Post 5 | Partridge - Popular music, affective space and meaning

The Interrelationship - Music, Religion and Pop Culture

Music plays an important part in many people's lives. In modern society music is manifested in all different kinds of places including: in shops; restaurants; lifts; hotels; clubs; films; television programs; and so on. It is obvious that music has ultimately become a part of society. In saying this, it is also important to point out how music communicates to each individual - to some emotionally and spiritually and to others it is just entertainment.

Partridge (2012) in his article, 'Popular music, affective space and meaning' argues the importance of further research in the interrelation between religion, music, and pop culture. In particular Partridge looks at Theodor Adorno, a popular critic of modernity, who highlights the relationship of music in contemporary society and the issues involved in this. Adorno's work has a primary focus which is that "music, determined by its composition, manipulates consciousness and contributes to social management" (Cited in Partridge, p.184). However this claim may be disputable among many people.

Partridge (2012, p.192) argues that music is a prime contributor to identity formation, self-understanding and meaning-making. In saying this, it ultimately has become of strong importance not only for the everyday person but especially through religious and spiritual individuals. In religious and spiritual worship, many services use music as a form of prayer or meditation for the adherents to reflect. It seems evermore popular however, for new religious movements (NRM's) to have upbeat catchy music. This is evident when I discussed this with Phillip Mutzelburg a Pastor at a fairly recent established Church called the Catalyst Church.

The Catalyst Church has been structured to be very modernized and more appealing to the younger generation. This is evident by the live bands, projector screens, audiovisual, creative art as well as a kidz blitz section where young people are being more attracted to than the traditional structures of other churches. As Phillip Mutzelburg responded when we were discussing this he said, "We built the auditorium for that express reason. It's not expressly just to attract the younger people but mainly it is very modernized to connect with today's culture. Probably the easiest way to explain it is that we don't believe the message ever changes, but the methods of presenting the message do."

Tim Hughes - Here I am to Worship

Gregorian: Ave Maria

 

 Hillsong- From the inside out

References:

Partridge, C. (2012). Popular Music, Affective Space and Meaning. In G. Lynch, J. Mitchell & A. Strhan (Eds.), Religion, Media and Culture: A Reader (pp. 182-193). London and New York: Routledge. 

Youtube Videos:

Enedlhach Youtube User. (2007, August 23). Hillsong United From the Inside Out [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbGgA2lIDjc

iCrazyNoob Youtube User. (2010, June 21). Tim Hughes Here I Am to Worship [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZC0daQuIII

MoviesforGood Youtube User. (2010, December 27). Gregorian: Ave Maria [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBF7HoY51us 

Image Source:
Image Credit: http://pixabay.com/en/sound-old-abstract-sheet-music-69948/