Musical Musings

Meditations on Sacred Song

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Historical Timeline of Sacred Music: Function and Style

1. Second Temple Judaism (c. 500 BC – AD 70)

Function: Covenant prayer within sacrificial worship
Musical Style:

  • Chant-like psalmody
  • Strong drone tones and modal recitation
  • Call-and-response between Levites and assembly
  • Instrumental doubling (harps, lyres, trumpets)

Temple psalmody was rhythmic and repetitive, designed for liturgical participation rather than musical performance.

  1. 1 Chronicles 15–16 – organization of Levite musicians.
  2. 2 Chronicles 5:12–13 – antiphonal singing with trumpets and cymbals.
  3. Josephus, Antiquities 7.12.3 – Temple music with lyres and harps.
  4. Mishnah, Tamid 7:4 – psalm singing associated with daily sacrifices.
  5. Eric Werner, The Sacred Bridge (1959), pp. 65–110.
  6. James McKinnon, “Christian Church Music,” Grove Music Online.
  7. John Arthur Smith, Music in Ancient Judaism and Early Christianity (2011).
  8. Why We Sing: Music, Word, and Liturgy in Early Christianity, The Silence of All Authors”: Understandings of New Testament Music in Early-Modern Music Theory and Philology

2. Early Church (1st–5th Century)

Function: Sung prayer of the gathered church
Musical Style:

  • Minimally Accompanied chant
  • Modal melodies derived from synagogue tradition
  • Drone-supported recitation
  • Repetitive structures aiding communal participation

Early Christian singing was closer to prayerful chant than composed music.
As an example look at how the Oxyrhynchus Hymn(oldest notated Christian Hymn) would have been performed. Instrument played sung melody and drone:

  1. Pliny the Younger, Letter to Trajan (c.112 AD) – Christians sing “a hymn to Christ as to a god.”
  2. Ephesians 5:19 / Colossians 3:16 – psalms, hymns, spiritual songs.
  3. Tertullian, Apology 39 – congregational hymn singing.
  4. Oxyrhynchus Hymn (P.Oxy. 1786) – oldest Christian musical notation (3rd century).
  5. James McKinnon, Music in Early Christian Literature (1987).
  6. Paul F. Bradshaw, Early Christian Worship (1996).
  7. Andrew McGowan, Ancient Christian Worship (2014).
  8. Why We Sing: Music, Word, and Liturgy in Early Christianity, especially Liturgical Influences on the Text of the New Testament and Passing the Audition: Mode and Harmony in Ignatius of Antioch’s Chorus (Eph. 4.2; Rom. 2.2)

3. Patristic Chant Traditions (5th–7th Century)

Function: Structured liturgical prayer
Musical Style:

  • Development of formal chant systems
  • Byzantine, Syriac, and early Roman modes
  • Melodic formulas for liturgical texts
  • Increasing musical elaboration: Chants that would span more than a single Octave and accompaniment that would have some harmony. Typically a perfect fourth or fifth.

This period formalized the modal systems still used in many chant traditions.
If we updated the Oxyrhynchus Hymn to this period it would look like this:

  1. St. Basil, Homily on Psalm 1 – theological defense of psalm singing.
  2. St. John Chrysostom, Homilies on Psalms – congregational chant practice.
  3. St. Augustine, Confessions 9.7 – emotional power of chant in Milan.
  4. Egon Wellesz, A History of Byzantine Music and Hymnography.
  5. Oliver Strunk, Source Readings in Music History.
  6. John Jeffery, Translating Tradition: A Chant Historian Reads Liturgiam Authenticam.

    4. Medieval Liturgical Music (800–1500)

    Function: Choir-led liturgical offering
    Musical Style:

    • Gregorian chant standardization
    • Development of polyphony
    • Multiple independent vocal lines
    • Complex cathedral acoustics shaping sound

    Music becomes structurally complex and increasingly performed by trained choirs, often excluding the congregation.

