tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21768530.post115318985283323298..comments2009-07-10T19:32:46.142-05:00DWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16331884435192550372noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21768530.post-1153351931165843232006-07-19T18:32:00.000-05:002006-07-19T18:32:00.000-05:00Okay, how can I resist.<BR/><BR/>My issue with the word "performance" is not what Fromm generalizes. He says that "Christians" feel the word translates into something "inauthentic or lacking integrity." For me, the problem I have with it is more like the last paragraph. Is the performer an idol or an icon? (Unless of course, that's the "integrity" issue he touched on with one word.)<BR/><BR/>There are certain types of "Christian" music I don't like to watch because the message of the song gets lost in the whole, disgusting, "look at me" vibe of it. If the message of the song is being drowned out by the personality holding the microphone, it tends to raise my hackles a bit. My feeling has nothing to do with lights, sound, drums, style, et cetera.<BR/><BR/>Of course, the most vertical music experience you can have has what Fromm refers to as "grade-able performance." That's my problem with the article - Fromm is confusing the issue of <B>production value</B> with whether something seems vertical and giving, or "look at me" and taking.<BR/><BR/>Food for thought, nonetheless - - thanks for sharing this with me, it's the most exercise my brain has had all day. It can be dull on the prairie. Perhaps I need to learn how to exhale loudly through my nostrils while I tell liberally-slanted stories about Midwesterners from Norway who live here on the prairie with me. Oh wait, that's been done by Garrison Keillor. Tune in on weekend afternoons.<BR/><BR/>Miss you man.Juanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06095483779737167838noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21768530.post-1153237185136340742006-07-18T10:39:00.000-05:002006-07-18T10:39:00.000-05:00"Sing...sing a song<BR/>Don't worry that it's not good enough for anyone else to hear<BR/>Just sing...sing a song"<BR/><BR/>I was listening to this song (by choice...and I'm not ashamed to admit it!) as I read your blog!<BR/><BR/>I think both the article and the song make a similar point; that music is essentially an expression of the heart, and the outward characteristics are secondary to this criterion. In other words, whether it sounds "professional" (dynamic, with perfect pitch and enunciation, in a current or even "hip" style) is not as important as the truthfulness and sincerity of the message and messenger. Substance over style.<BR/><BR/>I like how Francis Schaeffer put it; there's good or bad art, and art with a good or bad message. The ideal (especially for worship music) is good art with a good message, but sometimes even less-than-stellar quality music can reach people, both because the truth has a power of its own to those who are listening for it, and because people tend not to be as musically educated (and therefore as critical) as the typical music leader. <BR/><BR/>Of course there are limits to how much a congregation can be blessed and to what extent they can be led into worship by a bad presentation, regardless of the sincerity of the presenter and the truthfulness of the message. We don't do song critiques in church, a la Simon; we do them among ourselves afterward! HA! Imagine if we did church like American Idol..."Let me see...you wandered all over the pitch, the song was completely wrong for your voice, and I couldn't understand anything you said...the good news is I've never been more convinced of the reality of hell!"<BR/><BR/>I'd say being a music leader in a large Baptist church full of musicians is about as challenging as it gets! And you do a great job--when it comes to the music at BBC, we're all Paula Abdul!<BR/><BR/>MarkMark Kelly Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13302540663939323310noreply@blogger.com