Religious music (also sacred music) is a type of music that is performed or composed for religious use or through religious influence. It may overlap with ritual music, which is music, sacred or not, performed or composed for or as
ritual
A ritual is a sequence of activities involving gestures, words, actions, or objects, performed according to a set sequence. Rituals may be prescribed by the traditions of a community, including a religious community. Rituals are characterized ...
. Religious songs have been described as a source of strength, as well as a means of easing pain, improving one's mood, and assisting in the discovery of meaning in one's suffering. While style and genre vary broadly across traditions, religious groups still share a variety of musical practices and techniques.
Religious music takes on many forms and varies throughout cultures. Religions such as
Islam, Judaism, and
Sinism demonstrate this, splitting off into different forms and styles of music that depend on varying religious practices.
Religious music across cultures depicts its use of similar
instruments, used in accordance to create these melodies. drums (and drumming), for example, is seen commonly in numerous religions such as
Rastafari and Sinism, while wind instruments (
horn, saxophone, trumpet and variations of such) can be commonly found in Islam and Judaism.
Throughout each religion, each form of Religious music, within the specific religion, differs for a different purpose. For example, in Islamic Music, some types of music are used for prayer while others are used for celebrations. Similarly, a variation like this is shared between many other religions.
Music plays a significant role in many religions. In some religions, such as Buddhism, music helps people calm their minds and focus before meditation. In Sikh music, known as kirtan, the music helps people connect with the teachings of the religion and with God.
Some other religions, such as Islam, use music to recite the word of their holy book.
Some religions relate their music to non-religious musicians. For example, Rastafarian music heavily relates to reggae music. Religious music helps those of all religions connect with their faith and remember their religious values.
Buddhist music
Buddhist music
Buddhist music is music created for or inspired by Buddhism and part of Buddhist art.
Honkyoku
Honkyoku (本曲) are the pieces of shakuhachi or hocchiku music played by wandering Japanese Zen monks called Komuso. Komuso temples were abolished ...
is music created for or inspired by
Buddhism
Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religions, Indian religion or Indian philosophy#Buddhist philosophy, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha. ...
and part of
Buddhist art
Buddhist art is visual art produced in the context of Buddhism. It includes depictions of Gautama Buddha and other Buddhas and bodhisattvas, notable Buddhist figures both historical and mythical, narrative scenes from their lives, mandalas, an ...
.
Buddhist chanting
Buddhist chanting is a form of musical verse or incantation, which is similar to religious recitations of other faiths. Buddhist chanting is the traditional means of preparing the mind for
meditation
Meditation is a practice in which an individual uses a technique – such as mindfulness, or focusing the mind on a particular object, thought, or activity – to train attention and awareness, and achieve a mentally clear and emotionally calm ...
, especially as part of formal practice (in either a lay or monastic context). Some Buddhist traditions also use chanting as a form of
devotional practices.
Apart from chanting, in certain Buddhist traditions, offerings of music are given in honor of the
Triple Gem
In Buddhism, refuge or taking refuge refers to a religious practice, which often includes a prayer or recitation performed at the beginning of the day or of a practice session. Since the period of Early Buddhism until present time, all Theravad ...
, consisting of traditional music performed by specialists, or of the ritual music that accompanies the chanting. One significant example lies in Sri Lankan tradition, where a traditional ceremony is performed by drummers as a musical offering, also popularly known as "Sabda-Puja".
Christian music
According to some scholars, the earliest music in the
Christian Church came from Jewish worship music, with some additional
Syriac Syriac may refer to:
*Syriac language, an ancient dialect of Middle Aramaic
*Sureth, one of the modern dialects of Syriac spoken in the Nineveh Plains region
* Syriac alphabet
** Syriac (Unicode block)
** Syriac Supplement
* Neo-Aramaic languages a ...
influence. It is believed that this music lay somewhere between singing and speaking, or speaking with an understood ritual cadence. However, there is another opinion that the roots of early
Christian music
Christian music is music that has been written to express either personal or a communal belief regarding Christian life and faith. Common themes of Christian music include praise, worship, penitence, and lament, and its forms vary widely aroun ...
come from the early ascetic monastic orders.
