Kenya: New Music Displaces Hymns

Kenya: New Music Displaces Hymns

The East African Standard (Nairobi)

21 March 2008
Posted to the web 21 March 2008

Margaret Oganda
Nairobi

Horatio G Spafford, the author of the song It is well with my soul planned a trip to Europe from Chicago with his family.

His wife and four daughters; Anna, 11, Maggie, nine; Bessie, seven; and Tanetta, two, were looking forward to time together that November in 1873.

But suddenly, Spafford had to stay behind in Chicago to attend to urgent business concerns.

Trying not to disappoint his family, Spafford decided to send them ahead aboard the SS Ville du Harve, promising to join them as soon as he was done with the business.

But that was not to be. Tragedy struck mid-way through their voyage across the Atlantic.

An English ship, Loch Earn, struck the ship and it capsized, leaving 226 people, among them Spafford's four daughters, dead.

His wife, one of the few survivors, sent a telegram with the words "Saved alone", which prompted Spafford to follow immediately.

It is said that when his ship passed the place where his daughters had drowned, Spafford, who was a devout Christian, was inspired to compose the hymn.

Profound, painful, joyful and dramatic experiences have been the backdrop against which many hymn writers wrote their music.

John H Newton Jr, who wrote Amazing Grace, had contemplated suicide after being a servant.

His experience of a slave trader, who abused him aboard a ship bound for West Africa in the 1740s, was an inspiration.

While aboard the ship in the Atlantic, it encountered a terrible storm. But after saying a prayer, Newton survived.

This marked his conversion as he later renounced slave trade.

Isaac Watts (1674-1748), who wrote more than 697 hymns including the Easter favourite, When I survey the wondrous Cross, was criticised by some of his contemporaries, who said his hymns were too worldly.

This Easter may not be marked by some of the hymns that many felt best captured the spirit of the season.

Easter hymns such as Christ the Lord is risen today, Lift high the cross, Up from the grave he arose, The old rugged cross and When christ arose, have gradually been edged out of the repertoire of many congregations and replaced with contemporary worship songs and choruses, which some faithful have dismissed as shallow, uninspired and repetitive.

Instead of reflecting the true Easter spirit, some say these praise songs have vibrant catchy tunes, but lack theological content.

Mrs Florence Wanyoike, a school director and a Christian, says: "Choruses are fun, but it is sad that they have phased out hymns, which have deep doctrine and are the basis of our faith. We must try too keep hymns because they teach and help us to reflect."

Pastor Paul Wegulo from Thika Community Church says: "Church music has turned from the 'Rock of Ages' into an age of rock."

Marcy Muhia, a worship leader, says hymns should not be phased out, but integrated with modern worship.

"There is a time and place for choruses, which should be added to the hymns," she says.

One Dr Warurua, a pediatrician, says he has made an effort to incorporate hymn singing into family devotions.

"We have lost a valuable treasure as the hymns disappear," he says.

Hymns are songs written in the style of a lyrical poem, expressing the worshipper's attitude towards God.

They are simple, metrical, literary in style and direct, yet they carry a message that unifies a congregation. Alfred Lord Tennyson, a poet, said: "A good hymn is the most difficult thing to write and must express a religious truth. Choruses are musically and lyrically designed so that they can be repeated."

When at the turn of the century Christianity spread in parts of East Africa, the music favoured by members of the mainstream churches as a means of worship also did.

Converts adopted the trend and hymns, as missionaries discouraged the use of African music.

However, lately, the renaissance of African music has taken centre stage among younger generations seeking to reclaim its place in worship.

Kenya: New Music Displaces Hymns

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Hymnals have been replaced with song lists and often a software-based overhead projection system.

Choirs have been replaced with praise bands, worship bands or worship teams, and soft organ music has become scarce as worship sessions are marked by electric guitars, modern drum sets, electric keyboards and stage effects.

More conservative believers seeking more traditional worship settings are often edged out for being uncomfortable with the rapid change.

Christian Rock, Jazz, gospel afro fusion, hip hop, rap or reggae, lingala and other music forms have been favoured by younger generations unfamiliar with some of the hymns.

But is there a right or wrong way to worship?

In seeking to find a balance, Pastor Gowi Odera from Nairobi Chapel, says hymns were part of a revival in Europe and it is time Africans acquired their hymnology.

"I see the shift away from hymns as a positive thing because Africans are beginning to own their worship experience," he says.

Odera says it was unfortunate that missionaries looked down upon African music, but notes that we have a generation that appreciates its African identity.

Admitting that there is conflict between generations, Odera says the only shortcoming of emerging choruses is that they lack depth.

"However, now we have many genres of music. So long as it is scriptural, let all express themselves as they may this Easter," he says.