New Hymns

32 posts · 6 participants · started Dec 8, 2016, 3:16 PM

1. MK

   Mark KurtzParticipant
   Dec 8, 2016, 3:16 PM

   Friends, I suggest planet Urantia needs new worshipful hymns. I sent a couple of ideas to a musician, giving full release without obligation to work with them, team with others as may be necessary for words and tunes. Would any of you here be interested in playing with this idea?

   Hundreds, yes maybe more ideas could be gleaned from TUB for creating rhyme or poetic expression of worship and praise of The Father and His Son and the Master Universe adventures, which we are now more aware for possibilities.  Widen your imagination of possibilities here. What could be created that would appeal to a broad range of religious ideals and concepts for relating to God? Praise for God and all Providence is available to all people. What could be created that could be translated easily?

   Providing no rules, this post could be shared as you are led to broaden the challenge to wider ranges. What is in the hearts of people who want to know God better?

   Turn on your imagination key!

    

2. VA

   Van AmadonParticipant
   Dec 8, 2016, 5:00 PM

   Yes!

   44:1.15.While you have assembled some beautiful melodies on Urantia, you have not progressed musically nearly so far as many of your neighboring planets in Satania. If Adam and Eve had only survived, then would you have had music in reality; but the gift of harmony, so large in their natures, has been so diluted by strains of unmusical tendencies that only once in a thousand mortal lives is there any great appreciation of harmonics. But be not discouraged; some day a real musician may appear on Urantia, and whole peoples will be enthralled by the magnificent strains of his melodies. One such human being could forever change the course of a whole nation, even the entire civilized world. It is literally true, “melody has power a whole world to transform.” Forever, music will remain the universal language of men, angels, and spirits. Harmony is the speech of Havona.

3. G

   GeneParticipant
   Dec 8, 2016, 6:51 PM

   some day a real musician may appear on Urantia,

   Ya think the authors missed a performance of the ode to joy

4. B

   BonitaParticipant
   Dec 8, 2016, 10:25 PM

   The Magnificat is the most often sung hymn in all of Christendom.  Why not write a new Magnificat using the original words as presented in TUB?

   122:9.4-27 For this occasion Anna had written a poem which Simeon proceeded to sing, much to the astonishment of Joseph, Mary, and all who were assembled in the temple courts. And this was their hymn of the redemption of the first-born son:

   Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,

   For he has visited us and wrought redemption for his people;

   He has raised up a horn of salvation for all of us

   In the house of his servant David.

   Even as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets –

   Salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us;

   To show mercy to our fathers, and remember his holy covenant –

   The oath which he swore to Abraham our father,

   To grant us that we, being delivered out of the hand of our enemies,

   Should serve him without fear,

   In holiness and righteousness before him all our days.

   Yes, and you, child of promise, shall be called the prophet of the Most High;

   For you shall go before the face of the Lord to establish his kingdom;

   To give knowledge of salvation to his people

   In the remission of their sins.

   Rejoice in the tender mercy of our God because the dayspring from on high has now visited us

   To shine upon those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death;

   To guide our feet into ways of peace.

   And now let your servant depart in peace, O Lord, according to your word,

   For my eyes have seen your salvation,

   Which you have prepared before the face of all peoples;

   A light for even the unveiling of the gentiles

   And the glory of your people Israel.

    

    

    

5. MK

   Mark KurtzParticipant
   Dec 9, 2016, 1:25 AM

   Its a good idea, Bonita.  Could the UB version be considered a corrected version?  Anna obviously wrote what she believed.  Now, we could write and put into harmony what we believe after reading the FER.  I was thinking we need updated worship and praise concepts with expanded imagination and new cosmic visions. The UB offers high new clarity and we are not limited to musical or poetic styles of past centuries.  What could be appealing to people of most nations or religions? Smiles are ultimate international communication; new worship music could be _________________ ….fill in the blank.