Hymns
Christian music has diversified over time, reflecting both its centuries-old roots as well as more contemporary musical styles. Thousands of traditionally-styled songs of praise or worship, called "
hymns
A hymn is a type of song, and partially synonymous with devotional song, specifically written for the purpose of adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification. The word ''hymn'' ...
" (from the Greek word ''hymnos'' meaning, "song of praise"), were written over hundreds of years. Eventually, these songs were compiled into books called "hymnals", from which pastors and
congregants would read during Christian services – a practice that continues in many churches today.
Prior to the eighteenth century, Christian hymnals were published as standalone texts without accompanying musical scores. The first American hymnal with both text and song was published in 1831. In Europe, the
Church of England
The Church of England (C of E) is the established Christian church in England and the mother church of the international Anglican Communion. It traces its history to the Christian church recorded as existing in the Roman province of Britai ...
did not officially allow hymns to be sung until 1820. Originally, hymns were sung by "
lining out
Lining out or hymn lining, called precenting the line in Scotland, is a form of a cappella hymn-singing or hymnody in which a leader, often called the clerk or precentor, gives each line of a hymn tune as it is to be sung, usually in a chanted for ...
" the
lyrics
Lyrics are words that make up a song, usually consisting of verses and choruses. The writer of lyrics is a lyricist. The words to an extended musical composition such as an opera are, however, usually known as a " libretto" and their writer, ...
, meaning, the pastor would sing a line, and then the congregation would repeat it. This was done because, at that time, books were expensive, so it was economical to provide the pastor of a church with one copy from which everyone could sing.
Christian Music in the Modern Era
Modern methods of publication have made hymnals much more accessible to the public today than previously. The practice of "lining out" the lyrics of hymns has therefore largely fallen away, although it continues to be practiced in some traditional churches. In the twentieth century, Christian music has developed to reflect the emergence of a diverse array of
musical genres including rock,
metal
A metal (from Greek μέταλλον ''métallon'', "mine, quarry, metal") is a material that, when freshly prepared, polished, or fractured, shows a lustrous appearance, and conducts electricity and heat relatively well. Metals are typicall ...
, pop,
jazz
Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...
,
contemporary
Contemporary history, in English-language historiography, is a subset of modern history that describes the historical period from approximately 1945 to the present. Contemporary history is either a subset of the late modern period, or it is o ...
,
rap
Rapping (also rhyming, spitting, emceeing or MCing) is a musical form of vocal delivery that incorporates "rhyme, rhythmic speech, and street vernacular". It is performed or chanted, usually over a backing beat or musical accompaniment. The ...
,
spiritual,
country
A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. It may be a sovereign state or make up one part of a larger state. For example, the country of Japan is an independent, sovereign state, while ...
,
blues, and
gospel
Gospel originally meant the Christian message (" the gospel"), but in the 2nd century it came to be used also for the books in which the message was set out. In this sense a gospel can be defined as a loose-knit, episodic narrative of the words a ...
. The use of specific genres and styles of music in church services today varies across
Christian denominations and according to the personal preference of pastors and church members. As of the late twentieth century, there has been a widespread preference in less traditional churches towards using contemporary music (particularly, "
praise and worship" songs, which attempt to preserve the religious intent of hymns but use contemporary lyrics and a more modern musical sound instead) as well as gospel and spiritual music.
Hindu music
Hindu music
Hindu music is music created for or influenced by Hinduism. It includes Indian classical music, Kirtan, Bhajan and other musical genres. Raagas are a common form of Hindu music in classical India.
The most common Hindu bhajan in North India is " ...
is music created for or influenced by Hinduism. It includes
Carnatic music
Carnatic music, known as or in the South Indian languages, is a system of music commonly associated with South India, including the modern Indian states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, and Sri Lanka. It is ...
,
Indian classical music,
Hindustani classical music
Hindustani classical music is the classical music of northern regions of the Indian subcontinent. It may also be called North Indian classical music or, in Hindustani, ''shastriya sangeet'' (). It is played in instruments like the violin, si ...
,
Kirtan,
Bhajan and other musical genres. Raagas are a common form of Hindu music in classical India. Vedas are also in Hindu music.
A ''raga'' or ''raag'' (
IAST: rāga; also ''raaga'' or ''ragam''; literally "coloring, tingeing, dyeing") is a melodic framework for improvisation akin to a
melodic mode in
Indian classical music.
