THE STRUGGLE BETWEEN SACRED AND SINFUL FOLK MUSIC

by Tom Faigin

In the last article, we noted that Francis Child and Cecil Sharp did an extensive and creative job of collecting and cataloging the large body of English and American ballads. Not only were they struggling against the new popular songs which were eclipsing the older folk ballads, but they were often battling the prejudices of ministers and preachers who railed against any music that did not have a religious function. If the music was not God’s, it had to be the devil’s. Here’s how this musical war got started.

John Calvin (1509—1564), a French—Swiss Protestant, felt that Catholic religious practices were not sanctioned in the Bible. According to Calvin, there was too much music, emotion, colorful garments and rich furnishings, and he felt this had nothing to do with religious worship. He then got his followers to sing only songs of praise or psalms during church services, Since 150 of these psalms were already printed in the Bible, they were considered suitable. Next, he encouraged linguists to translate these Latin psalms into French, German and English so that ordinary people could participate in their everyday language.

Martin Luther, a German protesting priest, went a step further, encouraging his followers to write new hymns of praise in those languages. Eventually, books of psalms were printed such as the Bay Psalm Book, used by the Pilgrims when they came to this country in 1640. These new religious songs used melodies that came from popular songs, dances, older ballads, Catholic chants and hymns. Musically, a greater variety of melodies were now available.

Once the English followers of John Calvin and Martin Luther separated themselves from the Church of England because they could not change it from within, they attempted to build a better and less corrupt church in New England. Most of their beliefs were very strict and didn’t allow for much compromise. For example, they believed that only certain individuals could receive God’s grace or favor which allowed escape from the fiery furnaces of hell. And who were these lucky individuals? No one knew for certain. However, living a good and religious life, working hard and being materially successful were considered good omens. Hence, the Puritan work ethic developed and spread in the New World. Of course, all this hard work and strict attention to religion left very little room for musical innovation. These Protestants, Puritans or Pilgrims favored long drawn—out sermons, strict obedience to their ministers and a heavy emphasis on loud, un-rhythmic psalms. No harmony, musical instruments or even much rhythm was allowed in Boston or Salem churches. The violin was considered the "devil’s instrument" and anyone caught playing one was in trouble.

These religious dissenters in turn became conservative and persecuted other Christians who disagreed with them. That’s why new sects like the Baptists and Methodists became so popular on the frontier in America. Because the average person was terrified of burning in hell, a new doctrine of individual good deeds gave his beliefs a more humanistic quality. If a Baptist lived a good life and was helpful and charitable to others, he could incur God’s favor.

When the Revolution came against England, a religious and musical revolution followed as well. Composers like William Billings (1746—1800) struggled for freedom of musical expression as well as political freedom. Billings wrote 108 original hymns and revolutionary marching songs like "Chester" which inspired troops marching Into battle.

"Let tyrants shake their Iron rod,

And slavery clank her galling chains;

We’ll fear them not, we trust in God,

New England’s God forever reigns."

There was a spirit of religious tolerance in the air, and with it came new and better hymns, psalms and religious ballads. New melodies were created from folk tunes, ballads, jigs, revolutionary marches and even love songs, all in the service of the lord. Since most of the population was illiterate, the music had to be taught through an oral folk process. Traveling preachers and singing teachers traveled throughout the ever—widening frontier and taught whole new songs by lining them out, a phrase at a time, until everyone knew them by heart. People were also taught new songs through the shape note hymnals. They learned to read a tune by its shape of square, circle or diamond so that after a while each singer could easily pick up a brand new melody and harmony.

As poor people, hungry for land and individual freedom, moved westward, they were able to flee the strict and restricting puritanical forms of Christianity. The majority of settlers who followed Daniel Boone’s Wilderness Rood into Kentucky before the Revolution turned into emotional Baptists and Methodists during the period called the Great Awakening (1800—1825). This was a period of religious fervor and sincere belief in which hundreds of new folk spirituals such as "The Wayfaring Stranger," "Bound for the Promised Land" and "Sinner Man" were created. Many formal hymns and psalms were gradually broken down until they became new spirituals and hymns of praise. The Negro slave had a tremendous role in this new form of musical creation and a blend of vigorous creativity followed.

(Editors Note): Tom Faigin has taught guitar and banjo students in the San Fernando Valley since 1960 and in addition to being on staff of many schools, music organizations, & colleges, he currently is a guitar instructor and lecturer on the History of fo1k Music at Cal. State Los Angeles since 1982.