    1. James McKinnon, The Advent Project (2000).
    2. David Hiley, Western Plainchant: A Handbook (1993).
    3. Richard Crocker & David Hiley, The New Oxford History of Music: The Early Middle Ages.
    4. Christopher Page, The Christian West and Its Singers.
    5. Carolingian chant standardization (Gregorian chant)
    6. Notre Dame polyphony (Perotin, Leonin)
    7. multi-voice organum.

    5. Reformation Era (16th Century)

    Function: Restoration of congregational prayer
    Musical Style:

    • Simple metrical melodies
    • Vernacular hymn tunes
    • Strong rhythmic structures
    • Easily memorized congregational singing

    Musical complexity decreases intentionally to restore participation.

    1. Martin Luther, Preface to the Wittenberg Hymnal (1524).
    2. John Calvin, Preface to the Genevan Psalter (1543).
    3. Robin Leaver, Luther’s Liturgical Music.
    4. Hughes Oliphant Old, Worship: Reformed According to Scripture.
    5. Paul Westermeyer, Te Deum: The Church and Music.

    6. Hymn Movement (18th–19th Century)

    Function: Devotional expression of faith
    Musical Style:

    • Structured hymn forms
    • Four-part harmony
    • Organ accompaniment
    • Rich melodic development

    Music becomes more emotionally expressive and harmonically rich.

    1. Isaac Watts, Hymns and Spiritual Songs (1707).
    2. Charles Wesley, Hymns for the Use of the People Called Methodists (1779).
    3. Erik Routley, The Music of Christian Hymns.
    4. Paul Westermeyer, Let the People Sing.

    7. Revivalist / Gospel Music (19th–early 20th Century)

    Function: Evangelistic persuasion and emotional response
    Musical Style:

    • Catchy melodies
    • Verse/chorus structures
    • Strong rhythmic drive
    • Early popular music influence

    Songs designed for quick memorization and emotional impact.

    1. Ira Sankey, Sacred Songs and Solos (1873).
    2. D. L. Moody revival campaigns.
    3. Robert Darden, People Get Ready: A New History of Black Gospel Music.
    4. Edith Blumhofer, Her Heart Can See (Fanny Crosby biography).

    8. High Church Liturgical Music (late 19th–mid 20th Century)

    Function: Structured musical program within liturgy
    Musical Style:

    • Choir and organ dominated
    • Hymns chosen by clergy/music directors
    • Classical harmony and choral arrangements
    • Congregational participation significantly reduced

    Music often becomes presentational rather than participatory.

    1. Percy Dearmer, The Parson’s Handbook.
    2. Dom Gregory Murray, Gregorian Chant According to the Manuscripts.
    3. James Litton, The Anglican Choral Tradition.

    9. Early Contemporary Worship (late 1960s–2000)

    Function: Return to simple congregational singing
    Musical Style:

    • Folk and soft rock influence
    • Acoustic guitar driven
    • Minimal production
    • Repetitive sing-along choruses

    Musical complexity intentionally reduced to encourage group singing.

    1. Donald Hustad, Jubilate II: Church Music in Worship and Renewal.
    2. Lester Ruth & Lim Swee Hong, A History of Contemporary Praise and Worship.
    3. Robert Webber, Worship Old and New.
    4. Lemley, David, Becoming What We Sing: Formation through Contemporary Worship Music

    10. Modern Worship Production Era (2000–Present)

    Function: Creation of immersive worship experience
    Musical Style:

    • Stadium rock and ambient textures
    • Large bands and vocal teams
    • Heavy studio production
    • Dynamic builds and atmospheric soundscapes

    Music becomes experiential and cinematic, designed to shape emotional and spiritual states, and mimic spiritual experience.

    1. Lester Ruth & Lim Swee Hong, Lovin’ on Jesus: A Concise History of Contemporary Worship.
    2. Monique Ingalls, Singing the Congregation.
    3. Tanya Riches, The Hillsong Movement Examined.
    4. Lemley, David, Becoming What We Sing: Formation through Contemporary Worship Music

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