Everything you need to know about sacred music

Ana María Aray Mariño April 21, 2019

297 2 minutes read

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There is also space for music on our Easter special. What better than knowing the basics of sacred music. Let's start!

Leer en español: Todo lo que debes saber sobre la música sacra

Definition

Sacred music is one of the first musical styles that existed, and its primary purpose is to offer it to God in different religions such as Jewish, Hindu, Arabic or Eastern. In the West, the term is often used for Christian music, ancient and contemporary, as the Diocesan Chorus of Chihuahua blog affirms it. Its connotation is of prime use in Christianity, precisely during religious celebrations is a fundamental element that composes them because they sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs intoned to God. According to the website primerahora.com, today this style of music has undergone an evolution but its purpose persists, and this is, as we said before, bringing the hearts of believers to God.

Read also: The 3 sculptures of sacred art that you should know

Musical evolution

The portal primerahora.com, consulted Dr. Julissa Ossorio Bermúdez, professor of Popular Music, of the Interamerican University and ask her about how this musical style was structured. Ossorio affirmed that Latin was the language of the church and that is why the Gregorian chants were carried out in this language, but that at first, they were melodies, the first thing that was done was to include only vocal music, without instruments. There were no jumps in the notes, or dissonances because they wanted to achieve an atmosphere with this music to prepare the believers to pray.

Sacred Music, Religious Music, Liturgical Music

These three terms can be confused and pass almost as if they were one; that is why we will explain their differences here.

The Sacred Music: This, as affirmed by the blog musicaliturgia.wordpress.com, is the one that is created for the celebration of the cult and its main qualities are of holiness and kindness. It must be real art and universal as well when someone who passes from one nation to another will not have a negative impression. According to this same portal you can find Gregorian chants, music for organs and all those instruments that are authorized in the liturgy.

Religious Music: This has the characteristic that is not qualified for divine worship, is of a nature to call it somehow, freer. This is a piece of music that by the intention of the composer, by the theme and purpose of the composition feeds those pious and religious feelings of the believer, as published by the blog musicaliturgia.wordpress.com.

Liturgical Music: This is characterized by interpreting the original meaning of the rite, makes it understandable, allows and leads to the believer is involved and participate, as stated by the blog musicaliturgia.wordpress.com