Early Christian Music Essay

Singing is an essential part of worship to God. Even the existence itself was accompanied by the recounting of morning stars (KJV, Job 387). So, music and render were a vital part of the Israel and in the Old Testament we whitethorn find numerous confirmations of this fact. Jesus Himself sang hymns with His disciples before His sufferings (Matthew 2630).During the Apostolic Era, singing in temple and synagogues still united the Jewish nation, and the apostles urged the believers to sing sing, when anyone is brisk (James 513), and in his letter to Corinthians, when he mentioned about the order in the congregation, Paul wrote that everyone of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine (1-Corinth. 1426), where psalm is mentioned first. Psalms became the base source texts for Christian music and liturgy establishment. Christianity, which originated from the Middle East and had spread throughout the Roman Empire during the first five centuries A.D. , was founded on the basis of the Jewish religion and, therefore, its key practices, such as the sacrificial concept and worship, are rooted and were formed from the traditions and commandments of the Old Testament. The center of church building singing became Christ, the Lord. Music was not limited by canons or regulations it was simple and exalted, joining the loving souls. Love to the Savior Jesus Christ was so deep that the first Christians were aware of the tiniest flavour towards worldly and pagan influence therefore, pomp and coddle of roman music did not attracted them.The basis of singing in the early church was music of the synagogue in Jerusalem the chant of words from the Scripture. One was leading, while the whole congregation repeated him. Other Christian singings included speaking to themselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and fashioning melody in their hearts to the Lord (Eph. 519), which represented a two-part singing by-turn being filled with the Holy Spirit, Christians were makin g and singing new songs, like the new song to honor the Lamb in the Revelation of John. Pliny the Younger, the Roman appointee in Bithynia, in his report to the RomanEarly Christian Music Page 2 Emperor 110 A. D. , had found out that the activities of Christians are not anti-social and their meetings are simple and start with singing a hymn of praise to Christ, as God. During the Roman persecution, Christians were forced to make services in catacombs the walls of these galleries still keep the images of singers and, moreover, the texts of hymns.Monotonous music of hymns was amazing in its austerity and exaltation at the same time. Musical instruments were not allowed because of their heathen usage. On the first council of Nicaea in 325, the persecuted church became the state one. Therefore, singing and worship, staying monotonous, was supplemented with such chants as Gallican France, Mozarabic (Visigothic) Spain, Old Roman, Ambrosian, and Sarum use England (Norton, 2002) and was influenced by national differences.The second council in 381 had excluded non-Christian singing, for Christian music, enjoying the freedom for decades, had been loosing its vitality and simplicity. 100 years later, Manlius Severinus Boethius had written a five-volume book on music De institutione musica (Fundamentals of Music) where he had concluded writings and findings of Greek authors (Nicomachus, Ptolemy, Pythagoras, Euclid and Aristoxenus).Boethius had divided music into three categories musica mundane set forth the universe, planets, seasons music of the spheres musica humana described the interrelations of body and soul musica instrumentalis described music performed with the help of instrument or voice (Norton, 2002). He claimed that music must be a representation of harmony, knowledge, and order. St. Ambrose and St. Gregory the Great played the most prodigious role in the development of early Christian music they have left the patterns, which are now called Ambros ian andGregorian chants, though the founders themselves had no goal to establish a canon. Ambrose, the bishop of Milan, realized the need to enrich the monotonous hymns Early Christian Music Page 3 performance and wrote a number of hymns for his church, which reproduce the psalms of David in verses. He depicted bright images, using a manifold oratorical language of Cicerone, Horatio and Vergilius.His music was simple and well-nigh to folks one. He introduced antiphonal singing, known in Jerusalem Temple, which represents a by-turn psalm singing of soloist, while the rest of congregation is refraining (antiphon) the verses. Besides, Ambrose had put a foundation for eight voice chorus in the West. The original form of Ambrosian chant is still kept in native Milan. Pope St. Gregory I, a son of roman Senator, who refused to serve these worldly passions, and, having sold his possessions, entered the St. Andrews monastery, became the first monk, who was elected to be the pope.Being devo ted to liturgy, which was aimed at prayer and teaching, he move on the plain singing as a sacred music and stressed on the importance of church music as an outer manifestation of opinion that can raise mans heart to spiritual level. This form of monophonic chant became a standard of monastery (Office) and public (the Mass) worship, as well as other services, and had been sung by choirs. This very chant had replaced Old Roman chant in Rome and has been revised and developed until the tenth century A. D.The singing itself started with halleluiah the victorious exclamation of Christians after two and a half centuries of persecution. Its best samples were composed at the end of 5th century (between the invasions of Goths and Lombards), in the epoch of wars, destructions, plagues, famine, disasters such horrifying that Gregory supposed them to be the signs of the end and presages of the Last Judgment. Yet, this singing is filled with peace and faith for the future. Therefore, the Ear ly Christian Music was written in quantify of persecutions and hardships and was aimed to inspire and give faith to believers.That is why the chants and hymns of that time still restore the souls of mankind and are the basis for main services in the most of Christian world. Works Cited Holy Bible, King James Version. Plume, 1974. Norton, W. Music in the Early Christian Church. Concise History of Western Music. 2002. W. W. Norton & Company. 11 Apr 2008 . Ward, Justine. The Reform of Church Music. The Atlantic Monthly 04 1906 1-10. 11 Apr 2008 .