I hear it when the window's open

Music is not morally neutral. Sound waves are morally neutral. But only moral creatures - humans - can appreciate those sound waves in a way called music; only humans can turn a physical acoustic phenomenon into the profound experience of music. Music is defined as much by what it does to you as how it reaches you. Music can assault the senses or soothe them; it can be literally violent, as the "experimental" music of the radical early 70's explored. My cutting edge professor (who possessed and demonstrated one of the first MOOG Synthesizers in class and also shared the musical Jesus Christ Superstar before it went public) gave us a book (printed in the underground street radical style in vogue back in the day) which contained a chapter on ways music could induce or actually cause violence, including "killer frequencies, painful volumes and jarring rhythms meant to disrupt the social order. (One author recommended researching how to use telephones to kill whoever put the receiver to their ear. And that does not include the lyrics. Thankfully, such efforts were vastly over-rated and much of it debunked, according to my son about to graduate from conservatory with a music degree. Still, the potential of music as a social force is undeniable, as anyone living through, and since, the sixties knows. I remember reading a blue paperback my grandmother had called "Rhythm, Riots and Revolution" when I was younger. Not until my college course did I take it seriously, although I must admit, the book gave me a creepy weird feeling just reading it. As did much of the music back then.

Music is physical and physiological in the same way as drugs, drink and getting socked in the stomach- or pasta, latte and getting kissed - these are neither analogies nor metaphors. Music is a total body experience engaging the emotions, imagination and even mind, in profound and varied ways. It is the unique art in this respect, I think, for the listener. The physical effect of our sound production, especially the harmonies and rhythms, upon our audiences was dwelt on at length by choral conductors in choruses I sang in, both sacred and secular. Yes, music as music is potent in and of itself. It is both physics and physical. But that is not what makes it morally charged. It is that music is inextricably bound to it's recipient - humans. No other audience, except probably angels (and God), can perceive it as such - although I think animals, especially dolphins and other species, might pick up on the harmonics involved.

There is a notion circulating that no music is inherently evil. The kernel of truth contained in this statement is trumped by the moral nature of both the human realm which it entails and the realm of evil which presently exists. "Cultural conditioning" does not provide an adequate way out either, for one must ask, "why did such and a such a culture choose or produce such a music to begin with?". Aha! Then you will begin to discern the real roots of music. For starters, try jazz and gospel. (Hope you're not too easily scandalized.) Classical music is not exempt and may, in fact, be the sublest sorcerer of all. In the performing arts today, humanism reigns. What I am saying is this - one may analyze music in terms of it's components, one of which is it's cultural context. This, I believe, applies to all music, even that produced by computers which themselves are the products of high-tech culture. It always goes back to man, not God. To get the divine connection one must probe the composer himself or herself; yet, God can use anything and turn it for His glory. But, not so fast! The human factor will always be there, at both ends - in composition/production and in reception/appreciation.

Before air-conditioning, praises wafted into the street through open church windows. My son makes an excellent point when he says "I believe the Holy Spirit makes a uniquely beautiful connection to each listener's soul when music is played, letting them glimpse one facet of the diamond that is musical beauty. I also believe that some pieces are more beautiful, pleasing, or artistically effective than others. But let this be an aesthetic distinction, not a moral one!" If only we could be so abstract in real life! But the problem is, the necessary human involved is a moral creature - not just an aesthetic one! The distinction is purely analytical. Is there music in heaven? I like to think so. Perhaps angelic song does resemble ours. But even tongues of angels come from human lips. We don't have biblical scores but we do have psalms. A bottomless well for composers, glorious sound and song has been drawn from this songbook for millenia. (And it's not always been "pretty" - I remember some people, purists of a sort, I suppose, opted out of an Asaph Ensemble performance of Stravinsky's jarringly beautiful Symphony of Psalms when we sang it at the Kennedy Center.) Music may seem heavenly. But it may be more relevant to cite heaven as the source of inspiration which must first pass through the human composer before being realized and, like everything else we do, is therefore subject to - some might say marred with - our nature. Music does open a window, some wider than others, to a nature beyond our own, a supernatural realm in which many an audiophile, like myself, can dwell by merely...listening.

Music is a manifestation of the spirit realm and, as such, will reflect the spirit war as well. Here is the rub - if you believe in such things (and I do), then music might be looked at as one does a shadow of dancers or boxers where the real entities are not directly in our realm. But the music is. And in this war, there is no DMZ, no neutral ground. Because we are in the battle, like it or not. In fact, the war is being fought over us and never stops not even for a truce. It comes as no surprise to me that spiritual renewal, including the gifts of the Spirit about which we have spoken elsewhere, arrive on the wings of music - some of it, quite simple (the little charismatic melody "Hallelujah" or children's "Yes, Jesus Loves Me") or profoundly complex (JSBach, symphonies) or in between (hymns, spiritual songs) - even without the words. And how about ancient chant? Sacred sound which breaks down walls of inhibition and allows to rush in the Spirit of the Lord Jesus in all of His beauty and holiness. And it is uttered, plucked, bowed and breathed by human beings, themselves become the instruments. To clap, to dance, to sing, to play - these things are not merely of this earth you know. But they happen on this earth, and that is the miracle of art. It is for this we long, when indeed we do long, for times of refreshing from God. It is at once soul cleansing and empowering.

Music incarnates truth in ways that propositions can only, well, propose. Music embodies the phrase "to come alive".. If I was forced to choose between the screen and soundtrack of my favorite movies, I would choose the soundtrack. Ever watch a scene with the sound turned off - what a disappointment. But it is rarely disappointing the other way - in fact, with music, I can imagine my own movie...just like whoever wrote the filmscore. I actually have imagined what music must be playing in the background of my mundane little life..and it is sometimes grand and often, quite beautiful. Sometimes, I hear it....

And so this great conflict which rent the heavens is relentless as the rhythms of nature, that natural music which, to me, is of the purest sort because man, not creation, is fallen. The cosmos rings with overtones on every scale. Overtones of creation. Our universe is subject to the law of decay because God fixed it so as to drive the great engine of nature, including our bodies and brains. Though demon hordes may infest the stage of human perception (save those believers shielded by the blood of Christ Jesus), they don't infest the literal skies. From the humming of an atom to the throbbing galaxy; the chirping of a cricket to the crashing storm; the whisper of a flower to the lion's great roar; and the deep voice of the whale and delicate song of the woodthrush, and the sound of space itself - these all sings the praises of the great Creator who sustains His handiwork lovingly, both Artist and Engineer. As the celebration choir sings in our sanctuary, "but His favorite song of all, is the song of the redeemed". That's us, baby. We need to join the dawn chorus more often. Fairest Lord Jesus, Ruler of all Nature....That realm is solely God's, and is in play solely to fulfill His purposes in making us more and more in His Image until that day of future glory - a day of song and music, forever.