Joy of Music

Joy of Music
Voice in the desert

Those who want to sing well ought to learn from one who shouts – the voice in the dessert. The voice of St. John the Baptist.

“Prepare the way of the Lord, make his path straight”

St. John the Baptist is a great model for Catholic musicians. He lived his life paving the way for Christ, pointing others to him and never selfishly keeping his followers from the Messiah. (Jn 1:36) Christ was first and foremost in his life.

St. John made clear the contrast between Christ and himself when he said in LK 3:16 “….As for me, I am not worthy to untie his sandal”. On the surface, this statement declares the state of Christ’s kingship and how unworthy we are before His majesty of splendor.

However, if you reflect deeper, juxtaposed to this contrast was a solemn prophecy that he was to share in the sufferings of Christ (probably unbeknown to him). Since Christ was rejected and put to death for speaking the whole and fuller truth, how then can St. John who is the servant outdo Christ by escaping suffering and death?

This declaration of unworthiness and similarities was then later echoed by St. Peter the Apostle in Rome, when he requested to be crucified upside down for he sees himself unworthy of the glorious death of his Lord and Master.

A Christian can never suffer more than Christ (unworthiness) BUT at the same time shares in the sufferings of Christ brought about by the living and proclamation of truth (similarities), for God’s ways are not the ways of the world.

In proclaiming the truth, the Baptist spoke with great passion and conviction. He was despised for it. There were some who perceived his message as intimidation and intimidation turned into hostility.

Christ’s response to this is not in any way consoling. Jn 15:20 “Remember what I have told you: The servant is not greater than his master; If they persecute me and they will persecute you too. Have they kept my teaching? Will they then keep yours too?” and Jn 15:18 “If the world hates you, remember that the world hated me before you”

But what could be so intimidating about the truth? Should not truth be liberating? Was the sense of intimidation from without (the bare truth spoken with passion and conviction) OR from within (the unwillingness to repent and open to goodness due to the comfort zone of ill leaving)?

Herod and herodias were displeased with the truth they heard and were offended. Was John the Baptist offensive? Or rather, the pride of Herod made it difficult for him to accept the truth, remained unrepentant, hence the intimidation was self inflicted from within – an insecure self filled with pride so perverse which in turn manifested into hostility and hence the decapitation of the saint.

What has all this got to do with the joy of music?!

True joy comes from within, expressed through the elements from without. When we are joyful, we express it in the way we live our lives. Unfortunately, many are searching for joy in all the wrong places. We look for the superficial externals and everything without in search of a “joy” which can never satiate. The human is far too anxious and impatient and settles for the easiest solution of instant gratification.

This attitude has crept into all aspects of human living including music used for liturgy. We look for catchy tunes and rhythm as a source of “joy”, a feel good factor. These are merely superficial external aspects, which in itself, is not a bad thing. The problem lies in using it as a yardstick to measure appropriateness on the usage and quality of liturgical music simply because it arouse in us a “feel good” feeling.

This is a very shallow approach which inevitably creates a false pretense or façade, a “masquerading” of the truth.

The joy of music then, is the experience of expressing the realities of what lies within through the internal as well as the external aspects of music. As far as the liturgy is concerned, music should help reveal, sustain, prolong, focus and stimulate what already IS, which is found in the sacred mysteries which we celebrate in the mass. Music should help express a reality in which words alone can not. As such, liturgical music is very much sacramental in nature.

For example, when we sing a communion chant, antiphon or hymn, we should express and reflect the nature of the communion procession in our music and not recreate an entirely different atmosphere from that of a communion procession just because one is tempted by the external feel good factor of catchy tunes and rhythm.

The internal aspects of music can be classified as below:

a) Compositional depth (intent, content, structure, feature, form, motive, harmony, tonal colour, interpretative potential, and imagination etc)
b) Interpretation (technique, musical ability and musical awareness/knowledge)
c) Suitability of usage (whether for liturgy, devotional, praise and worship etc)

*** Catchy tunes and rhythm lacks the necessary qualities to express and reflect the sense of sacredness and solemnity of the mass. On the contrary, we must take into consideration appropriate tunes and rhythm when we select hymns as they do play an important role in reflecting the sacredness and solemnity of the mass and seasons of the liturgy.