Islamic music
Islamic music comes in many forms. Each form is used for different purposes as one may be for prayers and complete focus towards Allah (God) and while the other is entertainment, however still including that religious aspect.
Prayer
Islamic prayer
(, plural , romanized: or Old Arabic ͡sˤaˈloːh, ( or Old Arabic ͡sˤaˈloːtʰin construct state) ), also known as ( fa, نماز) and also spelled , are prayers performed by Muslims. Facing the , the direction of the Kaaba with ...
is a type of religious music that
Muslims
Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...
use when they pray and worship
Allah. These prayers (in
Arabic
Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C. E.Watson; Walter ...
, prayer is ''
Salah)'' that occur five times a day. These prayers are conducted by facing
Mecca
Mecca (; officially Makkah al-Mukarramah, commonly shortened to Makkah ()) is a city and administrative center of the Mecca Province of Saudi Arabia, and the holiest city in Islam. It is inland from Jeddah on the Red Sea, in a narrow ...
while standing, having both knees to the ground, and bowing. During prayer, recitations are usually of the Islamic holy book: the
Quran
The Quran (, ; Standard Arabic: , Quranic Arabic: , , 'the recitation'), also romanized Qur'an or Koran, is the central religious text of Islam, believed by Muslims to be a revelation from God. It is organized in 114 chapters (pl.: , s ...
.
Throughout the day, in Mecca, these prayers connect the Muslim people through a series of melodic prayers that are often amplified throughout the city. In Islam, the implication of prayer, and in this case the ''Salah'', is for ritual since it is believed to be the direct word of
God
In monotheistic thought, God is usually viewed as the supreme being, creator, and principal object of faith. Swinburne, R.G. "God" in Honderich, Ted. (ed)''The Oxford Companion to Philosophy'', Oxford University Press, 1995. God is typically ...
that shall be performed as a collective, as well as individually.
Sufi Music
Sufism, Islam's mystical dimension, advocates peace, tolerance, and pluralism, as well as music as a means of improving one's relationship with God. Sufi music aims to bring listeners closer to God. The deep urge to dissolve the physical realm and transcend into the spiritual universe, which occurs through the practice of listening to music, chanting, and whirling, and culminating in spiritual ecstasy, lies at the heart of Sufi lyrics.
Because music is viewed as a tool for the believer to grow closer to the holy, sound and music are important to the basic experience of Sufism. Sufi music is therefore music created by and for the soul.
Naat
The other form of Islamic music is
Naat. The word Naat has Arabic origins and translates to ''praise''. A poem that praises the Islamic Prophet
Muhammad
Muhammad ( ar, مُحَمَّد; 570 – 8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious, social, and political leader and the founder of Islam. According to Islamic doctrine, he was a prophet divinely inspired to preach and confirm the mo ...
is referred to as Naat (نعت) in
. First naat dates back to the era of Muhammad and was written in
Arabic
Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C. E.Watson; Walter ...
. It later spread throughout the world and reached various literatures including
,
Punjabi,
Sindhi,
Pashto
Pashto (,; , ) is an Eastern Iranian language in the Indo-European language family. It is known in historical Persian literature as Afghani ().
Spoken as a native language mostly by ethnic Pashtuns, it is one of the two official langua ...
,
Turkish,
Seraiki and more. Naat-Khuwan or Sana-Khuwan are known as those who recite Naat.
Instruments
*
Chordophones
String instruments, stringed instruments, or chordophones are musical instruments that produce sound from vibrating strings when a performer plays or sounds the strings in some manner.
Musicians play some string instruments by plucking the st ...
, or stringed instruments
* ''Zornā'' and ''gayta'' as aerophones, or wind instruments
* ''Būq'', or horn
* ''Nafīr'', or long trumpet
* Idiophones, membranophones, tambourines, or frame drums
Melodic Organization
Islamic music is monophonic, meaning it has only one melody line. Everything in performance is based on the refinement of the melodic line and the complexity of the beat. Although a simple arrangement of notes, octaves, fifths, and fourths, usually below the melody notes, may be used as ornamentation, the concept of
harmony is absent.
Microtonality and the variety of intervals used are two components that contribute to the melody's enrichment. As a result, the three-quarter tone, which was first used in Islamic music in the ninth or tenth centuries, coexists with bigger and smaller intervals. Musicians have a keen sensitivity to
pitch variations, often altering even the perfect consonances, the fourth and fifth, somewhat.
