Hearts on Fire and The Secret Chord

Peter Banks and I will shortly be speaking on some of the themes from The Secret Chord at this year's ArtServe's Festival weekend.

Finding inspirational ways of telling God’s story shaped the Bible and the Christian faith. It shapes the Hearts on Fire! weekend too through the sharing of vision and experiences through contrasting and innovative media – story telling, music, drama and art.

Hearts on Fire! festival weekend is inspired by the power of story – our stories shared, God’s story lived. Stories are told not in words alone, but in music, drama, and prayer.

Sharing inspirational stories can reveal God alive and present among us, speaking through our actions and lives. Telling stories is not just about words, but all forms of media; we will be exploring all sorts – word, song, touch, movement, painting, animation, looking and listening.

ArtServe aims to show how we can tell stories in so many ways if we have the confidence to try. As a community of faith we will be called on to try our hand at story telling, making music, and creating visual effects. There will be time to consider the significance of bringing the arts and faith together, thinking about what we do, praying and celebrating together, as well as enjoying a shared life as an ArtServe community.

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After The Fire - Der Kommisar.

The Secret Chord: Update

The Secret Chord is now available as a paperback from Amazon, as well as via Lulu. This means that purchase options are now as follows:

• Paperback: Lulu - http://www.lulu.com/gb/en/shop/peter-banks-and-jonathan-evens/the-secret-chord/paperback/product-20492394.html; Amazon - http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Secret-Chord-Peter-Banks/dp/1291083790/; and ATF - http://www.80f.co.uk/shop/index.cfm/fa/shopdetails/Product_ID/160;
• Kindle: Amazon - http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Secret-Chord-ebook/dp/B009OG5790/ref=tmm_kin_title_0. 

The paperback and Kindle versions can found on several international Amazon sites including: United States; Canada; Germany; France; Italy; Spain; Japan; and Brazil.

Even if you do not have an actual Kindle you can download free viewing Apps for PC, Apple Mac, iPad, iPhone and Android devices including smartphones here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/feature.html/ref=kcp_ipad_mkt_lnd?docId=1000425503

The Secret Chord, co-authored with Peter Banks, is an impassioned study of the role of music in cultural life, written through the prism of Christian belief. Covering a range of musical styles and influences, from gospel music to X Factor, The Secret Chord conveys enthusiasm for music and its transformative powers.

A sample chapter can be read by clicking here, look inside the book by clicking here, reviews can be found by clicking here.

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David Peaston, Fontella and Martha Bass - God Has Smiled On Me.

The Secret Chord: New review

The Secret Chord now has a second review on its Amazon Kindle page. In this review Rod Williamson says:

"The book gives a very thoughtful look at the artist's role, inspiration, challenge and so on. There are many examples and anecdotes from popular and classical fields, and beyond the realms of music. As one who wouldn't know the difference between a D minor and a Morris Minor it kept my attention throughout, but I'm sure it would appeal to the Monsieur Highbrow fraternity."

Peter Banks and I wanted to write a book that would be an accessible interesting read but also with sufficient depth to engage those with an interest in academic and theological study. Rod's review plus the discussions about the book on After The Fire's Forum would seem to suggest that we may have succeeded in squaring that circle!

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After The Fire - Sometimes. 

The Secret Chord: Update

Word about The Secret Chord is beginning to spread. The Kindle version of the book now has our first review in which Heather Joy Rowe says it is a highly informative and eye-opening book:

'The writers ... are delving into the arts, mainly looking at the subject from a theological point of view and they have certainly opened my eyes as before reading this book I had a very 'one-dimensional view' of this huge subject.'

A sample chapter can be read by clicking here.

Cross Rhythms have a piece about the book and the Ilford Recorder have also run a story. The book is included in the November update of the Greater London Presence and Engagement Network. Peter Banks, joint-author, has posted about the book here. Click here for some initial comments and here for a mention of The Secret Chord on the Ritter Records blog.
 The paperbook version is available through Lulu (where we are currently No. 1 in Reference for the month) and via the After The Fire website, while other Kindle locations are also live now:

• United States
• Germany
• France
• Italy
• Spain
• Japan

Even if you do not have an actual Kindle you can download free viewing Apps for PC, Apple Mac, iPad, iPhone and Android devices including smartphones here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/feature.html/ref=kcp_ipad_mkt_lnd?docId=1000425503.

