Music for Higher Purposes...

The glut of woeful sounds that are alleged to be"religious"[or its odious acronymCCM} cause a reflex against what is geuninely beautiful music,that praises Jesus. I am thinking of Woven Hand, of Ruth Naomi Floyd,of Current 93,of Bach[I know its an obvious statement, but I feel St Matthew's passion to be the height of European music}Of Inez andrews, the Luminous Arvo Part. Have you ever heard the songs, all 8 of them ,of Kentucky hill preacher Alfred G . Karnes? the Kingdom isn't far from that music.Or the amazing Olivier Messiaen,the quiet devout Catholic who was his church organist for 50 years,who wrote some of the most sonically dense, luxurious music of the 20th century,replete with birdsong and elements of Hindu ragas?Or Sam Cooke and the Soul Stirrers?How can I keep from singing...my point is music that praises God need not be either tedious or simply bad,nor 300+ years old.Like beautiful architecture or excellent poetry,praising the Lord God can envelop us in Wonder AND Glory. From Ralph Stanley to Bessie Smith, from Duke Ellington to Francis Poulnec,perhaps, as the oft attributed[and never verified} Dostoyevsky quote rings true:"The World will be saved by Beauty." Amen...