one:eight
Steve Joh's Integration Project for NT2, Winter 2009
Musical Composition: “one:eight”
Full Version (an instrumental version is in the next post below)
The book of Acts opens with Jesus leaving the disciples with a three tiered instruction to “be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” The rest of the book has a general structure which follows Jesus’ three fold instruction to expand the witness of Christ to the world. This instrumental piece is composed, performed, and arranged to aurally evoke the movement of the gospel in Acts through Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. Musically, the piece journeys through an acoustic / Americana sound, a rock/post-rock sound, and finally an expansive electronica-type sound at the end to represent this journey and suggest the three-tiered outward movement of the gospel in Acts. Elements of the song are both unchanging and dramatically changing through the piece, which represent the consistency of the gospel (witness of Jesus) in Acts and also the dramatic barrier breaking journey the gospel message takes in Acts from a very Jewish community in Jerusalem, to a "half-Jewish" world in Samria/Judea, and finally to the Gentile communities of the 1st century churches throughout the Mediterranean.
In addition to the musical elements, this piece will also employ audio from various speeches and events from the civil rights movement in the United States of America as a metaphor to mark the movement of the gospel in Acts, which is also marked by several speeches. Elements from the American civil rights narrative: speeches followed by assassinations (Martin Luther King, Robert F Kennedy), examples of success and possibility (Jackie Robinson, Barack Obama), and the understanding of more work to be done (Barack Obama's inauguration speech) are used throughout to represent some of the important markers of the Acts narrative: speeches with revolutionary ideas followed by martyrdom (Stephen), Gentiles as examples of the possibility and divine involvement of the movement (Cornelius), and ends with an unresolved mission of hope (Acts 28:28);
The Gospel / Mission to the Disciples: The piece begins and ends with a banjo riff which continues non-stop throughout the whole piece. This riff / musical idea is representative of the consistent and constant movement of the gospel through the power of the Holy Spirit throughout Acts. It never stops, and though the rest of the song has three very different representations /re-interpretations of this idea, the banjo keeps plucking away.
Jerusalem: The first section begins with the banjo riff alone, then is joined by various acoustic instruments (banjos, guitars, slide guitar, accordion, acoustic bass, glockenspiel, mandolin, drums). The section is all acoustic with a few exceptions and is intended to have an older, more traditional feel. This is to represent the Jewish origins of the Christian movement. The piece is layered, with many instruments adding various musical elements and textures to the piece. This is to represent the growth of the movement, with many others joining. There is also dissonant electric guitar feedback / noises in the background. While they are distracting, discordant, and off beat, they do not stop the movement of the piece, however they represent the opposition this expanding movement of the gospel from conservative Jewish Christians and the Roman authorities. Though this opposition is present, the movement continues builds through it. Also present in the beginning of this section are some overlays of various voices speaking in many different foreign languages, representing the confusion and beauty of Pentecost. It also foreshadows a movement beyond the Jewish world in the book and in the piece. Though there is disorder from the voices and the electronic noises, the music still makes sense and moves forward.
There is a transitional section where drums kick in, the major chord structure changes in a way which is compatible with the main banjo “gospel” riff (which never changes). Electric guitars start to invade, representing the in-breaking movement beyond Jerusalem to the next section. Here, there are various overlays of Martin Luther King Jr and Robert Kennedy making historic speeches, and then various audio from news reports of their assassinations. By using these audio clips, the piece uses various motifs of the civil rights movement in America as a metaphor for the gospel movement in the 1st century church. This is to represent Stephen’s speech and stoning, which was a key event both theologically and historically in the gospel moving beyond Jerusalem. Because of the persecution which came with Stephen’s speech and death, the Christians moved outward from Jerusalem. In a similar way, the ideas and assassinations of these various civil rights leaders also helped expand their ideas and mission to break and expand civil rights in America by making them martyrs. The music builds and the tension increases to a climax, then releases, and the barrier is broken into the second section.
