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Spontaneous

but not

Back to the Beginning - Tiffany Jones
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A common concept with Pentecostal church music is 'spontaneous worship' that is when the band begin with a song, or sometimes simply just a chord progression, and sing and play at their own discretion often, under the guidance of their Music Director. This is done to allow the congregation and the band to listen to what God is saying and take the music "where the spirit leads" (Driver, 2013, p.41). Lyrically spontaneous worship can look like all the vocalists singing whatever they wish with little rhyme or reason, or can result in a new lyric being created and repeated for the congregation to join in on as well as the simple but heavy use of repetition of bridges and musical tags. This completely free worship aspect of performance, and building upon the chords from the previous song, often take parts of the lyrics or the concept from said song, or possibly a message point from a sermon if the free worship was performed live during a church service, but it is not uncommon, especially in designated 'encounter' services to have new material created. In my recital there will be moments on spontaneity in individual songs, spontaneous worship in the form of unplanned repetition as well as one entire piece built on a simplified musical score with nothing but chord progressions and lyrical ideas. Spontaneous worship is not just a performance, but a form of live composition unique to the modern church setting as it relies on both musical and spiritual unity within the team and a need to know the music well enough that it can be rewritten in that moment. Personally, the Church I am a part of, has performed well known songs, and in a bout of spontaneity, an amazing tag or an alteration to the lyrics has occurred that has stuck with out church because the lyrics are simply more relevant and tailor made for our congregation, and in the greater scheme of music I believe this to be a completely unique concept. Despite being spontaneous, there can sometimes be restrictions that the Worship team has to adhere to both practically and for the spiritual importance of worship. Those restrictions include the practicality of time restrictions, theological relevance both to the word of God(the bible) and the message of the church. With repetitive spontaneous worship that encourages congregation involvement, the singers need to consider how easy the lyrics are for the congregation to sing in both being consistent and easy to remember while still evoking a deep emotional response(Reformed Church in America, n.d.). 

One band I admire that I believe do spontaneous worship perfectly are Upperroom, and I hope to capture a part of their charm. They take well known songs, lyrics and concepts, sometimes multiple in a set, and allow things to flow freely often beginning with a structured song and reducing that to a semi-predetermined percussive and chordal structure with lyrics and that support the ebb and flow of the emotional atmosphere of the room. One thing I find particularly fascinating about their music is how the can expand on such a simple concept and keep the engagement of the audience, although I do believe there is a very large distinction between keeping an audience engaged and entertained and helping a congregation to focus on God spiritually. One great example of a piece that at first glance seems very simple is Yeshua, a 25 minute piece whose lyrical content for 2/3 of the song is simply the word 'yeshua' sung to the same repeated melody, coming in later with the line "it never gets old, it never gets boring. I never grow tired of bringing you glory." It may seem little but as you watch the video clip of this song being performed live it is clear these 2 simple lyrics repeated have a profound effect on the congregation and their emotional response to the lyrics being sung and the atmosphere being created.

References 

Driver, Caleb. (2013, July). Worship leading and the systems model of creativity. Stimulus: The New Zealand Journal of Christian Thought and Practice, Vol. 20, No. 2: 38-45. Retrieved from <https://search.informit.com.au/documentSummary;dn=494763841833860;res=IELNZC> ISSN: 2230-5963.

Reformed Church in America (n.d). The Theology and Place of Music in Worship. Retrieved from https://www.rca.org/resources/theology-and-place-music-worship

Upperroom youtube page. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCrxpO3RnaL-RbPbmB3TQCw

Upperroom (2019, October 28.) Yeshua (Spontaneous) - UPPERROOM. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFPWpdjJHnI

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