If you've ever studied music, you know that in Western Civ, there is a wealth of music that was composed to Praise the Lord. In fact, until the Renaissance, most music had that purpose, because music with other purposes (i.e., to please the ear NON-religiously) was considered a sin.
In those days, if you were gifted enough to be able to write (poetry or prose), compose music, or render images in any art form, you did your work in the Name of the Lord. When you did, you were broadly supported by the wealthy and powerful members of whatever society you were a member of. The aristocracy took it as their duty to support the arts, and by doing so, they also supported the clergy and the spreading of God's Word.
Not so much anymore. Today's liturgical music is a small niche of popular music. Christian music attempts to cover all the bases, venturing into every genre from rap to rock and roll, and I've even heard of Christian Punk (but I haven't listened to any). Some current Christian music is quite traditional, some is even historical (Gospel music which originated within groups of black slaves, for example).
It all has it's place, and today and tomorrow is the main place for it.
In Portland, we have listener-supported Classical music on FM radio and streamed on the Internet. I awoke to my Eton S360 radio some post-Medieval liturgical music this morning, and I will play it most of the day. It just suits the Holy Holiday, it seems to me.
You can listen with the Rivr Family, right here. I hope you have a decent sound system that you can connect to your computer. I only have that in my office, so I will listen to the FM presentation on my home-theater set-up (formerly known as a "stereo") on FM 89.9 mhz.
At some point during the evening today, I might even turn the TV to Oregon Public Broadcasting, which traditionally plays the Yule Log, an endless video loop of a fire in a huge wood-burning fireplace (one of the three massive central fireplaces in the central lounge of Timberline Lodge).
Liturgical music is a part of me, I used to sing it during my private school's Christmas Pageants (they don't have them now, not PeeCee to celebrate Christmas, even if you are a private school). I've listened to it forever.
Liturgical music represents the Peace on Earth and Goodwill to Men that the birth of Christ is supposed to represent. Listen to some as you prepare for your family's Christmas celebrations.
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