Remember when KH's had a piano and real singing? (page 8)

bavman

I remember some of the older brothers and sisters who were not allowed to play the piano anymore were not to happy about it. This was just one more step toward corporate uniformity the society has taken which has taken the heart and soul out of the 'troof'. I also remember at the Janesville assembly hall in Wisconsin, there use to be whole live orchestras that would play made up of congregation members. Then of course they took away the ice cream sandwiches...I've never been the same since.

blondie

Actually, society in general has changed regarding music. Music playing and singing was entertainment at home and when visiting friends. Not everyone had radios, phonographs, and TVs. Every child was expected to learn an instrument. Some learned from a family member or a neighbor. I can remember gathering round grandma's piano and singing, including harmony.

I personally can play about 8 different musical instruments, taught myself to play most of them.

It is true that fewer people learn to play an instrument, including JWs. In the case of JWs it is a challenge in schools with religious and patriotic music featured in the programs so they choose not to have their children even take music. Has anyone every heard the tapes of the African JWs with their acapella renditions and wonderful harmonies? Well, that is the way of their community in general and the JWs reflect it. But as they acquire the accoutrements of so-called civilization, will they lose that?

But then there are some anal-retentive, musically ignorant elders that have told JWs that they cannot sing harmony at the KH although some songs still have it written into the music/lyrics.

Blondie

bavman

I personally can play about 8 different musical instruments, taught myself to play most of them.

You know I am going to make a request to hear some of that now don't you? I personally play a pretty mean "Life Without End at Last" on the acoustic guitar.

blondie

Unfortunately, my fingers are not as nimble as they used to be. All I have left now are my piano and recorder.

Blondie

ozziepost

It is true that fewer people learn to play an instrument, including JWs.

We're still faced with the question of why the churches don't seem to have a problem!

blondie

ozziepost, how many churches have you been to? I find that some churches have had to start offering musical lessons to the children of their members and actively recruit the ones who do attend. Others hire people who aren't members (sometimes even atheists) to be their musical directors and sing in the choirs. Smaller churches are much in the same situation as smaller KHs...they use recorded music.

I have been to many churches of many denominations over the last few years. I have been offered musicial positions even when I was a JW and was told it didn't matter that my religious beliefs did not match theirs (of course, we know the WTS would have frowned on my being a musical director in a Lutheran church).

I will say that these churches would if they could have a better musical program. Whereas the WTS does not use the resources they do have.

Blondie

ozziepost

hi Blondie!

ozziepost, how many churches have you been to?

I wasn't counting my hours. Let's say many - Baptist, (several), Anglican (many), house churches, Pentecostal, non-denominational, etc

Smaller churches are much in the same situation as smaller KHs...they use recorded music.

Not here, they don't ....well, that I've come across. I guess it might occur in very small centres.

Others hire people who aren't members (sometimes even atheists) to be their musical directors and sing in the choirs.&

AAARRGGHHHH!!! How dreadful! That certainly doesn't happen in our State. It seems clear that your north american experience may be quite different to some other places in the world. In my own church which was a small one until a year ago, a person would have had to be a confirmed christian before that happened. We certainly aren't so desperate, yet our church has doubled in size in 12 months! Music is glorious, whether it be on the resounding organ or on a guitar.. we have found that all our music needs have been met as answer to prayer. You should come downunder!

Whereas the WTS does not use the resources they do have.

I think my point was that they don't have the resources; that's their problem.

blondie

Being a musical person, ozziepost, I knew and know who have abilities; the people who had good voices, the ones that still played guitar and piano and sang at witness parties. But never at the KH.

I have been to Bible Student churches that while they had live musicians, still relied on recorded music to sing by.

I visited one church and just on the basis of my singing voice was offered a job as the music director. They had only one older lady playing the organ and no music when she was not able to attend. That is pretty much the situation in rural churches here, no choirs, just one person playing the organ and singing about KH calibre. I can see why they wanted to hire someone to get people revved up musically.

Music programs require time even if you have the musicians, and money as well. Smaller churches don't have the resources larger ones do.

If I wanted to, I could make a good living musically....working for 3 churches at once...I figure I will need something to do after I retire secularly.

Blondie

jgnat

Bits and pieces:

Elders forbidding harmony, Blondie? How weird is that.

I'd only attend a church with a decent music program. It was not a problem loading the platform with the musically inclined at the three churches I've attended in the past twenty years. Like JW's in years past, many evangelically-minded parents will make sure their children get some musical training.

My daughter tells me her black church is tone-deaf. The church was so desperate they decided to go on a three-week "music fast" to see if God maybe wanted their church to be an un-musical one. I saw their children's Christmas program, and it was true. They had a play, a sing-along to recorded music, and a little tyke who did a hip-hop number. It's a tone-deaf black church. Go figure.

I know of a pair of third-generation Witness ladies who were trained on piano back before Witness music was recorded. What a shame they cannot use their talents today.

garybuss

I actually know of a church who hired an agnostic pastor. He was hugely successful. He's retired now I understand.

Remember when KH's had a piano and real singing?

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