History of Islamic prayer
Riccold De Monte, a famous travel writer, stated in the year 1228, "What shall I say of their prayer? For they pray with such concentration and devotion that I was astonished when I was able to see it personally and observe it with my own eyes."
The origin of the art of prayer in all
Abrahamic religions
The Abrahamic religions are a group of religions centered around worship of the God of Abraham. Abraham, a Hebrew patriarch, is extensively mentioned throughout Abrahamic religious scriptures such as the Bible and the Quran.
Jewish tradition ...
is to glorify God and the same goes for
Islam. The ''Al Salat'' is the most widely used word to mean institutionalized prayer and is one of the oldest forms of prayer in Islam. Islamic prayer, traditions, and ideals had influence from these Abrahamic religions. The time of origination of Salah came from
Muhammad
Muhammad ( ar, مُحَمَّد; 570 – 8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious, social, and political leader and the founder of Islam. According to Islamic doctrine, he was a prophet divinely inspired to preach and confirm the mo ...
in a cave as he began to worship Allah (God). It is believed that through this act of worship Mohammad interacted with the Abrahamic prophet
Moses.
Now these "prayers" come in the form of recitations of the
Quran
The Quran (, ; Standard Arabic: , Quranic Arabic: , , 'the recitation'), also romanized Qur'an or Koran, is the central religious text of Islam, believed by Muslims to be a revelation from God. It is organized in 114 chapters (pl.: , s ...
and poems written by prophets of the faith.
Spread of Islamic prayer
Besides the spread of Islam through Arabia by prophets, it spread through trade routes like the Silk Road and through conflicts of war. Through the
Silk Road traders and members of the early
Muslim faith were able to go to countries such as China and create mosques around 627 C. E.
As men from the Middle East went to China they would marry these Asian women, which led to a spreading of the faith and traditions of Islam in multiplicities.
The Crusades
The Crusades were a series of religious wars initiated, supported, and sometimes directed by the Latin Church in the medieval period. The best known of these Crusades are those to the Holy Land in the period between 1095 and 1291 that were in ...
in the 9th and 10th centuries encouraged the spread of Islam through the invasions of Latin Christian soldiers and Muslim soldiers into each other's lands. The whole conflict began on the premises of a
Holy Land and which group of people owned these lands that led to these foes invading their respective lands. As the religion itself spread so did its implications of ritual, such as prayer.
Relation of Islamic Music to Other Cultures
Both musical theory and practice illustrate the relationship between Islamic and
Western music. Many
Greek
Greek may refer to:
Greece
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group.
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family.
**Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...
treatises had been translated into Arabic by the 9th century. Greek musical texts were maintained in
Arabic culture, and the majority of those that reached the West did so in their Arabic translations. Arab philosophers adopted Greek models and often improved on them.
The Muslim conquest of Spain and
Portugal
Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...
, as well as the
Crusades
The Crusades were a series of religious wars initiated, supported, and sometimes directed by the Latin Church in the medieval period. The best known of these Crusades are those to the Holy Land in the period between 1095 and 1291 that were ...
to the Middle East, introduced Europeans to Arabic theoretical works and thriving Islamic art music. Moreover,
Arab
The Arabs (singular: Arab; singular ar, عَرَبِيٌّ, DIN 31635: , , plural ar, عَرَب, DIN 31635: , Arabic pronunciation: ), also known as the Arab people, are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in Western Asia, ...
invaders entered India as early as 711 AD, while
Mongol
The Mongols ( mn, Монголчууд, , , ; ; russian: Монголы) are an East Asian ethnic group native to Mongolia, Inner Mongolia in China and the Buryatia Republic of the Russian Federation. The Mongols are the principal member ...
and Turkmen forces eventually invaded the Middle East, bringing
Islamic and Far Eastern music together. There are parallels between
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
's and the Middle East's modal systems, as well as some
cosmological
Cosmology () is a branch of physics and metaphysics dealing with the nature of the universe. The term ''cosmology'' was first used in English in 1656 in Thomas Blount's ''Glossographia'', and in 1731 taken up in Latin by German philosopher ...
and ethical ideas of music.
