For many centuries, the church has been one of the main sources and means of spreading new music around the world. Sacred and secular music have always influenced each other a great deal, and many forms of music, such as gospels and spirituals, originally made their way into houses of prayer from the secular world, and in the 20th century, so has pop music.
The first rock & pop superstars like Elvis Presley and The Beatles caused an uproar among devout Christians with their swinging hips, banging heads, screaming fans, and all the other ‘obscenities’ that came with them. John Lennon of the Beatles even dreamed of a better world without religion in Imagine, and he offended the Vatican with his statement that the Beatles were “more popular than Jesus”. After several failed attempts to condemn pop music, the church had no choice but to come to terms with it, and to begin to integrate this new form of music.
It was partly through the work of Elvis Presley, a very devout man, that the two musical forces began to reconcile, when he published his spiritual songs and gospel albums (a compilation of which can be found in the issue Songs of Inspiration). In recent years, pop music has inspired the youth movements within the church, and many pop stars have also expressed their faith with songs inspired by religion.
The secular song Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen is one of the most popular songs in modern pop music, and in the church today, and due to its many religious allusions, it is often played at weddings, funerals and many other religious ceremonies and celebrations.
Klaus Heizmann established “Christian Pop Music” in Germany. This new religious music, which is so close to pop music, is categorised as Modern Sacred Song, and all around the English speaking world, pop singers like Sir Cliff Richard and Josh Groban sang songs of a similar style, and inspired people both in arenas, and in the church alike.
Music score (piano accompaniment)
Item no.: 606491
In pop en klassiek
for: Violin
Music score, CD
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In Pop En Klassiek
for: 1–2 melodic instruments (B-flat)
Music score, Playback-CD
Item no.: 460044
In pop en klassiek
for: 2 melodic instruments (C)
Music score, Playback-CD
Item no.: 455560
Das etwas andere Weihnachtsbuch für Klavier
for: Piano
Music lesson book, playback-CD
Item no.: 1017113
In pop en klassiek
for: Alto saxophone (E-flat)
Music score, CD
Item no.: 455561
for: Choral
Item no.: 1372580
for: Piano/Vocal/Chords
Item no.: 1529622
for: Choral
Item no.: 1377574
for: Choral
Item no.: 1377573
for: Choral
Item no.: 1377572
for: Piano/Vocal/Chords
Item no.: 1358757
for: Easy Piano
Item no.: 1358758
for: Easy Piano
Item no.: 1358759
for: Piano/Vocal/Chords
Item no.: 1525585
for: Concert band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1661917
for: String orchestra
Score, Parts
Item no.: 1661919