Should you play or sing virtuosic music in church? Many fundamentalist Christians don’t think so. This week’s episode is the second in our series on musical virtuosity. Last week, Joshua Kalin Busman discussed how evangelical musicians might tone down the difficulty of their music—balancing their churches’ need for musical “amateurism” with the reality the “amateurish” …
Since the summer, I’ve had a book outline up on the wall in my son’s bedroom. Little snips of index cards, stuck to the wall with blue painter’s tape. I often think about this book project (it’s one of two I’m working on—this one is based in my doctoral research on music in fundamentalist Christianity). …
You don’t have to sing out loud in order to sing. You can sing silently. I call it “inner singing,” just like we have the terms “inner speech” or “inner monologue” to describe the silent but very real flow of words in our heads.
Growing up in independent, fundamental Baptist churches, I couldn’t figure out why things made sense to the people in charge. Why did the preacher think his explanation of a biblical text made sense? Why did fundamentalist authors say their conclusions were obvious from a bunch of (random to me) “facts”? Didn’t they realize how illogical …
Fundamentalist Christianity’s Philosophical Roots: An Infographic Read More »
During my doctoral research, I interviewed many composers of church music. This week, I’m delighted to feature music by several of the people I interviewed: Faye Lopez, Molly Ijames, and Brian Büda!
During my doctoral research, I interviewed many composers of church music. This week, I’m delighted to feature music by several of the people I interviewed: Faye Lopez, Molly Ijames, and Brian Büda! If you’d like to read more about my research, click here!
During my doctoral research, I interviewed many composers of church music. This week, I’m delighted to feature music by several of the people I interviewed: Faye Lopez, Molly Ijames, and Brian Büda! If you’d like to read more about my research, click here!
My doctoral dissertation, “The Right Kind of Music: Fundamentalist Christianity as Musical and Cultural Practice,” is now available!
This is the last post in my series about puzzling things in my doctoral research on fundamentalist Christianity. Read the others here: Can Hymns Be Prayers?, Why May Women Sing If They May Not Preach?, and Musical Form in Piano Hymn Arrangements. When fundamentalist authors and musicians describe the elements of good music, they list attributes …
The Right Kind of Music: Should Church Services Include Classical Music? Read More »
This is post three of four in a series about puzzling things in my doctoral research on fundamentalist Christian music. Read the others here: Can Hymns Be Prayers?, Why May Women Sing If They May Not Preach? and Should Church Services Include Classical Music? During my research, I interviewed about ten people who compose hymn arrangements for …
The Right Kind of Music: Musical Form in Piano Hymn Arrangements Read More »