History of Instruments

[Ryan&Amber2013]

I'm having a hard time finding info and I'm really interested. In the NT history of worship, when were Instruments used and or introduced? Basically, what centuries used Instruments, how popular were they, etc? I feel like I'm getting different answers from friends and I want to know the facts. Thanks!

 

[TheOldCourse]

I'm having a hard time finding info and I'm really interested. In the NT history of worship, when were Instruments used and or introduced? Basically, what centuries used Instruments, how popular were they, etc? I feel like I'm getting different answers from friends and I want to know the facts. Thanks!

The first recorded example of instruments in worship is the introduction of an organ into a Roman church by Pope Vitalianus in 670. The next example was in 812 when Charlemagne had a copy of a court organ made for a cathedral. They remained extremely uncommon for centuries. Aquinas said in the 13th century: "The Church does not use musical instruments such as the harp or lyre when praising God, in case she should seem to fall back into Judaism. ... For musical instruments usually move the soul more to pleasure than create inner moral goodness. But in the Old Testament, they used instruments of this kind, both because the people were more coarse and carnal, so that they needed to be aroused by such instruments and with worldly promises, and also because these bodily instruments were symbolic of something." It wasn't until the 14th and 15th centuries that the organ gained more widespread prominence, so at the time of the Reformation instruments were still, relatively speaking, novelties in the church.

John Giradeau covers some of the history in his Instrumental Music in the Public Worship of the Church (https://rpcottawa.org/uploads/artic...e_Public_Worship_of_the_Church--Girardeau.pdf). John Price also discusses it in Old Light on New Worship.

 

[Ryan&Amber2013]

The first recorded example of instruments in worship is the introduction of an organ into a Roman church by Pope Vitalianus in 670. The next example was in 812 when Charlemagne had a copy of a court organ made for a cathedral. They remained extremely uncommon for centuries. Aquinas said in the 13th century: "The Church does not use musical instruments such as the harp or lyre when praising God, in case she should seem to fall back into Judaism. ... For musical instruments usually move the soul more to pleasure than create inner moral goodness. But in the Old Testament, they used instruments of this kind, both because the people were more coarse and carnal, so that they needed to be aroused by such instruments and with worldly promises, and also because these bodily instruments were symbolic of something." It wasn't until the 14th and 15th centuries that the organ gained more widespread prominence, so at the time of the Reformation instruments were still, relatively speaking, novelties in the church.

John Giradeau covers some of the history in his Instrumental Music in the Public Worship of the Church (https://rpcottawa.org/uploads/artic...e_Public_Worship_of_the_Church--Girardeau.pdf). John Price also discusses it in Old Light on New Worship.

Thank you so much for the detailed response. So does this sound right:
Up until 670 A.D., no instruments
From 670-1200s A.D., they were extremely rare but there were a few organs here and there.
In the 1300s-1400s A.D., they were becoming more popular, but still aren't the norm among the churches.

So then what happened from the time of the reformation? Did the Romans continue to use them but nobody else did? When did Protestants first use them, and how popular were they? Thanks!

 

[TheOldCourse]

Thank you so much for the detailed response. So does this sound right:
Up until 670 A.D., no instruments
From 670-1200s A.D., they were extremely rare but there were a few organs here and there.
In the 1300s-1400s A.D., they were becoming more popular, but still aren't the norm among the churches.

So then what happened from the time of the reformation? Did the Romans continue to use them but nobody else did? When did Protestants first use them, and how popular were they? Thanks!

Most of this is from John Price's book which I heartily recommend since you're interested:

