A Study of Compositions of Christian Music in Taiwan and Mainland China– The Cases of Heavenly Melody Choir and Lu Xiaomin

• Main Authors: Jia-yu Tang, 湯佳瑜
• Other Authors: Chen-main Wang
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2013
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/61796016590165851028

碩士 === 國立中央大學 === 歷史研究所在職專班 === 101 === Hymn-singing plays a very important role in the Christian faith. In addition to the music which was brought by the early missionaries, religious songs that have been composed by local Christians are spread and sung by the people of both sides of Taiwan Strait. Because of different political circumstances in terms of religious freedom, it will be interesting to explore its impact on the musical composition of Christianity. The purpose of this study is to differentiate Christian songs which are sung by Heavenly Melody Choir in Taiwan and Lu Xiaoming in Mainland China. The choir which is affiliated with ORTV (Overseas Radio & Television Inc.) was the first full-time music ministry group in Taiwan. Ever since its establishment, the group has not only persisted on vocal performance but also produced gospel songs. The apostolic work has stretched out of the island. As to Mainland China, the songs of Ms. Lu Xiaoming will be the focus of the research. Ms. Lu , who was brought up at countryside ,did not have much schooling. Ever since her first song that came out in the end of 1990, she has composed nearly fifteen hundred songs. Those songs have been widely spread in the church community. The genre of the descant sung by Heavenly Melody choir is very diverse. The source of lyrics is not only from the Bible but the reflection of bible studies, compassion of life, or thoughts of the social phenomena. Generally speaking, their songs have become less religious. What is more, there are promotional activities held by ORTV, which integrate its internal resources and become easier to reach out non-Christians. On the contrary, the genre of "Canaanite Poems" sung by Ms. Lu gives priority to Chinese folk song style. The songs are easy to sing by Chinese communities. The persecution on home churches in China made her works filled with a strong sense of apostolic mission. The music attracts the sympathetic responses from Chinese Christians who are under the same condition. In spite of differences between them, both have made great contributions to the spread of the Gospel in Chinese churches.