Medieval and Renaissance Music - Essay Example

At the beginning of the sixteenth century, music saw a number of significant changes with rising of polyphonic music and music printing in France, Germany, and England among others. Renaissance artists and philosophers were religious like those of the middle ages and their aim was to reconcile theological practice with the spirit of philosophy called Humanism.       
The protestant reformation by Martin Luther through his inquiries against the teachings of the Catholic Church which resulted in the founding of the Lutheran denomination had a tremendous impact on Renaissance music posing a religious rebellion. This was a reform process that gave rise to new churches and new types of sacred music, the turmoil in the church scene made a path for secular music to rival its sacred counterpart through word painting, polyphonic imitation, and music printing ((Derrick, 1983).

            Renaissance is reflected musically through improved expression and more personal compositional styles which make it sound sweeter than medieval music. The sound of words does not make them unholy or holy and as such sounds can not describe a song as secular or holy. Whether music is sacred or secular has no basis in Scripture and this in a way has led to the use of the same motives and this profane word of God. For instance, Luther's music was just as scandalous, considering for instance his lyric "A Mighty Fortress", was set in a beer-drinking tune. Many gospel writers have hijacked popular music some of which are too romantic. This has changed the church's way of singing, and kind of songs, and not for any better. With today's technology, you can program any beat or rhythm because it's just numbered and it would be ridiculous to say that for some numbers would be more holy than others. The human body is made in a way the feeling of rhythm while from inside the heart beats in rhythm and outside the universe pulsates and moves in rhythm. Actually to not feel the rhythm is to be dead.

            The aim of sacred music should be to address human circumstances with hope, grace, and reconciliation. This is very possible if good theology is put in place so that the music lifts the spirit and instigates faith and also uses instrumental beauty that resonates with the soul. If music would edify and inspire the spirit then such music is sacred, not forgetting that people are inspired by different things. Just as gospel unites people from diverse cultures should good music also reflects. Different kinds of music reflect God’s variety and diversity and that’s good music is commonly full of surprises and humor. The gospel would be incarnational if music is truly sacred because it should speak to human emotion and yearning, music should therefore be vertical and horizontal in its scope for it to be truly sacred

            We should not, therefore, be demanding that every sacred music must serve our own tastes, this is only unholy. It’s fascinating to know how human emotion is connected with artistic expression. We do like what others love to hear but it's good to enlarge our understanding of others' tastes. It’s good to let seasons determine the right kind of music rather than looking at music as sacred or secular because music is broad and inclusive, (Henry, Derrick 1983). This opens up our minds to appreciate another cultural and artistic expression.