The Influence Of Christianity On Western Music Development

Christianity has been closely linked to western music since its birth.Through analysis of Christian thoughts in specific music works,this paper explains the impact of Christianity on western music’s creation,development,function and so forth.Most previous researches on western music focus on theoretical analysis,teaching and performance of music but lack of focus and research on Christian culture.Focus and research on Christian culture are necessary for it not only concerns if people have comprehensive and in-depth understanding of musicians and music works,but also helps us understand the important role Christianity plays in western culture.According to standard of music style,many music works can be divided into several different periods.Core contents of music in music works in the same period can be reflected in works of outstanding representatives.Therefore,this paper carries out technical analysis of selected classical works in various periods from the perspective of interdiscipline of religious studies and musicology and obtains representative conclusion.This new research perspective is likely to add a new dimension and seek a new value for understanding of western music and Christianity from the Middle Ages to the period of religious reform.This paper is composed of five chapters.The first chapter is background introduction part,which mainly includes the reason of the selected issue,the current research status both at home and abroad,and the research path.The second chapter is the analysis of impact of Christianity on medieval music by exemplifying two cases in Gregorian hymn and Organum from the necessity of demonstrating music and expressing faith.The third chapter takes motet as the example and explains that western music does not mean the vanishing of Christian impact under the influence of Renaissance ideas.The fourth chapter discusses the impact of the thoughts of the Reformation taken by Protestantism and Catholicism on western music at that time.The final part concludes that the impact of Christianity on development of western music is reflected in its acceleration of western music to pursue the true,the good and the beautiful.