CHAPTER 34 : SACRED MUSIC AND ITS DEVELOPMENT IN THE (CATHOLIC) CHURCH

Abstract

Sacred music for liturgical worship, at the earliest stage of Christianity, did not all originate from Christianity itself, rather there were many influences from the preceding Judaism which provided the historical, natural background from which Christianity emanates. From the Old Testament, or under the old law, the joyous music of the temple fulfilled and played a very elaborate role in compliance with the commands of God. In Exodus 15:1, “Moses and the Israelites praised and worshipped God in songs” In the new law, and by implication, Christianity, the Apostles and the disciples maintained the traditions of gathering on the first day of the week Sunday, as against the last day of Sabbath which they followed Jesus, the master to attend before he was crucified. In these gatherings, one thing common to both is that they would always sing psalms, and praises to God, in worship. However, apart from mere singing of psalms and songs of thanksgiving and praises to God always, there was no known record of any other development in sacred song, until th the 4 century, when the monks and some fathers of the church started composing individuals' plainchants for different rites of the liturgy. How these compositions were saved and improved on nature and the background to the harvest of those solemn compositions, would form the purview, and aim of this historical survey, and exposition.

Keywords: Sacred music, Church, Development