Thus, all efforts should be made in selecting...

- appropriate music ( (a)compositional depth and (c)suitability of usage),
- with appropriate melodic (tune) and rhythmic motive (external aspects)
- and executing ( (b)interpretation)

...it in such a way that invites people to prayer, lifting one’s mind and heart to God, transcending the soul to higher and heavenly things. In so doing, the joy comes from the experience (and not the feel good factors of catchy upbeat tunes and rhythm) of music as a transporter as well as a galvanizing material of the senses, mind and soul to bring deeper meaning and flight to prayer.

To explain further: Anybody would be attracted by catchy tunes and rhythm and react accordingly. Play a rumba beat and instantaneously you will feel like dancing. Put up a performance-like music and people would be compelled to clap. There is a cause and effect relationship at play.

This sort of attraction is merely superficial and brings about the kind of feel good sensual excitement, an inebriation which often excludes the mind and the heart and contradictory to the spirit of the liturgy.

Sadly, in these times, such music is played and used for liturgy, thus shifting the role of music as a tool to facilitate prayer to a performance and a feel good self gratification experience. Music in the liturgy must never be a means in itself.

The performance-like manner of playing music for liturgy decays the “quality” of worship; just as poor and bad playing of liturgical music do, although it (decadence of quality due to music) does not in any way alter the unseen realities which take place during mass. On the other hand, good liturgical music fosters unity in heart and mind of the faithful and gathers them in active participation in the liturgy, consistent with the spirit of the liturgy for the glory of God and the sanctification of men.

Another error is the common attitude amongst some church musicians in measuring the attendance of the congregation based on how “good” the music is. This is damaging to the growth of the faith. This attitude stems from a poor understanding of the liturgy and the role of music in the liturgy, and sometimes due to the pride on the part of the musician.

From this attitude, comes a different point of departure as they (the musicians) promulgate the idea that music should be lively (catchy tune and rhythm) and “modern” so as to attract people to worship and participate in the mass. They are missing the point. It should not be about them and certainly not to seek the approval of the listeners. It is about Christ.

Thus, when we are at the center of it all, Christ’s role diminishes.

Therefore, I would like to encourage you to take the stand of St.John the Baptist: “Christ must increase while I must decrease” Jn 3:30

Our role is to foster an atmosphere of prayer and sacred piety through good liturgical music.

A vibrant church is not a church who reacts with claps, sings and tapping of feet to sensual music, and gets excited with the external feel good factors and then only to find themselves empty when the music is no more.

Rather, a vibrant church is one who sings her prayers, responds with conviction (both verbally and bodily gestures) in the parts pertaining to them in the liturgy, and a church who has a deep sense of being church – rooted in the teachings of the magisterium, understanding the Spirit of the liturgy, awareness of the sacred and an acute sense of Divine life ever present and active in the liturgy. The vibrant church is a church who then, after mass, spreads the fruits and merits of the mass to the world bringing with them hastily the message of the gospel.

The action of music should align our minds, hearts and souls with God and our faith. It should never be allowed to derail us out of alignment. The problem here lies in mistaking the counterfeit for the real thing and the challenge is to identify it and realign ourselves with God in the holy sacrifice of the mass.

From my own personal experience, this is a process of conversion of the heart; a process that will never end. I am still very much on this never ending journey towards a continuous conversion. Yes, it is very, very challenging and difficult. However, despite it all, I feel that this journey is best enjoyed when we submit ourselves in total humility to the workings of the Holy Spirit. But this is where we as humans find that we falter, every now and then.

Many are too comfortable in their comfort zones of looking for the next emotional high. Any effort to liberate us from this state is perceived as a “joy” killer and an intimidation – and occasionally it motions to hostility.

