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Christian music is music that has been written during the last two thousand years 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 across the world. Like other forms of music the creation, performance, significance, and even the definition of Christian music varies according to culture and social context. Christian music is composed and performed for many purposes, ranging from aesthetic pleasure, religious or ceremonial purposes, or as an entertainment product for the marketplace.
[edit] Worship servicesThe most prevalent uses of Christian music are at religious or worship services, most frequently at church buildings on a Sunday morning, but they may also be held on other days and nights of the week or at other venues. Most Christian music involves singing, whether by the whole congregation (assembly) or a specialised subgroup such as a choir, or worship band. [edit] Instrumental accompanimentIn the West, the majority of Christian denominations use instruments of various types to accompany their worship. But some (such as some Exclusive Brethren, the Churches of Christ, the Primitive Baptists and the Free Church of Scotland) have historically not used instruments, citing their absence from the New Testament. During the last century or so several of these groups have revised this stance. The singing of the Eastern Orthodox is also unaccompanied. [edit] Instrumental musicSome worship music may be unsung, simply instrumental. During the Baroque period in Europe, the chorale prelude was widely used, it being a variation on a well-known hymn tune. The most well-known exponent of such writing was Johann Sebastian Bach. More recently, various composers have written instrumental (often organ) music as acts of worship, most notably Olivier Messiaen, and in particular his La Nativité du Seigneur. [edit] Contemporary Christian MusicContemporary Christian Music (CCM) is the marketing, from the late twentieth century to the present day, in Western Christendom of various genres of music, often related to soft rock, for home-listening and concert use. It can be divided into several genres and sub-genres, although the dividing lines and relationships between music genres are often subtle, sometimes open to individual interpretation, and occasionally controversial. These genres (sometimes referred to as 'style') like other forms of music may be distinguished by the techniques, the styles, the context and the themes, or geographical origin. Specific subgenres of CCM may include (but are not limited to): Progressive Southern Gospel, Christian country music, Christian pop, Christian rock, Christian metal (including Christian metalcore), Christian punk, Christian alternative rock and Christian hip hop. [edit] ConcertsLike any musical group or act, many Christian musical artists perform concerts in concert halls, bars & clubs, outdoor venues, or wherever else an secular musician might play. Sometimes it may be for pure entertainment, other times with the intention of witnessing, and other times may be part worship as well. [edit] MediaToday Christian music is available through most available media. Christian music is broadcast over the radio, television or the internet. Christian Albums and video recordings (CD, LP, digital download, DVD, etc.) have been increasingly more popular and have continued to increase in sales. [edit] Music festivals and conferencesIn the USA several Christian music festivals have been organized. They are common in the summertime and draw many different people, specifically those from organized groups such as church youth groups and campus groups. In addition to music festivals like those that are part of the Christian Festival Association, there are also many Christian conferences which focus more on speakers, but usually also have musical performances, especially for a Worship service. The Ichthus Music Festival started in 1970. The Cornerstone Festival and Creation Festival which may draw upwards of 100,000 people. [edit] See also
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