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This week we had Ed Wellman on the show, Ed presents Monday Classics here at PhoenixFM and joined me to give us a 1-hour history lesson in religious music! Dating from the “Year Dot” up til the present day, Ed let us know the importance of music in religion and how its changed over the years

Tune in for Ed’s show every Monday night at 7pm

Check out Ed’s notes for each track below:

Track 1 ‘Agnus Dei’      
• Sung by the monks of Lindisfarne Community
• Christian Community from where Christianity spread by Cedd (later St Cedd) who sailed down east coast and landed at Bradwell, Essex, built a chapel (where one still stands).
• The music is plainchant (1 line) – very simple

Track 2 ‘Kyrie Eleison’ by G P da Palestrina 
• This from 1550, over the intervening 900 years music had developed to 2pt, 3pt and so on to 8pts which meant that the music had overtaken the importance of the words.
• This partly led to the Reformation; the split of the Catholic Church and setting up of the Protestant (& other churches) which led to hymns (later on – tracks 5/6), and the Counter Reformation – the reforming of the Catholic Church. The Council of Trent (1545 – 1563!) met to ‘sort out’ corruptions, financial/moral and get the music back ‘under control’…the result was that choral music was reduced into 4/5 parts with emphasis on the words being clear, and the beauty of the music maintained.

Track 3 ‘Alleluia’ by Arvo Part    
• Example of modern setting of the Mass setting
• Arvo Part is Estonian Composer, in 2008 won the most prestigious Danish composers award that there is.
• His music lends itself to large open spaces.
• Strand by strand it doesn’t sound like anything, (i.e in rehearsal), but together it is haunting…

Track 4 ‘The Lord bless you and keep you’ by John Rutter
• John Rutter – Englands finest current church composer
• His music captures the magic of the unknown heavens
• Many say Rutter is the Sound of Christmas
• He says to have no faith, his music is the root for others
• Used at funeral of Rhys Jones in Liverpool in 2007 – ‘when words fail, music speaks’
• This was a time when people look to the Church for the the ‘answer’? The Church can offer love & hope, somehow

Track 5 ‘Angel Voices’ – Traditional Hymn  
• Hymns form the backbone of many styles of worship.
• Developed in the 16th so audiences, known as congregations could take part.
• This one is my favourite – the words are breathtaking, I think are very special to everyone in church music
• The role of the UK Cathedral Choir – something unique to our country and that the rest of the world are in awe of.

Track 6 ‘In Christ Alone’ by Stuart Townend
• Rock style worship song – as heard in more evangelical worship, or in ecumenical situations where it is often felt that a style like this pop/rock is something that everyone will like. Often these events are aimed at young people, and using this style of music with devotional words can be very powerful. Again, this is my top tune of the style.

Track 7 ‘Candle in the Wind’ – 1997 – Elton John   
• Following the death of Diana, Princess of Wales in August 2007, the outpouring of grief and hurt was a sign of a society that is searching for something. I witnessed thousands and thousands of people wait to place flowers in the chapel of Chester Cathedral. The performance of this song at the funeral in Westminster Abbey is the most profound memory I have of music in worship.

Track 8 ‘From a Distance’ – Bette Midler 
• Music and the spiritual sense – people who say they have no faith, but link to something spiritual.
• Lots of music can be interpreted as religious or not, this is one I love because it tells us how to look after each other.

Track list for 18/03/09:
Rachel Sage – Moonlight and Fireflies
GoldFrapp – Oh La La
Agnus Dei - Monks of Lindisfarne Community
G P da Palestrina - Kyrie Eleison
Arvo Part - Alleluia
Keane – Perfect Symmetry
John Rutter - The Lord bless you and keep you
Traditional Hymn - Angel Voices
Stuart Townend - In Christ Alone
Killers – Smile like you mean it
Elton John – Candle in the Wind
Bette Midler – From a Distance