Jewish music
Jewish music is the shared melody of religious Jewish communities. Its influence spreads across the globe, originating in the Middle East, where music principles differ from those of the Western world, emphasizing rhythmic development over harmony. There are three sections into which Jewish music can be separated:
Ashkenazic
Ashkenazi Jews ( ; he, יְהוּדֵי אַשְׁכְּנַז, translit=Yehudei Ashkenaz, ; yi, אַשכּנזישע ייִדן, Ashkenazishe Yidn), also known as Ashkenazic Jews or ''Ashkenazim'',, Ashkenazi Hebrew pronunciation: , singu ...
music,
Sephardic music, and
Mizrahi music.
Ashkenazic
The most prevalent form of Ashkenazic music is
Klezmer, which is typically sung in
Yiddish
Yiddish (, or , ''yidish'' or ''idish'', , ; , ''Yidish-Taytsh'', ) is a West Germanic language historically spoken by Ashkenazi Jews. It originated during the 9th century in Central Europe, providing the nascent Ashkenazi community with a ve ...
. Klezmer often refers to the Jewish instrumentalist, specifically focusing on Ashkenazic melodies and music; this genre was common among European Jewish traveling musicians.
Klezmer music was and continues to be used primarily at Jewish social gatherings. Weddings, however, are the main venue for this genre. Klezmer fundamentally dates back to the nineteenth century; there are a multitude of Klezmer musicians whose ages range from 50 to 80, but there is evidence that dates it back to centuries prior. Klezmer music features a myriad of various instruments that can be seen in many modern forms of music today, such as violin, drums and
cymbals,
accordion, cello, clarinet, and saxophone.
Sephardic
Sephardic music encompasses music that is of Mediterranean origin, including Spain,
Turkey
Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with a small portion on the Balkan Peninsula in ...
, and
Greece
Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders ...
. Sephardic music is typically sung in
Ladino, or a Judeo-Spanish dialect. It demonstrates music styles that are reminiscent of Mediterranean rhythms and melodies. This genre touches on romance, life, and religious traditions, and is typically associated with women and women's singing. Women tend to sing these songs with no additional harmony or instruments. Sephardic music originates from Jews that lived in medieval Spain and
Portugal
Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...
, and it spread following Sephardic Jews' expulsion from Spain and Portugal in the late 15th century.
Mizrahi
Mizrahi music contains elements of Middle Eastern, European, and North African music, traditionally sung in Hebrew. Mizrahi Jews are communities of Jewish people from the Middle East and North Africa. This style of music was widely unpopular, with Ashkenazic music being prevalent in most Jewish communities. This style, however, grew in popularity in the 1970s. Mizrahi music demonstrates many Arabic elements, showcasing instruments such as the
oud
, image=File:oud2.jpg
, image_capt=Syrian oud made by Abdo Nahat in 1921
, background=
, classification=
* String instruments
*Necked bowl lutes
, hornbostel_sachs=321.321-6
, hornbostel_sachs_desc=Composite chordophone sounded with a plectrum
, ...
,
kanun, and the
darbuka. Other instrumental elements include guitar, vocal trills, and
electronic instruments
An electronic musical instrument or electrophone is a musical instrument that produces sound using electronic circuitry. Such an instrument sounds by outputting an electrical, electronic or digital audio signal that ultimately is plugged into a ...
.
Neopagan music
Neopagan music is music created for or influenced by
modern Paganism. It has appeared in many styles and genres, including
folk music
Folk music is a music genre that includes traditional folk music and the contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be called world music. Traditional folk music has b ...
, classical music, singer-songwriter,
post-punk
Post-punk (originally called new musick) is a broad music genre, genre of Punk Music, punk music that emerged in the late 1970s as musicians departed from punk's traditional elements and raw simplicity, instead adopting a variety of avant-garde s ...
,
heavy metal and
ambient music.
Rastafarian music
Origin
Rastafari appeared in Jamaica in the 1930s as an energetic and spirited movement. It is classed as a religion, by non-rastafarians, due to the principles the movement is built upon. Nevertheless, some Rastafarians viewed their movement as a way of life for their supporters. The Rastafarian way of life represents the identity recreation of being African. As the movement spread to South Africa and Jamaica, this caused confusion about what Rastafarians believed due to the combination of other ideologies and religions being incorporated into the religion. However, Christianity being the structure for the religion, interpreted parts of the Bible differently
Rastafarian music is persistently tied to
reggae
Reggae () is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, " Do the Reggay" was the first popular song to use ...
music, an earlier form of Jamaican music. As reggae continues to be spread throughout the world, creators are beginning to change the original reggae sound and Rastafarian ideology incorporated. Various reggae songs representing Rastafarian culture through lyrics, themes, and symbolism.
