Product Description

Just as the psalms were at the heart of worship in Jewish temple and synagogue, so music has been central to Christian worship since it's beginning. Right through medieval times and the centuries since, some of the most creative musical geniuses have produced works to be performed as part of the life of the Christian church. The result is a great wealth of hymns, anthems, oratorios and other sacred music, from the direct and simple to the most ornate and complex. And from this rich store, organists and choirmasters in churches, chapels and cathedrals throughout the world draw hymns and other music for worship today. This illustrated work covers the entire range of cultural styles and tastes and should be of interest both to the music expert and those who are interested in finding out more about this genre of music.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #654782 in Books
• Published on: 2003-05-23
• Format: Illustrated
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 256 pages

Review
'A fascinating survey of the whole body of Christian music...scholarly yet readily intelligible to the non-specialist.' - Sir David Willcocks, former Principal of the Royal College of Music, London

About the Author
ANDREW WILSON-DICKSON is Principal Lecturer at the Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff, and a composer of operatic, orchestral and church music. He is also involved in Christian music through his local Baptist church and through Cambrensis (the South Wales Baptist Choir).

Customer Reviews

I too will praise him with a new son
The author, Andrew Wilson-Dickson, teaches music and drama in Cardiff, having taken a doctorate in music composition from York University. Thoroughly grounded in the British musical context and traditions, Wilson-Dickson nonetheless presents a broad-ranging and fairly balanced few of the long history of Christian music. For most Christians through the centuries, the idea of worship without music (and, indeed, without particular kinds of music) might have been considered greater heresy than many of the theological controversies that fill the standard history texts. Even today, when a new minister goes into a church, the congregation is as likely to be upset at a shift in hymnody and music as in theological directions that diverge from their own.

This richly illustrated and designed book is divided into eight primary sections:

The Birth of Christian Music
Renaissance and Reformation
The Flowering of Christian Music
The Path Divides
Eastern Traditions
The African Genius
Music in North America
Music in Twentieth Century Europe

Not following geography or history timelines strictly, but rather allowing these to be broad organising principles, Wilson-Dickson explores the development of key musical types as well as the cross-pollination of musical styles and influences. There is a distinctly British bias that creeps in, not so much as a denigration of other cultures but rather as a highlight of the British traditions - one gets the sense from reading that this is where the author's heart is most at home. The author's biases are also apparent in his discussions, but he supports his conclusions fairly well, while not requiring the reader to agree. (For instance, many would agree with Wilson-Dickson that J.S. Bach was the greatest composer the Western world has ever produced, and Wilson-Dickson cites others such as Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven and Wagner - possible contenders for the title - as in agreement; however, should the reader not agree that J.S. Bach was the greatest, the chapter on Bach is not really diminished.)

The development of church music over time is not independent of the greater history of the Christian church, nor is it independent of the broader cultural and technological developments. These contexts and influences are discussed and explained as appropriate. The theological intention and importance behind the styles of music is explained without excessive rambling.

The graphic layout of the text is superb. Colour, photographs, line-art and copies of musical manuscripts abound to support and enhance the text. Side-bars and emphasis boxes explain key terms, points, or historical information. Given two thousand years of history and only 240 pages in which to explore it, obviously the author had to be selective not only in which topics to include, but how much to develop each one. Given the importance of North American Christianity in the world-wide Christian experience in the past few hundred years, perhaps a little more room could be devoted to this area of music. Similarly, Wilson-Dickson's brief conclusion and discussion of good music vs. bad music could benefit from a little more development.

However, for the seminary student, the religious studies and history student, or even the average choir member or singer in a congregation, this is an excellent overview of the history and development of Christian music. One might wish for a CD or two to be included with musical samples; perhaps for a later edition?