-Organs rapidly proliferated during the 15th century and by the 1500s "an organ was found in nearly every important church." In the 16th century there was continued introduction of other instruments and instrumentation became a distinguishing hallmark of the Roman liturgy.
-Many of the proto-Reformers like Wycliffe and Hus decried the use of instruments and encouraged unaccompanied congregational singing. Even Papists who wished for reform within the Roman church like Erasmus complained of the use of instruments
-Luther thought that the reform of worship was of secondary importance and allowed instrumentation. This was not unanimous among the Lutherans as both Melancthon and Carlstadt opposed the use of instruments. Nevertheless, the Lutheran church maintained their use for the most part.
-The Reformed almost universally opposed them. Not just Calvin, but Zwingli (despite being an accomplished musician himself), Bullinger, Beza, Knox, and Pareus too. Even men like Menno Simons (founder of the Mennonites) and prelatists like Robert Horne and John Marbeck opposed the organ and other instruments. In the Church of England, instruments were abolished in the second prayer book (1563)
-The Puritans were uniformly against it. The Westminster standards don't directly address the issue since the Solemn League and Covenant of Scotland and acts of Parliament in England had already abolished them by law.
-This continues into the 17th century. Even Isaac Watts wrote against the use of instruments. The only dissenting voice appears to be of Richard Baxter who thought them indifferent. On this, as in other important matters, he is a poor guide for Reformed theology and practice, however.
-The uniformity begins to breakdown in the early 18th century. There was still widespread opposition but in some churches smaller orchestral instruments begin to be imported from the schoolhouse to the church. The first organ installed in a church of Puritan heritage was in 1770 in First Congregational Church in Providence, Rhode Island. While present in the Anglican churches too, many continued to voice opposition there as well.
-Scottish Presbyterianism finally succumbs in the late 19th century, seemingly under the influence of revivalists like Dwight Moody. Still, many prominent ministers and theologians continued opposing them on both sides of the Pacific such as Spurgeon, John L. Dagg, Dabney, Thornwell, Giradeau, etc.
- In the 20th century revivalism and the piano (and eventually the guitar) won out, as we all can see.

That is the story, briefly, in churches of English and Scottish descent. Price doesn't cover the German and Dutch churches, but their theologians of the orthodox eras were universally opposed to instruments as well following the decisions of their early church synods. Examples would include Wilhelmus a Brackel, Gisbertus Voetius, Abraham Van de Velde, Henrik de C ock, etc. Instruments were introduced there at the earliest in the 18th century.

 

[Edward]

Some interesting items, consistent with Mr. Hansen's post, turn up in a quick Google search:

First Presbyterian, New York City:
"As early as 1855, the Session at First Church wanted to install a pipe organ to attract younger worshipers, but Elder James Lenox, who controlled the church’s finances, opposed “the sinister influences of such innovations.” After Lenox’s death, however, the way was opened, and in 1887 the first pipe organ was installed."
http://www.fpcnyc.org/music/organs.html

First Presbyterian, Chattanooga:
"The church’s first organ was also the first organ in Chattanooga. It was built and installed in 1878 by a ruling elder of the church, John Fernquist."
http://www.agochattanooga.org/regional-organs-database/chattanooga/first-presbyterian-church/

 

[Ryan&Amber2013]

Most of this is from John Price's book which I heartily recommend since you're interested:

-Organs rapidly proliferated during the 15th century and by the 1500s "an organ was found in nearly every important church." In the 16th century there was continued introduction of other instruments and instrumentation became a distinguishing hallmark of the Roman liturgy.
-Many of the proto-Reformers like Wycliffe and Hus decried the use of instruments and encouraged unaccompanied congregational singing. Even Papists who wished for reform within the Roman church like Erasmus complained of the use of instruments
-Luther thought that the reform of worship was of secondary importance and allowed instrumentation. This was not unanimous among the Lutherans as both Melancthon and Carlstadt opposed the use of instruments. Nevertheless, the Lutheran church maintained their use for the most part.
-The Reformed almost universally opposed them. Not just Calvin, but Zwingli (despite being an accomplished musician himself), Bullinger, Beza, Knox, and Pareus too. Even men like Menno Simons (founder of the Mennonites) and prelatists like Robert Horne and John Marbeck opposed the organ and other instruments. In the Church of England, instruments were abolished in the second prayer book (1563)
-The Puritans were uniformly against it. The Westminster standards don't directly address the issue since the Solemn League and Covenant of Scotland and acts of Parliament in England had already abolished them by law.
-This continues into the 17th century. Even Isaac Watts wrote against the use of instruments. The only dissenting voice appears to be of Richard Baxter who thought them indifferent. On this, as in other important matters, he is a poor guide for Reformed theology and practice, however.
-The uniformity begins to breakdown in the early 18th century. There was still widespread opposition but in some churches smaller orchestral instruments begin to be imported from the schoolhouse to the church. The first organ installed in a church of Puritan heritage was in 1770 in First Congregational Church in Providence, Rhode Island. While present in the Anglican churches too, many continued to voice opposition there as well.
-Scottish Presbyterianism finally succumbs in the late 19th century, seemingly under the influence of revivalists like Dwight Moody. Still, many prominent ministers and theologians continued opposing them on both sides of the Pacific such as Spurgeon, John L. Dagg, Dabney, Thornwell, Giradeau, etc.
- In the 20th century revivalism and the piano (and eventually the guitar) won out, as we all can see.