    

6. C

   chucksmith1982Participant
   Dec 10, 2016, 5:23 AM

   I have often wondered over the years about the types of music that UB students listen to, especially where religion is concerned. A search using the terms urantia music youtube will yield a few results of people who have written ub related music, but not much the last time I looked.

   So, broadly speaking, what types of music do you listen to? The answer can be not only for religious purposes, recognizing that there are songs within the religious jonras of music with wich we as urantia book students disagree, but secular types as well.

   Well, I did ask the question, so in the interest of fairness I will respond to it.

   For worship I usually listen to Southern Gospel, some Contemporary Christian music, and occationally Bluegrass gospel and Country Gosspel. I also listen to some of the old church hymns.

   For enjoyment I usually listen to those plus Country and Bluegrass.

7. C

   chucksmith1982Participant
   Dec 10, 2016, 7:35 AM

   Accidently posted twice. Hope this erraced it.

    

8. C

   chucksmith1982Participant
   Dec 10, 2016, 7:45 AM

   I just googled Magnificat and I came up with the bible verses referenced. What is the ub version? Here is the kjv version taken from Luke.

   1:46 } And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, {1:47} And
   my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. {1:48} For he hath regarded
   the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all
   generations shall call me blessed. {1:49} For he that is mighty hath
   done to me great things; and holy [is] his name. {1:50} And his mercy
   [is] on them that fear him from generation to generation. {1:51} He
   hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the
   imagination of their hearts. {1:52} He hath put down the mighty from
   [their] seats, and exalted them of low degree. {1:53} He hath filled
   the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.
   {1:54} He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of [his]
   mercy; {1:55} As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed
   for ever.
   KJV

   I couldn’t find Anna’s song as recorded in the gospels, assuming it exists. I did find a reference to simmion though.

    

9. B

   BonitaParticipant
   Dec 10, 2016, 1:38 PM

   chucksmith1982 wrote:

   What is the ub version?

   Actually I have to correct myself, what I posted above (#23469) is the Nunc Dimittis.  The end of Anna’s poem contains almost the exact words of the modern version found in Luke 2: 29-32.   As for the Magnificat, there is no mention of it in TUB that I know of.  Frankly, I think it is oddly similar to Isaiah 49 and was written to fulfill prophecy.  Sorry for the confusion.

   The Nunc Dimittis in Anna’s poem from TUB (122:9.23-27):

   And now let your servant depart in peace, O Lord, according to your word,
   For my eyes have seen your salvation,
   Which you have prepared before the face of all peoples;
   A light for even the unveiling of the gentiles
   And the glory of your people Israel.

   The Nunc Dimittis in King James version Luke 2:29-3:

   Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word:

   For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,

   Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people;

   A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.

    

    

10. B

    BonitaParticipant
    Dec 10, 2016, 4:10 PM

    chucksmith1982 wrote:

    So, broadly speaking, what types of music do you listen to? The answer can be not only for religious purposes, . . .

    My soul responds to Anglican church music and to the composers: Mozart, Bach, Brahms, Handel, Haydn, Schubert and Mendelssohn, to mention a few.  I prefer music I can sing, and being a choral singer, choral music deeply moves me.  I’ve sung nearly all the classic compositions, oratorios and hymns. Recently I fell in love with a more modern piece I had the privilege to sing: Karl Jenkins’ Stabat Mater.  If you’ve never heard it, I highly recommend listening to it.  Everyone I know who has heard it say they bawl their eyes out.  I have to say that it was hard to sing without crying and most of the audience had tissues.  Now that’s soul stimulating stuff in my book!

11. VA

    Van AmadonParticipant
    Dec 10, 2016, 4:53 PM

    Stabat Mater (Sorrowful Mother).

    Very moving. I often wonder what the future of music will be.

