Date
12-19-2023
Department
School of Music
Degree
Master of Arts in Music and Worship (MA)
Chair
John Hugo
Keywords
Choir and Church Cantatas
Disciplines
Music
Recommended Citation
Han, Youn Song, "Musical Style in Selected Easter Cantatas by John W. Peterson" (2023). Masters Theses. 1095.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/masters/1095
Abstract
John W. Peterson is one of the most celebrated American Christian songwriters between 1950s and 1970. He is the best-known for church cantatas such as Christimas, Easter, General, and Choral collections. Peterson's life, music style, and success will be addressed. Next, four Easter cantatas of his cantatas will be analyzed and compared: No Greater Love, The Glory of Easter, Hallelujah for the Cross, and It Took a Miracle. Specifically, there are introduction, his biographical information, historical and musical background in 1950s and 1960s, introduction of four Easter cantatas, analysis of four Easter cantatas, that is, music styles of four Easter cantatas, and conclusion. Choirs and church cantatas play a significant role in evangelizing unbelievers and edifying Christians. However, choirs and church cantatas are disappearing more and more today. Therefore, analyzing music styles of Peterson's four Easter cantatas will not only be helpful for preaching the gosple to non-believers and improving Christians spiritually, but also importantly influencing future Christian musicians and worship leaders, church music, and church ministry.