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Jeff Buckley - Hallelujah.

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.

Cricket, Churches, Art and Meals

I've had a busy but very enjoyable weekend which began on Friday evening with a testimonial event for Robert Croft in the Long Room at Lords followed by a day trip to Stoke-on-Trent for the licensing service of Rev. Geoffery Eze in the parish of Stoke Minister and then, after morning services at St John's, a trip to Mersea Island to speak at the Learning Supper for West Mersea Parish Church at the invitation of Peter Banks.

My talk on commission4mission and exploring approaches to Christian Art can be read by clicking here.

In the course of the evening I also found out about the work of Jevan Watkins Jones as a firstsite associate artist and the work being done in local schools and colleges by Christian Youth Outreach (CYO). Watkins Jones often uses his art to resensitize our relationship with ' found objects ' whether a narrative or a motif, he offers us a different view defined by its subtlety and beauty. Tim Abbott, Director of CYO, will be the next Learning Supper speaker sharing experiences of prayer from their Sanctum project.

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After The Fire - 1980-F.

Favourite music for worship meme

I haven't been tagged for this meme (yet!) but found it via Banksboy as part of an interesting reflection by Kathryn Rose on the CCM praise songs we have trouble with meme, so thought I would try it anyway. Kathryn's questions are:  

1. What is your favourite piece of music for congregational singing? Why?
2. What is your favourite piece of music for performance by a group of specialist musicians within a liturgical context? This might be a worship band or a cathedral choir or just a very snazzy organist or something else entirely, but the point is that it is not congregational singing and it is live music in liturgy.
3. What is your favourite piece of music which makes you think about God to listen to outside of your place of worship? Why? This could be secular music.
4. What is one thing you like about the music at your usual place of worship? Have you told the musicians about this lately?

1. Currently this would John Bell and Graham Maule’s deeply satisfying hymn ‘Will You Come and Follow Me?’ which sets challenging, thought-provoking lyrics to a well known, upbeat, and very singable traditional tune. John Vincent says that the hymn gives us hints of what discipleship can mean by taking its cues from the following of the first disciples and goes on to make the following points about the song's content:

• "Unpredictable journey. ‘Will you go where you don’t know and never be the same?’ Jesus is on a journey. Disciples go with him. Where Jesus goes depends on his sense of mission. When everyone wants him to stay, he says, ‘Let’s go somewhere else.’ It’s unpredictable. So discipleship is uncertain, open-ended.
• Unpredictable company. ‘Will you let my love be shown, will you let my name be known?’ Jesus is a people person; out on the streets. Disciples have to make friends with those he makes friends with – publicans, outcasts, lepers, people outside legal society.
• Alternative community. ‘Will you risk the hostile stare should your life attract or scare?’ Jesus is excluded from Church: his synagogue does not want him. Jesus creates a new Community, unrecognised and ridiculed by most people.
• Pouring out. ‘Will you let the blinded see … will you set the prisoners free?’ Jesus transforms homes into sanctuaries, sows’ ears into satin purses, and victims into partners, as he ‘pours himself’ out to others.
• Political ministry. ‘Will you use the faith you’ve found to reshape the world around?’ Jesus opposes enemies of the common people. Jesus pioneers and practises an alternative society which begins to change everything around it."

2.  'Freedom Samba' by the Late, Late Service from God in the Flesh. The Late, Late Service was an experimental Christian Community based in Glasgow which began in the 1990s using a mix of ambient, electronic and world music styles in their worship. 'Freedom Samba' is an exceptionally joyful dance track; lyrics and music move symbiotically to its samba rhythms while remaining eminently singable by a congregation through its call and response structure.

3. 'Credo' by Arvo Pärt. This is music which takes the listener on an emotional faith journey beginning with a confident fanfare of belief but then descending into the dissonant chaos of doubt before emerging into a more hestitant state of trust which opens out into contemplative silence. This is music to pray along with as you inhabit the emotional states conjured by this composition.

4. I like those occasions, such as Nine Lessons and Carols, when our choir joins with neighbouring choirs to lead our worship. This is because: doing so cements relationships across parish boundaries; a wider and more demanding programme of pieces is made possible; and they rise to the challenge with passages of real beauty. I do compliment them on their selections and performances after such services.

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Arvo Pärt - Credo (2/2).