Judea and Samaria: The next section begins with the banjo “gospel” riff, and some of the elements from the Jerusalem section still continue (the 2nd banjo riff, glockenspiel) for a few measures. Then, a new element begins- the various electric guitars begin to join in and layer on top of one another (this was done by recording several tracks of guitars, and also using a looping machine to loop over tracks). The message builds as people join in. The section generally has a “rock” or “post-rock” feel to it as electric guitars (clean and distorted), drums, basses join in with a new drum beat. The banjo “gospel” riff continues, but is slightly reinterpreted for this new movement of the gospel. Much like Judea and Samaria are half-related to Jerusalem, but not the same, the rock feel of the music is related to the acoustic section, but is very different and distinct. Normally, bluegrass / Americana instruments like a banjo do not go well with rock, but in this case they are interposed and fit well. The civil rights movement metaphor is continued in this section with the addition of some audio various media pieces about Jackie Robinson (a game broadcast, a documentary, and the trailer to an old film about Jackie Robinson). Jackie Robinson was an important symbol and example in the civil rights movement for breaking barriers into mainstream American culture by becoming the first (and a very successful) African-American Major League Baseball player. Though it was only one piece of the movement, Jackie Robinson’s achievement as a baseball player and icon aided in the movement by providing a popular example of an African American successfully and righteously succeeding in the white American world. The suggestion of Jackie Robinson into the piece is representative of the way Peter’s interactions with Cornelius (a Gentile who is proven to be good and accepted by God’s divine intervention) help the early Christians to see God’s will and desire for the gospel to move beyond Jerusalem, and even beyond Samaria (which is half-Jew) to the Gentile world. Again, the music enters a transition, builds to a climax (more and more guitars join in) until the tension release and a new barrier is broken to the next section.
The Ends of the Earth: The last section immediately begins with a completely different feel. The transition is intentionally abrupt. This is to represent the very big difference between the gospel working among Gentiles vs. Jews (or even half Jews). The instrumentation is completely electronic in this section, except for the banjo “gospel” riff which continues throughout and some of the electric guitar riffs which carry over from the 2nd section. Electronic arrangement using FruityLoops is used to create this section. The sound is very modern, clean, spacious, hopeful, and grandiose. This section is mostly representative of Paul’s ministry to the Gentiles in Acts, where Paul reinterprets the gospel to his Gentile audiences (Acts 17:16-34 for example). However, just as Paul's reinterpretation never changes the essence of gospel message, the banjo riff is still there and unchanged. The beat shifts several times in this section to demonstrate the way the gospel in Acts is retold and interpreted in various ways to reach various people. The combination of a banjo into electronic music is also representative and evocative of how the challenge the Acts church experienced of having a spiritual community of Jews and Gentiles together. Jews and Gentiles are not people one would expect would be united, yet they are one church. This creates problems for the first century church, but nonetheless is where the gospel takes them. In the same way, the banjo riff does work with the electronic music, even as the pairing of a bluegrass instrument like a banjo with electronica music is not expected and unusual.
The civil rights metaphor is continued in this section with the addition of some audio from several Barack Obama speeches. Portions are taken from from a speech in Berlin during the election campaign, in Chicago on election night, and in Washington D.C. during the inauguration ceremony. In these speeches, one of the major themes is that if someone like him can be elected, more is possible. While the election of an African American as president of the United States is a major step and victory for the civil rights movement in the U.S., the point is implied that there is also much more to be done. In particular, Obama's inauguration speech calls for American history to move "past childish things." While a major milestone has been met, the challenge to continue is made clear. This element is evocative of how, while the gospel has experienced major successes and milestones in its breaking through to the Gentile world with churches throughout the Mediterranean, far more is needed to take the witness of Jesus the "ends of the earth" as Jesus commanded.
The song towards the ends builds to a triumphant beat, celebrating how far the gospel has come. The beat changes to a driving, forceful downbeat towards the end to imply the same sort of confidence and resolve that Paul has in his ministry in the last chapter of Acts, and also to imply the continuing forward momentum of the gospel movement.
The story of Acts ends relatively unresolved. Acts ends with Paul in Rome, boldly preaching the kingdom of God teaching others about Jesus Christ. The song ends with a similar unresolved feel, with the original banjo riff ending in an awkward spot in the riff, to leave the listener in a similarly hopeful yet unresolved place, as the gospel continues to move outwards to the ends of the earth.
Credits:
Composition and Arrangement: Steve Joh
All instruments performed: Steve Joh
Engineering: Ryan Kingsmith and Kevin Marks
Fruity Loops Electronic Production/Composition: Nate Lewis
Instruments Used:
Banjos, Mandolins, Accordions, Acoustic Bass, Slide Guitar, Glockenspiel, Electric Guitars, Electric Bass, Drums, FruityLoops Sequencer.
Recorded at the Red Rock Recording Co., Mountain View, CA
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