12. G

    GeneParticipant
    Dec 10, 2016, 5:05 PM

    My listening experience may be a little different as I prep pianos for performance at a local venue.

    part of the difference is hearing more rehearsal than performance but that’s another story.

    ill relate the most recent: the China Philharmonic came to town and performed Beethoven 1st piano concerto, if it were not for the 12 year old pianist protégé the performance was lackluster, it’s like they just could not express the emotional aspect of Beethoven.

    However, they performed a new piece I never heard before called Enchantments Oublies by Oigang Chen and it was mezmorizing, so completely harmonic that it took me to a different level, maybe even a spiritual level. I had not experienced before. I think it had much to do with harmonics and complete lack of dissonance.

    Beyond that it was interesting to think about eastern artists interpreting western music, likewise I am certain it would be difficult for a Rene Fleming to interpret Chinese opera.

    sorry if I got off track of the intent of the OP

13. G

    GeneParticipant
    Dec 10, 2016, 5:07 PM

    How about Elvis doing gospel!

14. B

    BonitaParticipant
    Dec 10, 2016, 6:43 PM

    Gene wrote: How about Elvis doing gospel!

    Have you heard him sing How Great Thou Art?  He does a chilling job with that song.  It always stirs me, although I can’t stand his vibrato.  Just a personal taste thing . . . too much vibrato is like too much vertigo  . . . ich.

15. G

    GeneParticipant
    Dec 10, 2016, 6:58 PM

    Bonita wrote:

    Gene wrote: How about Elvis doing gospel!

    Have you heard him sing How Great Thou Art? He does a chilling job with that song. It always stirs me, although I can’t stand his vibrato. Just a personal taste thing . . . too much vibrato is like too much vertigo . . . ich.

    oh yeah, many times. I can easily call his my fovourite interpretation.

    if his leg didn’t quiver so much the vibrato would likely decline a bit?

16. MK

    Mark KurtzParticipant
    Dec 14, 2016, 12:22 AM

    Let’s get back to the main idea!  As you read and consider, perhaps worshipfully, could you take a few notes with the aim to creating stanzas for music, maybe something like a hymn? It could be true, perhaps every UB paper could become ancestor to a future “hymn”. Worship is personal and individual, but the experience often is a group sharing event.  What could be contributed to even higher group sharing experiences as a result of the FEF?  Build on or replace much of the past prose and poetics; consider forward vision for Paradiseward motion!

    Let others compose the music if, like me you have no such talent.  Write your most appreciative expressions.  Let future readers sing your best!

    Then, go find someone who is willing to put your project in motion!

    MK

17. B

    BonitaParticipant
    Dec 14, 2016, 12:10 PM

    Personally, I don’t think the words and notes are as important as the performer.  It’s what a person does with the words and notes that makes a difference.  For example, take the birthday song sung uninspiringly by a bunch of wait staff at a restaurant or sung seductively by Marilyn Monroe to a sitting president . . .  same words, same notes but altogether different music.   It is possible to perfectly perform all of the words and all of the notes, but none of the music.  (Which is why I can’t listen to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir anymore.)  A real musician can turn a simple solfège into beautiful music, an arpeggio into true art.  It all comes down to what’s in the soul and how it’s expressed. I don’t think we need new hymns as much as we need gifted musicians who can teach people to let their souls sing.  It’s an inner thing.

18. MK

    Mark KurtzParticipant
    Dec 14, 2016, 12:52 PM

    Yes, sure its all personal and yes we know people are able to interpret with style.  It seems like this has always been true.  Its the creativity put in motion that is suggested here.

19. G

    GeneParticipant
    Dec 14, 2016, 10:14 PM

    What existing style of music (leave out words for now) do you suppose could be used to express worship?

    lets ignore chant or hara chrishnas

    i have same problem, inventing anything musical will never happen on this planet anyway.

20. B

    BonitaParticipant
    Dec 15, 2016, 1:55 PM

    Gene wrote:  What existing style of music (leave out words for now) do you suppose could be used to express worship?

    Doesn’t it depend on how you define worship?  Is music necessary for worship?

     

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