That is the story, briefly, in churches of English and Scottish descent. Price doesn't cover the German and Dutch churches, but their theologians of the orthodox eras were universally opposed to instruments as well following the decisions of their early church synods. Examples would include Wilhelmus a Brackel, Gisbertus Voetius, Abraham Van de Velde, Henrik de C ock, etc. Instruments were introduced there at the earliest in the 18th century.

Wow, you have been extremely helpful. Hopefully others interested in this subject will be able to find this thread. Thank you for your time. This is one of the reasons why I love the Puritan Board.

 

[yeutter]

It is not just Presbyterian that resisted the use of organs and other instrumental accompaniment.
When did organs cease to be rare in Baptist meeting houses?
When was the pipe organ installed in Metropolitan Tabernacle?
Organs were introduced in most Anglican cathedrals in the early 1700s. Well into the late 1700s more then one Anglican expressed themselves as opposing Organs and other musical accompaniment in parish churches. Some Anglicans said that organs were a Methodist and Lutheran innovation.

 

[TheOldCourse]

It is not just Presbyterian that resisted the use of organs and other instrumental accompaniment.
When did organs cease to be rare in Baptist meeting houses?
When was the pipe organ installed in Metropolitan Tabernacle?
Organs were introduced in most Anglican cathedrals in the early 1700s. Well into the late 1700s more then one Anglican expressed themselves as opposing Organs and other musical accompaniment in parish churches. Some Anglicans said that organs were a Methodist and Lutheran innovation.

Yes, Baptists in some areas held out even longer than the Presbyterians. I noted a few voices among the Anglicans against instruments--when I first read of the history I was surprised at the extent of the testimony against instruments in the Church of England.

 

[yeutter]

In Nepal organs and other keyboard instruments are not common in the parishes we visited. Some kind of percussion instrument is almost a universal.

 

[VictorBravo]

Organs were introduced in most Anglican cathedrals in the early 1700s.

Probably earlier than that. I used to be an organ aficionado who visited historic organs in England and Europe. I saw and got to play the John Loosemore organ in Exeter Cathedral. It was built in 1665 and had replaced an earlier organ.

Edited to add: The above was from memory. After looking up John Loosemore I ran across records indicating he was building organs in the 1630s, and that it seemed a common practice in the Anglican parishes at that time.

http://www.loosemore.co.uk/Chapter6/CHAPTER6text.htm

 

[Edward]

I'm having a hard time finding info and I'm really interested. In the NT history of worship, when were Instruments used and or introduced?

I finally got around to checking Wikipedia (if it's on the internet, it has to be true, doesn't it?)

They credit the first western church organ to Charlemagne's chapel in Aachen in 812.

 

[bookslover]

I think instruments were used during New Testament times just as they were in Old Testament times. The reason they are rarely mentioned in the New Testament is that they were not the burden of the New Testament message - the gospel was. The New Testament does not ban musical instruments from worship either expressly or by implication. Also, I think that, as the gospel spread widely into both Greek and Roman Mediterranean-area cultures (and beyond), they probably incorporated whatever instruments they used into their worship services (just a guess). It's a natural thing to assume.

In his commentary on Psalm 149, Calvin writes: "The musical instruments he mentions [in verse 3] were peculiar to this infancy of the Church, nor should we foolishly imitate a practice which was intended only for God's ancient people." He offers no theological or biblical proof for this statement. He just asserts this. I don't know where Calvin (or Aquinas) got this idea.

I'm glad that Bach, Haydn, Mozart, et al didn't have this same idea.

 

[Jake]

I think instruments were used during New Testament times just as they were in Old Testament times. The reason they are rarely mentioned in the New Testament is that they were not the burden of the New Testament message - the gospel was. The New Testament does not ban musical instruments from worship either expressly or by implication.

On what basis do you (or others) think that instruments were used in New Testament times?

Also, is the Reformed perspective looking for a ban on a practice to not incorporate it in worship?

