Music as Spiritual Practice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Music as Spiritual Practice - Essay Example Many just like the song because the beat is catchy.One sad but true fact is that one in 20 U.S. adults can't read English. This also means that they may not even read a psalm. That's where the elements of music comes in. The Scripture goes "sing a joyful song unto the Lord."[Holy Bible] A disadvantage of aural music is that it excludes the deaf. Technological advancements are making music accessible and discernable to the deaf. He who has ears, let him hear. [Holy Bible, Rev 2]When should you, as a musician choose accompaniment Is a capella the best way to go Does singing a song acapella enhance the artistic value of it These are all fair questions that need to be answered. If we look at the Old Testament Psalms, for example, there really is no clear answer. There is a history involving the use of musical instruments in Jewish and Christian Services. There are bible verses that pertain to the idea of singing a joyful song unto the Lord.[Psalm 100] This lets us know that this is accep table worship. However, the use of musical instruments in church services still remains controversial. It is amazing how Salamone Rossi essentially started out as a wedding singer for the banquets of the duchess Isabella in the 16th century. Rossi's acclaim was during the Italian Renaissance. The era was a time of creative celebration. This was during a time where Jews were tolerated rather than enjoyed. They were, according to the Historical notes on the music, ostracized, at times. Rossi, however through his music gained some acceptance. The Psalms still have incomparable teaching power. Listening to the sounds of the day and how they make you feel is in itself a tool with which to speak to God. But what happens when you face some sort of disability. That is where the Psalms', (which is indeed a form of music) teaching power is turned into healing power. The Psalms teach us to see beyond aesthetic beauty. It teaches us to listen with our souls, with our minds, with our hearts and with our imaginations. After 32 years listening to music one thing holds true: Aesthetic listening is no listening at all. And what is meant by that is this. It is that one must listen "relatively". That is, to say, be the writer or be the author. Relate the song to something in your life. The lyrics of one song may say "His love endures forever."[Psalms] God calls us to seek out this passage in life. To find the aesthetic beauty that accompanies the active listening which is aimed at getting all the senses involved. One natural way to engage in listening is to remember the setting. Where were you when you first heard that song What were you doing This is how you begin. How you become the music. For deaf children who have little life experience it is important to remember that their environment and upbringing will serve as catalysts to experiencing the music. These basic questions build a foundation for developing taste as well. We have many evidences of the rhythm of life. This may be why women have biological clocks. This rhythm suggests to us to find meaning and connection with the Psalms. Look for a song in the meadow and in the hustle and bustle of