Songs for the Spirits
Songs for the Spirits

Author: Barley Norton

Publisher: University of Illinois Press

Published: 2010-10-01

Total Pages: 283

ISBN-13: 0252092007

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Songs for the Spirits examines the Vietnamese practice of communing with spirits through music and performance. During rituals dedicated to a pantheon of indigenous spirits, musicians perform an elaborate sequence of songs--a "songscape"--for possessed mediums who carry out ritual actions, distribute blessed gifts to disciples, and dance to the music's infectious rhythms. Condemned by French authorities in the colonial period and prohibited by the Vietnamese Communist Party in the late 1950s, mediumship practices have undergone a strong resurgence since the early 1990s, and they are now being drawn upon to promote national identity and cultural heritage through folklorized performances of rituals on the national and international stage. By tracing the historical trajectory of traditional music and religion since the early twentieth century, this groundbreaking study offers an intriguing account of the political transformation and modernization of cultural practices over a period of dramatic and often turbulent transition. An accompanying DVD contains numerous video and music extracts that illustrate the fascinating ways in which music evokes the embodied presence of spirits and their gender and ethnic identities.

Ev'ry Time I Feel the Spirit
Ev'ry Time I Feel the Spirit

Author: Gwendolin Sims Warren

Publisher: Macmillan

Published: 1999-11-15

Total Pages: 388

ISBN-13: 9780805044119

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

For over 200 years in African-American churches throughout the country, gospel and spiritual music have offered solace and been a source of celebration, leaving a mark not only on the Christian world, but on popular music as well. Ev'ry Time I Feel the Spirit contains the lyrics and music of 101 of the most widely known and cherished of these pieces, ranging from heartring spirituals sung during slave times (Steal Away; Swing Low, Sweet Chariot) to songs of unity from the civil rights movement and contemporary times (We Shall Overcome, I'll Fly Away). The book also presents a biography of each composer and the history of the evolution of each song, examining the role it played in enabling African-Americans to develop the strength to carry on in the face of adversity. An important historical document as well as an inspirational gift, the book captures the rich connections between song and experience as no other volume does.

When the Spirit Says Sing!
When the Spirit Says Sing!

Author: Kerran L. Sanger

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 1995-12-01

Total Pages: 247

ISBN-13: 1136601295

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

In the late 1950s and early 1960s, such songs as "We Shall Overcome," "Keep Your Eyes on the Prize," and "Do What the Spirit Says Do" were sung at virtually every mass meeting, demonstration, and planning session of Civil Rights activists. They were sung on the Freedom Rides, during the marches, and in jail cells of the South. Movement activists have commented frequently and eloquently on the ways that singing and songs gave them strength and a sense of self. This study offers a close analysis of the lyrics of the songs most central to the Civil Rights Movement, with an eye to understanding the songs as self-persuasion. In the songs, the activists defined themselves and their world, and reinforced a plan of action for their participation in the Movement. This analysis of the freedom songs is set in the context of Movement history and supported with commentary from activists and background information on Movement activities. In addition, this study offers readers insights into the moving and inspiring power of the freedom songs.

Song of the Spirits
Song of the Spirits

Author: Sarah Lark

Publisher: AmazonCrossing

Published: 2013

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9781477807675

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

"Lark recounts...the sometimes peaceful, sometimes uneasy relationship between the Maori natives and the pakeha--the colonists. And the land, which can be rocky and formidable and also breathtakingly beautiful, is as much a character as anyone else." --Historical Novel Society New Zealand, 1893: William Martyn is better educated and more cultivated than the other men breaking their backs searching for gold near Queenstown. William is the son of landed Irish nobility, and he comes to town ready to invest in the best equipment. On his search for supplies, he encounters spirited and beautiful young Elaine O'Keefe, who promptly falls in love with him. He is captivated by her charms until Kura, Elaine's half-Maori cousin, comes to visit. William succumbs at once to Kura's exotic beauty and free-spiritedness, and tension develops not only between the two cousins but also between the colonial settlers and their Maori neighbors.