 

[Parakaleo]

The New Testament does not ban musical instruments from worship either expressly or by implication. Also, I think that, as the gospel spread widely into both Greek and Roman Mediterranean-area cultures (and beyond), they probably incorporated whatever instruments they used into their worship services (just a guess). It's a natural thing to assume.

Dear brother, the New Testament absolutely bans musical instruments from worship, simply by failing to command them as part of New Covenant worship.

The Scriptural Law of Worship (also called the RPW) is basic to God's Word and, really, it is basic to our very existence. It is only natural that the Creator would set the manner by which the creature would render honor and worship, and not the creature!

I would say that, all on its own, the lack of reference to musical instruments in the New Testament is a death-blow to the argument for their use in our worship. Could you could bind my or anyone else's conscience to use musical instruments in worship using the New Testament? It's laughable. If you can't bind my conscience to do it (because it isn't commanded), what business do you have offering God worship with instruments yourself?

And it would need to be proven from the New Testament. In the Old Covenant, we have a shadowy and ceremonious worship instituted by God. Christ fulfills it and now leads us in worship that is in spirit and truth. No shadows. In fact, it would be blasphemous to return to the shadows in our worship, because Christ has come. How are we to know what is weak and beggarly and what is spirit and truth? Can we be trusted to arbitrate on our own? Of course not! For what percentage of the history of Israel was God's worship completely corrupted? It's way up there. Do we think we are so much wiser? Of course not. We must become fools in order to become wise. Nothing can be imported out of desire or preference. We must have it by command if we are to dare offer it to God in worship.

With Love in Christ,
Blake

 

[bookslover]

On what basis do you (or others) think that instruments were used in New Testament times?

There is no indication in the New Testament that they weren't used. There is no prohibition of them.

 

[yeutter]

There is no indication in the New Testament that they weren't used. There is no prohibition of them.

If they were used in the New Testament era, I would expect the practice to continue. Since their is no mention of instrument use by the Ante Nicean Fathers I assume their was no such use in Apostolic times.

 

[bookslover]

Dear brother, the New Testament absolutely bans musical instruments from worship, simply by failing to command them as part of New Covenant worship.

This is an argument from silence. Such arguments are always weak.

Blake, I'm not trying to bind your conscience, or anyone else's. I'm just pointing out, as I said, that the New Testament is not interested in banning musical instruments from worship. It neither says so explicitly nor implies such.

 

[Parakaleo]

There is no indication in the New Testament that they weren't used. There is no prohibition of them.

Dear brother, this is a woeful misunderstanding of the RPW and, frankly, the very character of God. You imply he has given a certain amount of freedom to us in an area where he has not. The RPW is easily deduced from Scripture, but what passages may be appealed to in order to prove a lessening of God's requirement that worship be as he has commanded?

 

[bookslover]

If they were used in the New Testament era, I would expect the practice to continue. Since their is no mention of instrument use by the Ante Nicean Fathers I assume their was no such use in Apostolic times.

Well, that's possible, I suppose, but not probable. It's also probable that they're not mentioned because their use was taken for granted and not considered remarkable. Besides, as with the New Testament, the Ante-Nicean Fathers had more important things on their minds, such as promoting sound doctrine and protecting it against heretics.

 

[Parakaleo]

Blake, I'm not trying to bind your conscience, or anyone else's. I'm just pointing out, as I said, that the New Testament is not interested in banning musical instruments from worship. It neither says so explicitly nor implies such.

See my comment (#18). Right understanding of the RPW would tell you that if you cannot bind my conscience to use musical instruments in worship, you have no freedom to use them yourself. Because they aren't commanded.

 

[bookslover]

Dear brother, this is a woeful misunderstanding of the RPW and, frankly, the very character of God. You imply he has given a certain amount of freedom to us in an area where he has not. The RPW is easily deduced from Scripture, but what passages may be appealed to in order to prove a lessening of God's requirement that worship be as he has commanded?

Well, turn it around. Why are you assuming that instruments are banned? Is it possible that they're not mentioned in the New Testament because their continued use is assumed there? As the gospel spread throughout the Mediterranean area, there are no warnings given by any New Testament writer against their use among these new converts. Paul had a lot of complaints against the Corinthian churches, but the use of musical instruments (if they used them) is not among them. It's possible that these Christians did not use them. But it's just as possible that they did.