Rastafarian Drumming
Earlier origins of Rastafarian music connected to the high usage of drums. The play of drums represents a form of communication between Rastafarian gods and their supporters. Drumming would commonly take place during a reasoning session, the gathering of Rastafarians to chant, pray, and sing in the home of a Rasta or a community center.
Count Ossie
Count Ossie, born Oswald Williams (23 April 1926Ancestry.com. Jamaica, Civil Registration Birth, Marriage, and Death Records, 1878-1995 atabase on-line Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014. – 18 October 1976Moskowitz, David V. ...
, a Rastafarian drum player revealed various rhythmic patterns after noticing the escalated sensation of drumming during prayer.
Incorporation of the drums in spiritual sessions stems from the
African drumming and Africans and Rastafarians seek for cultural identity. Majority of slaves not having religious belief, coincidentally Rastafarians having no music led to the integration of the groups. This increased the spread of the Rastafarian religion as slaves gained a new religion, and Rastafarians enjoyed Buru music,
Afro-Jamaican
Afro-Jamaicans are Jamaicans of predominant Sub-Saharan African descent. They represent the largest ethnic group in the country. Most Jamaicans of mixed-race descent self-report as just Jamaican.
The ethnogenesis of the Black Jamaican people ste ...
rhythm music.
Expansion
Bob Marley
Robert Nesta Marley (6 February 1945 – 11 May 1981; baptised in 1980 as Berhane Selassie) was a Jamaican singer, musician, and songwriter. Considered one of the pioneers of reggae, his musical career was marked by fusing elements o ...
, an iconic influence, also a member of Rastafarian was an significant reason to the expansion of Rastafarian music spreading across the world. Through religious messages portrayed through his lyrics the religion was beginning to become popular. Marley expressing his opinions on political matters, justice, and peace increased the awareness of the unique beliefs of Rastafari. North Americans were able to identify unique features of Rastafarians such as
dreadlocks
Dreadlocks, also known as locs or dreads, are rope-like strands of hair formed by locking or braiding hair.
Origins
Some of the earliest depictions of dreadlocks date back as far as 1600–1500 BCE in the Minoan Civilization, one of Europe ...
, manner of speaking, and the consumption of
marijuana. The death of the famous star was unfortunate, certainly for the Rastafarians as Marley was the outlet for their culture and music to the rest of the world. The life of Bob Marley continues to be supported as gather to play the
Nyabinghi drums and chat at his museum.
Shamanic music
Shamanic music is music played either by actual
shamans as part of their rituals, or by people who, whilst not themselves shamans, wish to evoke the cultural background of shamanism in some way.
Shintō music
Shintō music (神楽) is ceremonial music for
Shinto
Shinto () is a religion from Japan. Classified as an East Asian religion by scholars of religion, its practitioners often regard it as Japan's indigenous religion and as a nature religion. Scholars sometimes call its practitioners ''Shintois ...
(神道) which is the native religion of Japan.
Sikh music
Sikh music or Shabad kirtan is
Kirtan-style singing of
hymns
A hymn is a type of song, and partially synonymous with devotional song, specifically written for the purpose of adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification. The word ''hymn'' ...
or
Shabad from the
Sri Guru Granth Sahib
The Guru Granth Sahib ( pa, ਗੁਰੂ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ ਸਾਹਿਬ, ) is the central holy religious scripture of Sikhism, regarded by Sikhs as the final, sovereign and Guru Maneyo Granth, eternal Guru following the lineage of the Sikh gur ...
Ji, the central text of
Sikhism
Sikhism (), also known as Sikhi ( pa, ਸਿੱਖੀ ', , from pa, ਸਿੱਖ, lit=disciple', 'seeker', or 'learner, translit=Sikh, label=none),''Sikhism'' (commonly known as ''Sikhī'') originated from the word ''Sikh'', which comes fro ...
. Its development dates back to the late 16th century as the
musical expression of mystical poetry, accompanied by a musical instrument ''
rabab''.
