remember when i spent an entire year playing 'music' for a certain byu performing group? remember when i sold myself for a year just to get a free trip to china? the experience there, and other places, has led me to ask some questions regarding the state of mormon music, and more broadly, mormon art.
first, what, exactly defines mormon pop music? which part of that style of music makes it fit into that genre? is it even possible to create quality mormon pop? there is plenty of quality popular music in the 'secular' music world. however, i have yet to encounter creative, innovative, original mormon pop music (with one exception being ryan shupe's 'walk the walk'). more often than not, talent, virtuosity, and creativity are traded for trite, cliche, and cookie-cutter formulas that are easy-pleasing and even easy-listening. the mormon popular music genre does nothing to challenge its listeners; it does nothing to truly express--it seems--deep and complex emotions that truly reflect the faith required to stay strong in a complicated, rich religion during a complicated time. what is needed to create quality in mormon pop music?
second, the state of serious music is perhaps in a slightly better state in the mormon art world, but not much. it seems in the church as a whole, mormon pop music is overtaking serious mormon music. exceptions include mack wilberg, barlow bradford, robert cundick, and murray boren. but it also seems that few people in the church as a whole even know mos of those names, except for mack wilberg. his music is good, published by oxford university press, but still has a populist pull and steers clear of serious modern music in its orchestration and arrangement.
why is it that in the mormon world, or even in salt lake city, serious music has yet to really catch on? is it the price? are mormons too cheap? certainly the utah symphony has problems selling out, but everyone flocks to the free concerts given by the orchestra at temple square. are we too cheap? or is it that we simply don't understand music? we don't understand everything that goes in to creating serious, modern music? is the solution a series of educational programs?
even the orchestra from temple square is sufffering from this populist turn. if you ask members of the orchestra at temple square, they will tell you that their work is more of accompiament to the choir than creating serious music. they are dissatisfied with this musically, but support it in the missionary sense of the mormon tabernacle choir.
last, i wonder why serious mormon musicans do not really participate in the mormon music scene. if you are a serious classical or jazz musician, you are most likely not involved in mormon music; rather, you are busy in the wider classical music world trying to make a living. the same goes for pop musicians who are creating original work. see, for example, my brother's favorite musician, brandon flowers. how do we make it possible for these types of people to be a part of the mormon music world, perhaps not exclusively, but at least peripherally.
16 comments:
No Mormon Pop? Ah Stephen, have you forgotten the days of "In the mood for love" by Shawn, what was his name... Barlow? Braithwaite? Do you know who I mean? Hey, I met your grandpa this weekend, he married my brother! Well, performed the ceremony that is.
stephen,
my personal opinion is that the ordinary mormon doesn't appreciate really serious modern music. the artists themselves probably realize this and thus steer clear of mormon music or go into the "secular" world.
i mean, think about the people who buy the stuff that deseret book et al carry: old people, mothers, skinny, and efyicized teenagers. hardly true music appreciators.
skinny. you are a good person to talk to. please explain why i would have to come home our freshman year of college to you blasting michael mclean at full volume. how can you even justify that sort of thing?
What makes music "mormon"... especially when you are categorizing it as "serious classical or jazz?" Are there other religions that have a more respectable presence in the pop or "serious" music realm? What would characterize this music??
Some of the music that already exists has been at the core of some of my most choice spiritual experiences. And I do try to be keen about the difference between spirituality and emotionality.
These experiences do not, however, include the Killers.
I guess I'm having a hard time imagining what would characterize what you are envisioning, Stevie.
I agree that there is potential go further and deeper... to "reflect the faith required to stay strong in a complicated, rich religion during a complicated time." I just lack the creativity to know how that would sound. What are some ideas??
amy: what are some examples of music that has been at the core of some of your choice spiritual experiences?
Stephen, I don't know that I have anything really substantial to contribute to this conversation since I'm currently lobbying the SLC peeps to put Janice Kapp Perry, the Azevedos, and McLeans in the new 2007 hymnal. However, I do want to know why you have not shared this precious link with your readership:
http://today.smithsonianmag.com/photo/?year=2007&month=8&day=9
What an awesome accomplishment, Stevie!!
amy, i don't know what makes music mormon. i was hoping to get some ideas. but maybe this is a good example. listen to the prayers from winter quarters, by murray boren.
Hmmm.... it seems that, in the case of music appreciation, perhaps the mormon population parallels the "secular" world. The music that gets listened to/bought/downloaded most is music in which, "more often than not, talent, virtuosity, and creativity are traded for trite, cliche, and cookie-cutter formulas that are easy-pleasing and even easy-listening." How well is "serious music" appreciated in the secular world? Can we expect much more of the mormon population??
