Worship and Theology 敬拜與神學

Joshua Law

Professor Joshua Law teaches voice, choir and East Asian music at CCSF since 1972. As a boy, Joshua was fond of singing. He found interest in music in his preteen years when he started to learn to play the piano from his cousin Julia, sang in a church choir, learned music theory from his choir director Jenny K. Wong. Joshua began his music life as a violin player at his high school orchestra. He played trumpet as a teenager and started cello lessons in college because the small college orchestra needed one cellist. He was given free voice lessons in exchange for correcting music theory papers for a voice teacher. At his senior year at college, majoring in Social Work, he won first place in a city wide singing contest that landed him an European tour immediately after his graduation. Joshua was accepted into the graduate music program at Cal State L. A. from which he got his master's degree in music studying voice with Esther Andreas and William Vennard. He is specialized in voice pedagogy and was selected as a vocal workshop singer by Richard Miller. In addition to playing the above mentioned musical instruments, Joshua plays the baritone horn, the trombone, the saxophone and a number of other instruments. Joshua performed, in numerous occasions, leading roles in operas and oratorios, directed oratorio productions and Broadway shows, sang solo concerts, produced many concerts and many music for radio and TV programs and served in numerous singing contests as chief judge. Being known as an excellent vocalist and choir director, Joshua was invited by local and international churches for advice and workshops. To equip himself for such frequent invitations, he had pursued theological education which gave him two more post graduate degrees in theology and pastoral ministry. He maintains a piano tuning and rebuilding workshop at his house and in frequent occasions is invited to give sermons in churches, lectures on the principles and practices of church music all over this country, in Asia, South America and Canada.
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中國語言與音樂的密切關係

中國語言與音樂的密切關係 羅天樂著

《詩》曰:「言之不足,歌之,歌之不足,手舞之,足蹈之」。《毛詩序》裏有這樣一段話:「詩者,志之所之也,在心為志(羅註:經思考的志願),發言為詩,情動於中,而形於言(羅註:中國人的言語充滿音樂的內涵,音樂是表達言辭裡的感情媒介),言之不足,故嗟歎之,嗟歎之不足,故詠歌之,詠歌之不足,不知手之舞之,足之蹈之也。」當我們的語言不能表達思想裡的感情時,會唱歌;當高歌還不足以表達自己思想情感時,會手舞足蹈。人由「情動」至「足蹈」行為體驗着言辭感情的至情至性。可見舞蹈是人們言歌不足時表達生命本質的一種最基本最直接的本能,是人們最能够自由而酣暢淋漓地表達内心「情動」的形式。它是自由的藝術,是舞蹈者内心情感的自覺或自由的表達,是心靈情感的外化。

雖然如此,中國人對詩詞與音樂的一致性非常重視。汪士鐸《汪梅村先生集》卷五《記聲詞》之二:「詩自為詩,詞也;聲自為聲,歌之調也,非詩也,調之淫哀,雖莊雅無益也。」「莊雅」的歌詞若配上「淫哀」的調子,是沒有益處的。

結論:中國的音樂出於語言,詩詞,所以從詩經到唐詩宋詞,中國詩詞,甚至文章都是唱頌出來的,充滿旋律節奏。我們寫作時常用平仄和平上去入等音樂原則來衡量語法的通順程度,然後用朗誦吟唱方式去決定所寫的文字是否有聲調節拍的美感。良好的教會音樂必須注重歌詞內容,歌詞最好用受眾的(音樂)母語寫成,用歌詞的音樂內容旋律節拍來譜曲,不能先譜曲然後填詞,否則音樂的感情變成重要,而歌詞的意義減少了。《禮記•樂記》中說:「詩言其志,歌詠其聲,舞動其容,三者本于心,然後樂器從之。 」如聖經所說,用靈與悟性歌唱敬拜:「這卻怎麼樣呢.我要用靈禱告、也要用悟性禱告.我要用靈歌唱、也要用悟性歌唱。」(林前十四15)這裏說明歌曲裏的靈與悟性必須一致。「當用詩章、頌詞、靈歌、彼此對說、口唱心和的讚美主。」(弗五19)這裏說明詩章、頌詞必需領先然後以編曲美化之。「但在教會中、寧可用悟性說五句教導人的話、強如說萬句方言。」(林前十四19)這裏說明悟性說話比萬句方言更重要。純音樂或伴奏音樂是非悟性的美化語言,是內心感情的外化,沒有歌詞,甚至與歌詞一致的音樂,因為「聽者有耳」,言外之音可一可二,不能肯定,聽了之後,先入為主,不能擅改。中國人「情動於中,而形於言」再加上中國言語詩詞已配備了調子節奏的內容,因此朗誦詩詞就如唱歌,比譜用半西不中的調子來唱好得多。例如廣洲話的歌曲一定要用廣洲話的音韻來譜曲,否則唱出來會啼笑皆非,「愛主」會唱成「愛豬」。宣教的語言及交流媒介或教會的音樂實在應給人有能作文化認同的感受。

人的愛與上帝的愛有什麼區別?

我的問題: 人的愛與上帝的愛有什麼區別? 基督教對上帝的情歌應該不同於世俗的情歌。

老友 Dan Evans 回應: 是的。 許多基督教歌曲都將上帝貶低為一個低調的人物,大聲喊叫以引起關注和喜愛,就好像祂是男朋友一樣。 與上帝調情與以”以色列的讚美為寶座” (Ps22:3)的上帝不同。

我的評論:(此評論不是惡性批判,乃是建設性交流,維護真理。) 序: 市上超過90%歌曲的主題是集中於年青人的男女愛情上,因為這是有市場價值(若基督教有市場價值,全世界都信耶穌了!聖經說要走窄路!)。

古典音樂,尤其是自浪漫時期開始也亦然,著重感觀,純魂的享受,因為純音樂是魂的產品,(參考拙註:http://seeclearly-jlaw.blogspot.com/2010/07/ 註14)。以我民俗音樂,聲樂,合唱及神學背景來說,基督徒音樂應從真理(歌詞),靈意為出發點,然後用音樂配合。(孔子說:「興於詩,立於禮,成於樂」)基督徒音樂不可只管為愛情,或音響享受。因為純音樂(沒有歌詞)是純魂(感情)的享受。沒有一定的屬靈真理意義。基督徒的歌詞必須有正確及平衡的真理內容,因為音樂可繞樑三日,(錢鍾書先生-《管錐編》毛詩正義4關雎(三) :「詩之“言”可“矯”而樂之“聲”難“矯”」。文詞可改編,但聲(音樂的效果)很難改變。因此我們常會忘掉歌詞,音調卻可「繞樑三日」。)歌詞內容鮮有此能力,若歌詞內容缺乏平衡的真理內容,聽眾,歌者的真理信仰行為內容就缺乏平衡。歌曲有詩的體裁,有時候誇張,幻想,示意,但基督徒應避免誤導聽眾而把真理歪曲。

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Lascia ch’io pianga

“Lascia ch’io pianga”: “Let Me, in Weeping” sung by Joshua Law with Judy Lee on the piano

The melody was first found in act 3 of Handel’s 1705 opera Almira, as a sarabande. (sarabande: a slow, stately Spanish dance in triple time. a piece of music written for the saraband.)

Lyrics:

Lascia ch’io piangamia cruda sorte,

e che sospiri la libertà.

Il duolo infrangaqueste ritorte,

de’ miei martirisol per pietà.

Literal translation:

Let me weep over my cruel fate,

and let me sigh for liberty.

May sorrow shatter these chains,

for my torments just out of pity.

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