The feel good factor is a tricky one. Everybody wants to feel good but….. how?

“How do we feel good” should be the primordial question and NOT “How good do we feel”?

It is precisely Christ himself who is the answer to this question. We ought to put Christ back into our music and into our lives. He is the source of JOY in which can be found from within for he said in Jn 15:4-5 “…Live in me as I live in you…As long as you remain in me and I in you, you bear much fruit”

Dear musicians, we ought to allow ourselves to be submerged into the “Jordan”, embracing change and new life. Let us not be like Herod and the Herods of this world, focusing on what is without when the answer lies within.

When we sing the TRUTH and sing it truthfully, rest assured we will experience the Joy of Music – from within and flows without. Ours is the voice in the desert, paving the way for Christ. This means that we will have to thrust against the grains of society and like John the Baptist, persecution will accompany us in this journey. But take heart and take courage since in our unworthiness we share in the similarities of Christ’s suffering.

A life void of suffering is a void life. For those who suffer and die in Christ will be glorified and raised on the last day.

Perhaps this is how we take solace in the seemingly inconsolable “condemnation” of: “If they persecute me and they will persecute you too” and “If the world hates you, remember that the world hated me before you”

We should take pains to cultivate this awareness to create a conducive, authentic and yet a vibrant climate for worship but first, it begins with us musicians – from within.

Dare we take this challenge lest to never discover the true joy of music.

O holy God, grant that we may do well in giving you praise through our art of music and song. Ever conform and convert us with your Spirit so that through our ministry, we may pave the way for your only begotten Son. Lord Jesus, reign in our hearts so that we may sing praises fit for a King like you. St. John the Baptist, the first martyr, pray and intercede for us for the courage to be convicted and passionate as you are, for the glory of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen

Good Music

Good Music

The common misconception is that all music is good because it is a matter of taste or personal liking or discourse. Hence, if you like it, therefore it is good. Suppose then if there is really such a thing as good music (not according to likeness or personal taste), then there is also such a thing as bad music. Who is to tell you what you ought to like or what is good for you? This is the very question that must be in man's mind from the very beginning of time when our first parents succumbed to the temptations and insinuations of satan - That man can be like God, deciding for himself what is good and bad. Perhaps this is the cause of the fall of humanity. (Not to be confused with the ability to judge right from wrong)

To quote from The Ratzinger Report, chapter six: The Drama of Morality, the former Prefect of the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith said "And what looks like "liberation" turns into its opposite and shows its diabolic visage in deeds. Actually, all this has already been described with precision in the first pages of the Bible. The core of temptation for man and of his fall is contained in this programmatic statement: "You will be like God" (Gen 3:5). Like God: that means free of the law of the Creator, free of the laws of nature herself, absolute lord of one's own destiny. Man continually desires only one thing: to be his own creator and his own master. But what awaits us at the end of this road is certainly not Paradise"

As organic as music is, we have certain natural laws to abide to, since music is part of nature and part of God's creation.

This is a very complicated subject and I am afraid that I might step on your toes. Nevertheless, I should try my very best to convey to you some truths about goodness of music without being imposing, threading the waters very carefully as to avoid massive waves of ripples that might stir your anger. Perhaps, if we could go beneath the surface of things, so to speak, then we would definitely make less or no ripples at all and at the same time getting an "in-depth" understanding of the subject.

In the old days, learning music meant to learn and be taught on how to play instruments or sing. Nowadays, a new aspect which is of equal importance to music education has been included – Learning to appreciate, recognise and understand GOOD MUSIC.

To like a piece of music does not guarantee that one APPRECIATES it. However, the opposite is true. If one APPRECIATES a piece of good music then, he/she definitely likes it.

What then and how to appreciate music?

Before we can answer that, we need to understand and recognise that works of art are works of IMAGINATION. Imagination here does not imply a fantasy, fairy-tale like or wishful thinking but rather the ability to see things as they really are or potentially can be. Have you met anyone whom you dislike and then later found out how mistaken you were initially, as only after a passage of time, found out his true values and true character?