It seems that, while it does "nothing to challenge its listeners," in the world as a whole, "pop music is taking overtaking serious... music" with few exceptions.
I think you pointed out one of the big distinguishing factors, Stevie. Education... and I would say experience. How many people are really exposed to "serious" music? Can it be appreciated if it is not first taught? It has been a huge part of your own life... but how many people... how many mormons... have a similar experience?
I was blessed with a father who appreciates the classics (including, of course, the Beatles). I was lucky to have "serious" music in my life because of him.
It is up to people like you to help others gain their own appreciation. Spread the love, Stevie!
Some of my favorite experiences with music: Come Thou Fount (many times over...)--but I consider that a classic, His Hands, some seminary song about godly sorrow, the new primary song by (gasp) Janice Kapp Perry--I'll Follow Him in Faith... Paul and I would listen to (among other things) EFY CDs and seminary CDs on Sundays. While I don't think it reached to the "deep and complex emotions" that truly reflect mormon faith, I do think it was virtuous and lovely.
stevie: your link to brandon flowers was spiritually satisfying. i've had spiritual experiences listening to the killers--experiences that have evoked deep, complex emotions from within.
one remedy to the problem would be to invite brandon flowers and the band to play an EFY gig now and then. just to keep it real. this would be good for the kids and leaders alike...:)
amy's right in the larger secular sense. there is a christian radio station in our area--air one. and it is insufferable. bands will play that sound just like lincoln park, but because they say 'i love jesus' they are accepted as uplifting and inspiring...the nausea from listening to this station mirrors the nausea i felt on top of mount whitney.
one problem is i don't enjoy listening to jazz and classical so those genres won't appeal to me. fat's dominoe could be a mormon and compose mormon themed music and i wouldn't listen.
while i didn't get nauseated listening to the ladies' voice in prayers from winter quarters i could certainly see it's limited appeal to a wider audience.
modern quality music--like the winter quarters piece--is difficult. it takes time for people's tastes to evolve. just as the early modern art with paint splattered about was not initially accepted, it's effects trickle down to the broader public and are slowly assimilated.
i'm rambling.
however, i think the model stevie mentioned of pushing mormon artists to truly excel in their chosen genre and asking them to apply their expertise in their chosen genre to mormonism is a good one (gladys knight has done good things). this would definitely enrich the scene and would force those working only in the mormon scene to up the ante a bit. this would also fix the problem of creating a 'modern mormon music' genre that is too classical or jazzy for me to enjoy.
but boy would i pay to listen to brandon play and EFY gig...
steve,
well, i like mormon pop because the words, although cheesy, forced, and oftentimes much too cliche, convey an important and oftentimes forgotten (at least by me) message. if you can get past the lyrics (which is admittedly a difficult task) the message itself is usually fairly important.
it's kind of similar to the way i feel about different types of mormon history writing, but that is a topic for another day.
My friend, I think that outside of church, music is completely a matter of taste, that there is ultimately no such thing as quality, and that people should get what they want.
But I'm very worried about what goes on inside church, where worship through music always utterly fails to be what it once was. It's like everything else that made the church so much more than what it is now: gifts of the spirit never come when everyone is content to have their religion directed down to them instead of built up by them. And that's exactly the difference between listening to the tabernacle choir and singing together until the spirit comes like a mighty rushing wind.
Stephen... is there any kind of community for mormon musicians producing "serious" music?? Could there be more strength in numbers?
paul: have you ever seen a gladys knight concert???
skinny: anything you have to say is automatically null and void.
nathan: people getting what they want? just taste? is it all just subjective? mebbe so. listening to the motab is one thing, and it is somewhat satisfying. playing with them definitely is what you describe as the spirit rushing as a mighty wind. is that what sacred harp does? i'd guess so. and i think we could do a better job of creating such opportunities with original, creative, religious music, and high-quality performance of hymns.
i have never seen a gladys knight concert...is that a good or a bad thing?
Hello Stephen- I'm Niall, Mitch's husband. We've never met, but I am an occasional reader of your blog. I notice that nobody's mentioned Low in relation to your music discussion- they are a prime example of a serious modern Mormon band, well, the main two songwriters at least- 2/3 of the band. Plus they're really good. In terms of art, I'm not that clued up on Mormon art. There is an amazing aesthetic quality to Mormon churches and temples that appeals to me (I'm not Mormon) so from an architectural point of view I would say there is a strong case for Mormon architecture. But then you probably already knew that! Sorry to butt in, hope you don't mind.
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