Worship Music: A Concise Dictionary

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The history of Western music is intimately tied to the worship of Christians and Jews. It was the Church and synagogue that provided the context for the development of Gregorian chant, the motet, the cantana, and virtually every important theorist, composer, and performer from Ambrose to Zwingli. Worship Music provides concise information on the people, terms, places, and elements of this worship.

Ecumenical in scope and cross-cultural in its perspective, Worship Music focuses on the worship music of English-speaking North Americans. Its over 2,500 entries range across every major denomination within Western Christianity, the Byzantine/Slav tradition, and Judaism.

Over 60 contributors represent the traditions addressed in the dictionary, providing authenticity in representing the tradition and an insider's perspective on contemporary practices. The dictionary is shaped through the lens of "ritual music which focuses on the function of music in worship (or asks the question of the function of music in worship. It includes brief descriptions, histories, and explanations of musical-liturgical terms and personnel. Bibliographies and extensive cross-referencing can be found throughout the volume.

Designed not just for pastoral musicians but all musicians—amateurs, students and professionals—as well as liturgists, Worship Music is an indispensable guide to the musical aspects of worship.

Contributors include:
Allen Barthel

James Brauer

Michael Driscoll

Rosemary Dubowchik

John Foley

Virgil Funk

Victor Gebauer

Fred Graham

Joan Halmo

Robert Hawkins

Lawrence Heiman

Paul Jacobson

Martin Jean

Michael Joncas

Columba Kelly

Martha Kirk

James Kosnik

Robin Leaver
,
Austin Lovelace

Mary McGann

Nathan Mitchell

Fred Moleck

Charles Pottie

Todd Ridder

Anthony Ruff

Carl Schalk

Rebecca Slough

Gordon Truitt

J. Kevin Waters

John Weaver

Paul Westermeyer

Carlton Young
,
Edward Foley, Capuchin, is professor of liturgy and music at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. He is the author of numerous books including Foundations of Christian Music and Music and the Eucharistic Prayer from the American Essays in Liturgy series for which he is the editor.