All the
Sikh Gurus sang in the then-prevalent classical and folk music styles, accompanied by stringed and percussion instruments. The Gurus specified the
raag for each hymn in the Sikh sacred scripture, the
Guru Granth Sahib
The Guru Granth Sahib ( pa, ਗੁਰੂ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ ਸਾਹਿਬ, ) is the central holy religious scripture of Sikhism, regarded by Sikhs as the final, sovereign and Guru Maneyo Granth, eternal Guru following the lineage of the Sikh gur ...
.
Shabad
Raag
The Sikh Guru, Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, consists of shabads, or passages, written by Sikh Gurus and various other saints and holy men. Before each shabad, a raag is assigned. the raag provides a guideline for how the shabad should be sang. There are 31 raags in Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji. A raag is a specific set of rules on how to construct a certain melody. Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji is composed with different raags to match the shabads and teachings of the Sikh Gurus and various holy people.
Instruments
The Gurus also created numerous musical instruments including the
Dilruba, the
Sarangi
The sārangī is a bowed, short-necked string instrument played in traditional music from South Asia – Punjabi folk music, Rajasthani folk music, and Boro folk music (there known as the ''serja'') – in Pakistan, India and Bangladesh. It is ...
, the
Esraj
The (from the pa, ਇਸਰਾਜ) is an Indian stringed instrument found in two forms throughout the Indian subcontinent. It is a relatively recent instrument, being only about 300 years old. It is found in North India, primarily Punjab, whe ...
and the
Jori.
Rabab
One of the earliest Sikh instruments to be used was the
Rabab. When Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the first Guru of the Sikhs would travel to different areas, his companion Bhai Mardana would always bring a rebab. They would sing Sikh shabads to the residents of each village and Bhai Mardana would play his rebab. In this way,
Guru Nanak Dev Ji
Gurū Nānak (15 April 1469 – 22 September 1539; Gurmukhi: ਗੁਰੂ ਨਾਨਕ; pronunciation: , ), also referred to as ('father Nānak'), was the founder of Sikhism and is the first of the ten Sikh Gurus. His birth is celebrated wo ...
started the singing of Sikh kirtan.
Jori
Another Sikh instrument is the
Jori. The word jori means pair and the jori is a pair of two drums. The musician playing the jori will use one hand per drum whilst playing the instrument. The instrument was created during the time of the fifth Sikh Guru,
Guru Arjun Dev Ji. Originally, one of the most popular drums used in South Asia in the 16th century was the Mardang. The Mardang was a singular drum with two sides played simultaneously. In the court of Guru Arjun Dev Ji there were two musicians, Sata and Balwand, who decided to create a new instrument by splitting the Mardang in half. This created two separate drums that would be played simultaneously and would be able to be tuned individually.
Taus
One of the most fascinating Sikh instruments is the
Taus Taus may refer to:
* Domažlice (German: Taus), a town of the Czech Republic
* Taus, Wisconsin, United States, an unincorporated community
* Melek Taus, "The Peacock Angel", the Yazidis' name for the central figure of their faith
* Taus (instrumen ...
. It is one of the most beautiful instruments in the world and the head of the instrument is shaped like a peacock. The 10th Guru of the Sikhs,
Guru Gobind Singh Ji, named the instrument "Taus" as the word is Persian for peacock. This instrument was originally created by
Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji it is significantly larger than other Sikh instruments. It is played with a bow and has 28–30 different strings. This allows the instrument to display an array of emotions and properly play the raags of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji.
Harmonium
After the British invaded and colonized India in the 19th century, they introduced some of their instruments to the Sikh Community. One of these instruments was the Harmonium.
Tabla
The second instrument was the Tabla. The tabla is meant to accompany the singer and the harmonium in Sikh kirtan.
Sinism (Korean shamanism) music
''
Muak'' (무악) or ''Musok Eumak'' (무속 음악), is the traditional
Korean shamanistic music performed at and during a shamanistic ritual, the
''Gut'' (굿).
Origin
Geographically, the Korean peninsula can be divided into five shaman music areas based on musical dialects and instrumentation: the central, northwestern, eastern, southwestern, and Jeju Island areas.
Types of Sinism (Korean shamanism) music
Sinawi (시나위)
''
Sinawi'' is a form of Korean improvisational ensemble music believed to evolve from the ''Jeolla'' province in southwestern Korea.
