New Book: The Secret Chord

Is there really a 'Secret Chord' that would both please the LORD and nearly everybody else as described in Leonard Cohen's popular song 'Hallelujah'? And are there some people who just don't get music, as in the next line in Cohen's lyric?

These are among the questions explored in The Secret Chord, a new book by co-authored by Peter Banks and myself. 

In the book, we seek to explore a number of the dilemmas which musicians and other artists face, not so much in order to map out one route through or around these dilemmas but in an attempt to get the creative juices flowing. Our experience of creativity is of disparate and often contradictory ideas being crushed, swirled, fermented, shaken and stirred in our minds in order that the fine wine of creativity results. Our hope is that The Secret Chord, by exploring artistic dilemmas from a range of different perspectives, will mature in reader’s minds just like fine wine or a precious pearl.

Carol Biss, Managing Director of Book Guild Publishing, says “Secret Chord is an interesting and impassioned study of the role of music in cultural life, written through the prism of Christian belief. Covering a huge range of musical styles and influences, from gospel music to X Factor, Secret Chord conveys a great enthusiasm for music and its transformative powers, which readers are sure to find engaging.”

Rev Dr Hugh Rayment-Pickard, author and co-founder of IntoUniversity says "Secret Chord is well written, full of wisdom, great quotes and illustrations. It's great to read something about art and Christianity that embraces such diverse material."

While a significant number of books have been published exploring the relationships between music, art, popular culture and theology - many of which we have enjoyed and from which we have benefited - such books tend either to academic analysis or semi biography about artistes whose output the writers' enjoy. By contrast, The Secret Chord is an accessible exploration of artistic dilemmas from a range of different perspectives which seeks to draw the reader into a place of appreciation for what makes a moment in a 'performance' timeless and special.

The Secret Chord is available initially on Kindle (http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Secret-Chord-ebook/dp/B009OG5790/), price £1.95. Those without a Kindle can download a free Kindle PC programme at http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/feature.html/ref=kcp_pc_ln_ar?docId=1000423913.

The Secret Chord also comes with a website which will be developed over time to enable further exploration of the issues raised.

Peter Banks is a successful composer and musician with mainstream chart successes in many countries in the world within his most well known musical collaboration, 'After The Fire'. As well as a musician he has worked in other creative industries and now contributes professionally to various online publications as well as his popular music and technology blog, The BanksyBoy Brief.

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After The Fire - Laser Love.