| |
|
|
Court Poet and Pastoral Prophet:
The Contemporary Church and its Song-Makers
BRIAN WREN
In December, 1994, The Christian Century profiled the English composer, John Rutter. The title described him as "The Church's Court Composer."1 The tone was mostly positive, but the comparison implied by the title is not entirely flattering.
The phrase "court composer" reflects the importance of aristocratic patronage in the development of western music as an art form—as distinct from popular and folk traditions. From the Renaissance (?) until about the end of the eighteenth century (?—I am not a music historian) the national court of the king or queen, and regional courts of dukes, earls, counts, margraves, and princes, were important sources of employment for musicians, including composers.
As the title implies, a court composer was expected to provide music for public and private occasions such as banquets, dances, weddings, funerals, soirees, state visits, river excursions, and firework displays. If the composer wished to stay in favor, he (almost if not always "he") provided music that suited the patron's taste and boosted the patron's prestige. Music regarded as too difficult would make the composer unpopular. Choral and operatic themes would be unwelcome if they applauded revolution or criticized the comforts of the rich.
Thus, to call someone a "court composer" has a double edge. On the one hand, it suggests success in pleasing the court. Thus, The Christian Century article argued that John Rutter's music is deservedly popular because it is well crafted and technically inventive, yet accessible to the average church choir. On the other hand, to label someone a "court composer" suggests the unlikelihood of his offering music that is technically demanding, or with themes that disturb the imagination, question social stratifications, or trouble the conscience.
My purpose here is not to discuss John Rutter's music, but to suggest that the court composer metaphor raises pertinent questions for hymn poets like myself. Two other titles are equally pertinent: in what sense is a hymn poet a pastor and a prophet?
As a hymn poet, I am in some ways like a court composer. My metaphorical court is an assortment of less regal entities such as church congregations, denominational hymnal committees, teachers of hymnody—and Institutions of Sacred Music! Though these entities cannot lock me in a dungeon or order my execution, they influence what I write, and determine whether my hymn poems get sung. Congregations sing only what they are willing to sing. Church music professors tell their students what they think is worth singing. Hymnal committees decide what gets published in hymnals.
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | Contents
|
|
|
|