 

[Parakaleo]

Apologies for getting afield of the OP on church history. I feel strongly that historical theology can never be the source of doctrine. Especially when it comes to worship.

 

[bookslover]

See my comment (#18). Right understanding of the RPW would tell you that if you cannot bind my conscience to use musical instruments in worship, you have no freedom to use them yourself. Because they aren't commanded.

Well, I'm not trying to force you to use them. I'm just saying that there's no New Testament reason why you can't.

 

[yeutter]

Well, that's possible, I suppose, but not probable. It's also probable that they're not mentioned because their use was taken for granted and not considered remarkable. Besides, as with the New Testament, the Ante-Nicean Fathers had more important things on their minds, such as promoting sound doctrine and protecting it against heretics.

The earliest records of Church music was Chanting the Psalter. If instruments were used in the Apostolic and Ante Nicean era, why and when did the use of instruments disappear?

 

[bookslover]

The earliest records of Church music was Chanting the Psalter. If instruments were used in the Apostolic and Ante Nicean era, why a

Chanting/singing the Psalms is fine (though chanting might be too much of a challenge for us modern folks). In fact, I think we should do more of it. And we should use instruments for it, too.

What's the rest of your second sentence?

 

[Parakaleo]

Well, turn it around. Why are you assuming that instruments are banned? Is it possible that they're not mentioned in the New Testament because their continued use is assumed there? As the gospel spread throughout the Mediterranean area, there are no warnings given by any New Testament writer against their use among these new converts. Paul had a lot of complaints against the Corinthian churches, but the use of musical instruments (if they used them) is not among them. It's possible that these Christians did not use them. But it's just as possible that they did.

It's really not possible that they did.

The worship we see from the apostles is not modeled after the temple, but upon worship in the synagogue. As corrupt as the Jews were at various times, during the intertestamental period when the synagogue rose to prominence, the Jews had enough understanding not to mimic bloody temple worship outside the temple. The synagogue worship was without animal sacrifice and musical instruments. It included prayers, singing of a cappella psalms, the reading of Scripture, and exposition of the Word. (Seem familiar?) The synagogue was self-consciously detached from the worship of the temple. At minimum, they had the sense to know that erecting mini-temples (high places) as their fathers had done was blasphemous.

When Christ came, part of his ministry was to fulfill temple worship and put an end to it. This is why the destruction of the temple was such a big deal, and a major part of Christ's prophetic ministry. However, God had ordained the synagogue to be the precursor of the church. Musical instruments in worship may seem quite innocuous to us at this time, but that's because we've not understood their connection to ritual sacrifice, which would have been very obvious to the Jewish Christians who formed the early church.

After the temple was destroyed in 70 A.D., even the unbelieving Jews ceased using musical instruments, because they recognized their connection with the animal sacrifices.

 

[Romans922]

You need to start with God's command for musical instruments in public worship. Where do you find the command first? It's only found in the command for the priests to do so in temple (ceremonial) worship. Knowing this is fulfilled and doesn't continue in Christ. Musical instruments do not continue (this is what Calvin meant) because they were part of the ceremonial law from David to Christ. New Testament worship which follows more closely the synagogue worship it would be wise to look at it. Synagogue worship had no use for musical instruments during the time of the Scriptures, and quite frankly not UNTIL Jews implemented their use in the 1950's. So then if one is to use musical instruments in public worship today there needs to be something very clear (positively) to do so in Scripture. No one can find such a positive command therefore we may not use instruments in public worship.

 

[Parakaleo]

It isn't fun because we are all beholden to many idols, but in order to conform to the RPW (which is eminently biblical), we must do the painful work of stripping away every notion we may have for what we think improves God's worship and diligently search out that which has been given as a commandment. Musical instruments just can't pass that test.

 

[jomawh]

As someone who has been trying to suggest experimentation with A cappella Psalm-signing in my church this is all very useful, thank you.

 

[bookslover]

The worship we see from the apostles is not modeled after the temple, but upon worship in the synagogue. . .during the intertestamental period when the synagogue rose to prominence. . .

So, you're basing your argument on the synagogue, an organizational structure not commanded - or even mentioned - in the Old Testament. That's. . .ironic.

God had ordained the synagogue to be the precursor of the church.

Oh? Where? Scripture, please.