Do I Really Love Music?

Sorry for my delay in posting. I stoop to the pitiful “victim mentality.” I have unfairly fallen prey to the drama of two deaths, the ravage of Montazuma’s revenge as it swept through my family, concert preparations and a trip to Canada complete with snow storms and flight delays. All of which kept me from putting a single creative thought together for “Notes.” I will now avoid playing the victim card for many months to come. Meanwhile... enjoy the picture of my three sons... on a happy, healthy day!

Last week was the week of love, a commercial tribute of mass proportions. I was thinking about music and asked myself, “Do you really LOVE music? Or do you simply manipulate it and use it for selfish gain?” I got extremely overwhelmed by the whole thought and as I was wrestling with the question, another one of my sons came dragging in the room, looking … um… sickly green. My deep thoughts were pushed aside.

I Love Lyrics...

But I was reminded of my own ponderings as I read Ann’s frustrations on wanting to hear the lyrics of a song. I can identify with Ann’s love for good lyric. I have often considered myself a far better lyricist than composer. I work very hard for the notes. This is a confession that most people don’t believe, but I’m being honest.

Words, on the other hand, pour out of me like poetry. I’ve studied (and taught) the word painting of Steven Curtis Chapman. I do know what iambic pentameter is, and can list a bunch of songs that use it. I love finding lyricists who are minding their words and slip in an internal rhyme. There is nothing more moving than a powerful metaphor to describe the awesomeness of God. Note: Everyone please run to your ipod and listen to “Adoni” by Avalon.

Do I really love music?

Yes. I think I do. I am obsessed by chord progressions. I love the very cool Middle-Eastern sound of the b2 that has finally made its way into modern worship. It feels… Biblical! (Listen to the intro of Great God by Free Chapel for one example if I’ve confused you!) I love soaring string lines, so I am completely passionate about Samuel Barber’s Adagio for Strings. I go crazy for the French Horn and Cello. And oboe too. And a husky tenor voice with a bit of “cry” in it. There is nothing better than a bass player who can play funky lines in the proverbial pocket. (Side note: there’s nothing worse than a not-so-funky-bass-player-with-bad-rhythm.)

But What Does God Love?

But in the end, it really doesn’t matter how much I love music. Or drum beats. Or orchestras. Or simple pure solo voices. Because the most critical question is, does God really love music? Not words and lyrics. Just the music. The chords. The beat. The strum of a guitar. The wail of a horn. Does God need a lyric to receive glory?

I believe the Biblical answer is no. There is a spiritual realm of prophetic music that goes beyond the need for lyric and statements about God. Imagine the pure cacophony created outside the walls of Jericho. Blaring horns combined with pounding feet of the masses must have felt very primitive. Dare I say... a bit like modern worship. Driving. Pounding. Not too soothing. But in that moment God broke the stronghold known as Jericho.

Many years ago, I heard someone suggest that the sonic combination of horns and pounding feet could have physically created a dynamic that caused the walls to fall. My grandpa would be holding his ears in disgust at that! But God was in that moment. The Israelites were, truly, the first Dancing Generation. And God delighted in their exuberance.

There is no guarantee that David was a master musician. The poor guy may have been a great lyricist who only knew 4 progressions on his harp. Maybe his playing was repetitive and musically uninteresting. But God used his music to "speak" away the evil spirits in Saul.

There are times at altar call where I have silenced the voices and allowed just the band to play. I have a dynamic saxophone player who will play out in these moments. He doesn’t even realize it, but a prophetic mantle comes over him. You see, when music steps into the prophetic realm, it becomes declarative, without the need for lyrics or statements about God. Through the combination of chords, melodies and rhythm God is DECLARING HIMSELF to be true, faithful and omniscient. It is those moments that I know, without a doubt, that I love music.