It is as well, a process of putting into form, one’s thoughts and ideas by invoking the emotions of others. For example, if I said “The sun is rising and it is getting bright”, I was merely stating a matter of fact. But a poet may say “The morrow has come, bringing forth the warmth of the sun lit skies”. He is saying the same thing as I did, with an artistic manner invoking the inner-depths of mankind’s emotions, so that one can experience in feelings and mind, the joy and beauty which morning can bring – a sense of a new beginning filled with hope and joy.

There are two kinds of imagination:

a) Creative/Productive

This is a process of reconstruction of a thought or feeling (something imagined by the mind) into words, colour and music. Sacred music then, is a combination of both, the word or literature and music. The ability to transfer and express the feeling into art form requires a high level of technique. A composer has to use suitable material as melody coupled with an intelligent use of harmony to communicate the ideas and feelings conjured through imagination. Here, there is a hint of sense of appropriateness: If any type of music is suitable for liturgy, then, there is not much technique and creative imagination involved. Does any type of music for liturgy go? ; Certainly not. Therefore, it is the composer’s task, using creative imagination to portray the right kind of thought or “feelings” to encourage the right sense of worship during the liturgy. The composer ought to see the liturgy as it really is and then recreate that in his composition.

Here I quote from Sacrosunctum Concilium of the Second Vatican Council, chapter VI on sacred music no. 112 & 121 to support the above paragraph.

“……Therefore sacred music is to be considered the more holy in proportion as it is more closely connected with the liturgical action, whether is adds delight to prayer, fosters unity of minds, or confers greater solemnity upon the sacred rites. But the Church approves of all forms of true art having the needed qualities, and admits them into Divine Worship”

The keyword is true art.

“Composers, filled with the Christian spirit, should feel that their vocation is to cultivate sacred music and increase its store of treasures. Let them produce compositions which have the qualities proper to genuine sacred music, not confining themselves to works which can be sung only by large choirs, but providing also for the needs of small choirs and for the active participation of the entire assembly of the faithful”

The keyword here is genuine sacred music.

Therefore, it goes to show that there are religious music which does not hold true and genuine to the elements of sacred music.

*Note that sacred music is definitely religious music but religious music is not necessarily sacred music*.


b) Reproductive/Reconstructive


The reproductive process of imagination is to reconstruct what was originally created by the author, painter or musician, in the specific art form. The artist ought to take upon the task of reproducing the intended thoughts, ideas or feelings. Have you ever read a novel and discovered that at the end of the novel you found yourself crying, laughing and going through an emotional roller-coaster, knowing perfectly well that it is all a fiction? It is the process of the author successfully applying the techniques at his disposal, and you reproduce in your imagination what was intended by the author. If however, you were unmoved by the novel, then it is either the inability on the part of the author or on the part of your reconstruction of the written words.

*Please note that the process of creative construction and reconstruction is not an exact science.*


APPRECIATION is the reproductive or reconstructive side of imagination.

Appreciation has three stages:

a) Crude appreciation

Crude appreciation is sensational. In our first encounter of anything, we can surmise the experience as whether we like it or dislike it. For example; imagine a man who has never tasted coffee. If he was very thirsty and you offered him a cup, he may like it. But he may appreciate it as drink and not as good coffee. Let us say you supplied him another cup of a different brew the next day. He may make a rudimentary judgment and say “I like the first cup better”.

b) Intelligent appreciation

At this stage, one has accumulated sufficient experience and an ever growing apperception-mass. Here, we have a sense of justification as well as a sense of critique though not in any formulated system of valuation.

c) Critical appreciation

Once you arrive at this stage, you can confidently criticise with a good sense of judgment. You may judge rightly or wrongly – and that depends on the caliber of your mind. However, the point of difference here, as compared to the former two stages, is that your judgments are independent of your personal likes and dislikes or discourse. This is what I termed as the mature critique.


Now we have come full circle and I hope you understand the link between good music, appreciation and likes and dislikes.