Sanjo (산조)
''Sanjo'' (music) is a style of Korean traditional music produced with improvised instrumental solos.
Gut (굿)
''Gut'' (굿) is the name for a shamanic ritual. During a ritual, there is a table with sacrificial offerings, known as ''gutsang'' (굿상), for the gods.
Throughout the ritual, the dramatic performances or g''ut nori'' (굿 노리) are accompanied by music, song, and dance. ''Gut'' can be categorized into private and village rituals. Private rituals include well-wishing rituals, healing rituals, underworld entry rituals and shamanic initiation rituals. The purpose of village rituals are to maintain peace and promote communal unity, where the name of each ritual vary by region.
In modern Korean society, the most common forms of ''gut'' are shamanic initiation rituals and rituals for the dead.
Mudang (무당)
In contemporary South Korea, the shaman is known as the ''mudang'' (무당). The ''mudang'' is usually a woman and takes on the role as a mediator between spirits or gods and humans.
''Mudangs'' can be categorized into ''sessûmu'' (세쑤무) and ''kangshinmu'' (강신무). ''Sessûmu'' are ''mudang'' that inherit the right to perform shamanic rituals while ''kangshinmu'' are ''mudang'' who are intiatied into their status through a ceremony.
Instruments
The instruments that are used in Korean shamanic rituals are called ''Muakgi'' (무악기). These instruments include:
* ''Janggu'' (장구), Hourless drum
* ''Bara'' (바라), Small cymbals
* ''Piri'' (피리), Reed flute
* ''Jeotdae'' (젓대) / ''Daegeum'' (대금), Large bamboo flute
* ''Haegeum'' (해금), Two-stringed zither
* ''Kkwaenggwari'' (꽹과리), Small gong
* ''Buk'' (북), Small drum
Contemporary Influence
In the Korean contemporary dance scene, there are many productions portraying significant elements from traditional Korean shaman culture.
Taoist music
Taoist music is the ceremonial music of
Taoism
Taoism (, ) or Daoism () refers to either a school of philosophical thought (道家; ''daojia'') or to a religion (道教; ''daojiao''), both of which share ideas and concepts of Chinese origin and emphasize living in harmony with the '' Ta ...
. The importance of music in Taoist ceremony is demonstrated by revealing how central beliefs are reflected through elements of music such as instrumentation and rhythm. The principal belief of the
Yin Yang
Yin and yang ( and ) is a Chinese philosophical concept that describes opposite but interconnected forces. In Chinese cosmology, the universe creates itself out of a primary chaos of material energy, organized into the cycles of yin and ya ...
is reflected in the categorization of musical tones. The two main tones of Taoist chanting are the Yin Tone and the Yang Tone. Taoist music can be found in every ceremonial occasion, including "Five Offerings" and the "Ode of Wishing for Longevity."
Instruments
The instruments used in Taoist rituals are called Faqi ().
These instruments include:
* Magical sword
* Water jar
* Muyu
* Dangzi
* Yinqing, Guiding chime
Zoroastrian music
Zoroastrian music is a genre of music that accompanies
Zoroastrian traditions and rites.
See also
*
Choir music
A choir ( ; also known as a chorale or chorus) is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform. Choirs may perform music from the classical music repertoire, which sp ...
*
Cantor
A cantor or chanter is a person who leads people in singing or sometimes in prayer. In formal Jewish worship, a cantor is a person who sings solo verses or passages to which the choir or congregation responds.
In Judaism, a cantor sings and lead ...
*
Gospel music
*
Liturgical music
Liturgical music originated as a part of religious ceremony, and includes a number of traditions, both ancient and modern. Liturgical music is well known as a part of Catholic Mass, the Anglican Holy Communion service (or Eucharist) and Evensong ...
*
Music and politics
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Secular music
*
Spiritual (music)
*
World Sacred Music Festival
The Fes World Festival of Sacred Music (Festival des Musiques Sacrées du Monde) is an annual music festival that is held for a week in Fes, Morocco. It was first held in 1994 and usually held over 10 days in early June.
FEZ
The World Festival ...
References
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Further reading
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External links
Gregorian chant, liturgical music (CD, scores, learning)The Gregorian chant of the abbeys of Provence in France (fr. with Translator) Hibba's Web Anthology of Traditional Jewish MusicReligious Music – Greek
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