7 links challenge

Philip Ritchie tagged me with the 7 links challenge:

1. Your first post – Glory Days was a meditation on the song of the same name by Just Jack.

2. A post you enjoyed writing the most – I've most enjoyed doing the Windows on the World series because I've enjoyed taking the photos and having a focus for my photography. Here is the 100th Windows on the World post.

3. A post which had a great discussion – The series of posts which generated the most interesting and continuing discussion was The Bible - Open or Closed? where Philip Ritchie and I had an ongoing discussion about the nature of scripture. The first post in the series is here. The single post that generated the most discussion was my second post about the Holy Spirit in the World Today conference.

4. A post on someone else's blog that you wish you'd written – This is hard as there is so much that is interesting which is being written. Posts that have been influential have included Sam Norton on Peak Oil and Peter Banks on music but the one post that I want to highlight is Some thoughts about the shape of the church to come... by Paul Trathen, simply because I agree with all that he writes in it.

5. A post with a title that you are proud of – The value of pointlessness which highlighted a quote from Armando Iannuci about spirituality.

6. A post that you wish more people had read – My short story A Disappearance, which I rate both as a story and in terms of its conceit; that fast living literally wears out your body. The four posts are here, here, here and here.

7. Your most visited post ever – New Church Art Trail has had the most visits. Encouraging that a recent post has been getting the most attention.

Here's an addition to the list:

8. Your most serendipitous post - Annie & Bernard Walke - I posted about this artist & priest couple at the same point that Paul Trathen was reading Bernard Walke's autobiography and posting about it on facebook.

I tag Tim Goodbody and Paul Trathen.

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Bob Dylan - Saved.

Subversion of scapegoating

I've been tagged by Philip Ritchie for the following meme:

Summarise the Bible in five statements, the first one word long, the second two, the third three, the fourth four and the last five words long. Or possibly you could do this in descending order. Tag five people.

My version is a Girardian attempt:

Murder
of scapegoats
subverted by the
act of God becoming
the ultimate sacrifice for all.

Sam and Banksy have also come up with some great responses to this one. I tag Paul Trathen, Elwin Cockett and Tim Goodbody.

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The Staple Singers - When Will We Be Paid.

Memorable Musical Moments Meme

I was tagged by Banksyboy for this meme:

Think of eight memorable musical moments, not necessarily all time favourites, but those when, for example, you felt compelled to wait in the car when listening to this amazing song on the radio because you just had to know who it was by. Or the piece you heard on the tv in a drama that drove you straight onto iTunes to download... (remember once we spent the princely sum of 6s 8d on a vinyl single?!). Optional details for each song give where, why and Spotify or youtube links ...

1. King Crimson's In The Court Of The Crimson King - heard on late night radio in bed under the covers as a child when I was supposed to be asleep. Had to wait 9 minutes + to find out who it was it by. It seemed to go on forever and I was lost inside it. (View)

2. Instantly loved the sound of Norah Jones' Don't Know Why when I chanced to see the video on one of the music channels - pity the rest of the album wasn't quite up to the same standard. (View)

3. Watching The Jam play In The City on Top of the Pops. 60s cool with 70s relevance. (View)

4. I've watched lots of chick flicks with my daughters and have to report that A Walk To Remember is one of the best; genuinely moving, well acted story with a soundtrack by Switchfoot who I'd never heard before watching the film. Dare You To Move is a classic track which all our family still listen to - one of the few songs that we all respond to. (View)

5. Listened to Randy Stonehill's cover of Strong Hand Of Love on a Greenbelt compilation cassette and had to hear more of Mark Heard's wonderful lyrics and music. Heard is aptly celebrated in Bruce Cockburn's Closer To The Light. (View)

6. Came across Buddy & Julie Miller via their cover of Mark Heard's Orphans of God on the Strong Hand Of Love tribute album. (Listen)

7. Wings of Desire either turned me on Nick Cave's music or reinforced that interest - can't remember which. Also loved the opening poem by Peter Handke and was thrilled to hear the version by Van Morrison on The Philosopher's Stone. (Listen)

8. Heard Larry Norman's Sweet Sweet Song Of Salvation on a Key Records compilation then got Upon This Rock followed by the rest of his early Seventies output. Humour, honesty and intelligence combined with great musicianship and tunes. One of a kind. (View)

I tag Philip Ritchie, Sam Norton and Paul Trathen.

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Noah And The Whale - Love Of An Orchestra.