sung today. It can be said that for decades, faith communities and emerging denominations were defined by the songs they sang.[7] According to Bell, Methodists preferred songs by Wesley; Presbyterians, the Psalms; Baptists, livelier hymns.

            It was also during the 1600’s and 1700’s that now-famous composers such as Bach, Mozart and Handel made their own contributions to church music, which remain some of Christian music’s most inspiring works. Up next in our review: John Newton and his Amazing Grace!

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[1] Jacob Gordon, “Finding Meaning in our Worship Music,” www.thethoughtfulchristian.com, 2009

[2] Carl Shalk, “Thoughts on Smashing Idols: Church Music in the ‘80’s,” The Christian Century, Sept. 30, 1981, pp.960-963

[3] Tel Asiado, “History of the Christian Hymn”, http://www.suite101/content/history-of-the-christian-hymn-a84721

[4] Robert T. Coote, “They Hymns That Keep On Going,” http://christianitytoday.com/ct/article_print.html

[5] Tel Asiado, op. cit.

[6] Tel Asiado, op.cit.

[7] John Bell, op.cit.