Let us then relate it to our particular ministry.
When we select, say, a hymn for communion, do we take into consideration the composer’s original intention, its thematic motive and suitability of text (lyrics)? That is the first step.

After selection we have the task to interpret it.

Do we play the selected communion hymn as we like it, without considering its purpose and context of performance? If we like it, is it because we like it for its good sound or for its value as a communion hymn?

If your answer is the latter, then you would be able to reproduce and reconstruct the hymn and interpret it the correct way, utilising the appropriate musical techniques, according to the intentions of the composer as well as to reflect the part of the mass in which the hymn is to be sung – communion procession.

*A musician should be able to mingle his own emotions with the composer’s intentions in any performances – making it possible to achieve the highest level of music interpretation and at the same time creating a unique/individualistic performance.*


Here are some guidelines to follow:

For the musicians/performer

1) Reproductive/reconstructive Imagination

Understand the composer’s intention, the lyrics and the “feelings” which the hymn/song gives.

Based on this, we can ascertain if it is suitable for entrance, offertory, communion, recessional, advent, Christmastide, lent, Easter season or ordinary time, days of obligation, feast days and memorials.

Apply the appropriate touch, technique, phrasing and interpretative skills to perform the music to the highest level of interpretation possible.


2) Critical Appreciation

In our execution of the music, we ought to deny ourselves our personal likings and be true to the composer’s intentions and the context of the music in which it was written for.

With these 2 step guideline, we can be assured we are on our way to producing GOOD MUSIC. Otherwise, we may produce bad music from a composition which is potentially so good, possessing far greater depth than one can imagine – thus a lack of imagination on our part. Lacking in imagination = Lacking in appreciation and ultimately = playing the music badly.


For the composer

1) Creative/productive Imagination

The composer has to be able to translate his ideas, thoughts and feelings by means of compositional technique.


2) Critical Appreciation

In his compositions, he must avoid the tendency to want to apply techniques which he is more accustomed to. He must dare to venture outside his comfort zone and adopt new techniques so he can effectively indulge in a higher plane of creative imagination.
The ability to do so in an in-depth manner is the catalyst for GOOD MUSIC. Failing to comply with the above would result in bad music OR not successful in reconstructing imagination, hence, the listener will not be able to recognise the emotions or intentions of the composer.


Ultimately, art in each of its respective form, should reach the feelings (heart) via the understanding (mind). And it is the responsibility of both the composer and performer/listener to play their roles respectively. Neither should allow their personal likings and dislikes to override correct judgment.

When one is able to appreciate then he can interpret it accurately.

As a recapitulation, I would like to bring to mind, my earlier statement of:

“To like a piece of music does not guarantee that one APPRECIATES it. However, the opposite is true. If one APPRECIATES a piece of good music then, he/she definitely likes it”.

And….There is such a thing as GOOD MUSIC and BAD MUSIC. It is imperative that we learn to differentiate between the two. We keep the GOOD MUSIC, discard or improve the quality of BAD MUSIC.

St. Thomas of Aquinas, the doctor of the church has taught in depth on beauty. Beauty is both objective and subjective at the same time. Neither the objective nor subjective can stand alone. When we select hymns, apart from the Gregorian chants or sacred polyphony which the Church authority (Apostolic See, Bishop’s Conferences or local ordinary) has officially approved in the Roman Graduale, Simple Graduale and etc, we must apply the understanding which is guided by what was laid out above.

As such, in the final analysis, when we can APPRECIATE GOOD MUSIC for what it truly is, then we will like it - anyway.


Dear God, we pray that you send us your Holy Spirit to enlighten us with holy wisdom, knowledge and piety so that we may be true to our calling in our service to you. May you bestow upon us your grace and courage so that we may learn to put away our personal likings, dislikes and idiosyncrasies, conforming to the Spirit of the liturgy as proposed, cultivated and promoted by Holy Mother church for your glory and our sanctification. Saint Thomas Aquinas, pray for us. Amen.