The Spirit of Praise
The Spirit of Praise

Author: Monique M. Ingalls

Publisher: Penn State Press

Published: 2015-06-18

Total Pages: 286

ISBN-13: 0271070641

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

In The Spirit of Praise, Monique Ingalls and Amos Yong bring together a multidisciplinary, scholarly exploration of music and worship in global pentecostal-charismatic Christianity at the beginning of the twenty-first century. The Spirit of Praise contends that gaining a full understanding of this influential religious movement requires close listening to its songs and careful attention to its patterns of worship. The essays in this volume place ethnomusicological, theological, historical, and sociological perspectives into dialogue. By engaging with these disciplines and exploring themes of interconnection, interface, and identity within musical and ritual practices, the essays illuminate larger social processes such as globalization, sacralization, and secularization, as well as the role of religion in social and cultural change. Aside from the editors, the contributors are Peter Althouse, Will Boone, Mark Evans, Ryan R. Gladwin, Birgitta J. Johnson, Jean Ngoya Kidula, Miranda Klaver, Andrew Mall, Kimberly Jenkins Marshall, Andrew M. McCoy, Martijn Oosterbaan, Dave Perkins, Wen Reagan, Tanya Riches, Michael Webb, and Michael Wilkinson.

Songs of the Spirit
Songs of the Spirit

Author: Lee Ann Mardel

Publisher: Xulon Press

Published: 2007-05

Total Pages: 117

ISBN-13: 1602660484

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

"Songs of the Spirit" is a compilation of poetry that chronicles the personal experiences and spiritual growth of author, Lee Ann Mardel, over a span of twenty-five years. Originally intended as a private journal, her pieces have evolved into a book, addressing the joys, struggles and concerns common in everyday life. From the author's thoughts on family to her words about her relationship with God, the reader will find each piece steeped in passion and meaning. Through a simplistic and straightforward style of writing, the author takes the reader with her on a spiritual journey. In the end these poems remind us that good can be found in the worst situations if you look for it, God uses everything to the betterment of His divine plan, He is working to have a personal relationship with you even when you aren't... He is ever-present and always faithful. Marriage, motherhood, divorce, the deaths of loved ones, work outside the home and the search for fulfillment are just some of the experiences, which Lee Ann Mardel shares with the common woman. All of her positive and less-than-positive situations and relationships have been invaluable teachers in her understanding of life's true treasures. While marking off the years, Lee Ann spent countless hours seeking to fill the void in her life, struggling to find greater meaning and purpose. Without realizing the direction God was moving her, she discovered that the sum total of her life had given her insight into what she maintains was her missing piece. In fact, that missing piece was an understanding of the meaning of life. She found it in the development of a personal relationship with God and in the understanding of His unwavering love. With that awareness she also found a sense of contentment and release.

God's Creative Gift—Unleashing the Artist in You
God's Creative Gift—Unleashing the Artist in You

Author: Jody Thomae

Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers

Published: 2013-02-27

Total Pages: 198

ISBN-13: 1621895726

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

God's Creative Gift is an in-depth study for the creative Christian. It is intended for both professional and lay artists, for the casual crafter and hobbyist, and for those in both sacred and secular settings. It is for those who see things where others do not and for those whose imaginations cannot be confined by religious dogma and tradition. It is for musicians, singers, painters, sculptors, dancers, dramatists, writers, poets, carvers, weavers, film editors, photographers, filmmakers, architects, designers--anyone who finds inspiration in creativity. Focusing on the creative spirit within, it is designed to help you draw your inspiration from a Deeper Source. It is deeply rooted in Scripture--for the creative Christian must enter into the Word of God on a regular basis in order to know the choreographer of her steps, the crafter of her designs, the author and perfecter of her faith, and the sculptor of her creative heart, soul, mind, and body. And to know Him intimately.

Songs of the Spirit
Songs of the Spirit

Author: Megan Daffern

Publisher: SPCK

Published: 2017-11-16

Total Pages: 157

ISBN-13: 0281077975

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

These arrestingly thoughtful translations and meditations on the Psalms encompass a wide range of emotional responses to God, providing a richly varied resource for Lent and Easter. ‘As John Calvin said, the Psalms are a “mirror of the soul”, and Megan Daffern helps us to look into this mirror in a way that transforms us and leads us into a deeper relationship with God.’ Tremper Longman III, Robert H. Grundy Professor of Biblical Studies, Westmont College, Virginia ‘A fresh and insightful guide for any Christian who seeks to engage with these practical and prayerful reflections on ancient psalmody.’ Susan Gillingham, Professor of the Hebrew Bible, University of Oxford ‘Written by someone who enthuses about Hebrew, but who knows how to write short sentences comprised of ordinary words, and who knows how to relate the Bible to everyday life.’ John Goldingay, Professor of Old Testament, Fuller Theological Seminary, California