Reviewed by Andrew Rolfe

Our favourite Dutch art historian had a vociferous pen and a dedicated daughter. This is volume two of six edited by Marleen Hengelaar-Rookmaaker. Divided into three sections we are treated to Rookmaaker's research and opinions: Philosophy and Aesthetics; Jazz Blues and Spirituals; Music Articles. Part one, Philosophy and Aesthetics. Firstly, some basic principles. God is God, and the Christian one at that; about this Rookmaaker makes no apology. His conclusion: Christian philosophers alone "do not pull reality askew (by making some aspect of reality the absolute reality, eg, a complete focusing on psychology or mathematics and deeming these partial truths the fundamental meaning of life) and so they alone can come to a true insight regarding reality by the light of God's word." Here in a nutshell is the reason for Rookmaaker's broad academic scope: no one branch was his idol, for "...as Christian philosophers we humbly do our task in the scholarly arena, in subjection to him (God)." To a 21st century, open-minded liberal, Rookmaaker will undoubtedly sound absurdly arrogant. His voice is not only from two generations ago; it might as well be two millennia. This is an interesting thought because that's when Jesus was on the scene also saying some quite arrogant-sounding things such as he was one with Yahweh, existed before Abraham and relationship with him meant everlasting life. Over half of part one is an elaboration of Rookmaaker's grounding philosophical principles as determined by 'The Philosophy Of The Cosmonomic Idea'. "Pardon?" I here you cry. That's exactly what I said the first time I heard that grandiose title. It is, and I offer here my layman's opinion, a way of viewing reality (God, the universe, humanity, social relationships, nature) by considering interconnected spheres of laws. I dare not say much more for certainty that I would wreck the whole thing. Who knows, what I've already said may be utterly erroneous. The universe may be unravelling as I write...good, we're still here. Let's continue. In a little over 50 pages Rookmaaker presents a sketch for an Aesthetic Theory based on the Philosophy of the Cosmonomic Idea. First written in 1946-47 for the Calvinist Philosophical Journal, Philosophia Reformata, it goes a long way towards clarifying Rookmaaker's scholarly foundations. He became a Christian in a Second World War German prison camp. There he became acquainted with another officer (Rookmaaker was a naval officer) Captain Mekkes, later to become Professor Mekkes. He introduced the young Rookmaaker to a book by Dooyeweerd. This book allowed the budding philosopher to become a Christian. It highlighted the absence of any obstacle for a born again Christian to be an active and vital philosopher. Part one is Rookmaaker at grass roots and for the fan or student of art history it is worth the effort. It covers the science of art in general and as applied to music, style and world view (What is style? Who influences style? Style and Christian art), the iconic function and art education (Art is difficult, Judging art, Reality is not static, Art philosophy and our view of reality). All in all there's enough philosophy to keep you stroking your chin for a long time. Part two, Jazz, Blues and Spirituals. 155 pages of historical and developmental analysis are divided into seven sections. "Origins". Africa. Where it all started. Where greedy and wicked hearts made themselves fat from the death and enslavement of innumerable innocents. Yet from such an awful root sprang up such an amazing array of music. Rookmaaker charts the course from Africa taking in Deep South America, African American work songs, through children's songs and up North ending with "The origin of the true Negro spiritual." "Nineteenth Century: Development". In lively manner Rookmaaker describes how the 1800s looked from a jazz-blues-spirituals perspective. Here we discover the origin and metamorphoses of Spirituals ("Westernised" and "True") and where Blues comes from. We are also fed morsels of minstrel shows, the first brass band, string bands and ragtime. "Twentieth Century: Pre-World War One". New Orleans. 1900. Not the victim of a disaster, rather the old victims, the enslaved, took it by storm. Rookmaaker describes the music of the city: Black music in New Orleans, Brass bands in New Orleans, Jelly Roll Morton in (you've guessed it) New Orleans and the development of early jazz. "The 1920s". After 1918 New Orleans music moves house to Chicago courtesy of 'King Oliver'. Chicago white jazz and the white scene are discussed along with everything from church music to jug bands. Individuals come under scrutiny: The blues of Bessie Smith, Armstrong's Hot Five and Hot Seven, Jelly Roll Morton's jazz, the later jazz of Oliver and William, Morton's later developments and the entrance and development of Ellington. "The 1930s". The city of interest is Kansas. My old friend Blind Willie Johnson gets a mention, jazz is commercialised and academized and Jelly Roll records for the Library of Congress. "The 1940s". Modern jazz is birthed and New Orleans is born again. Part two finishes in the 1950s with tragedy threatening the development of gospel songs, but ends on a major upbeat: Mahalia Jackson. Miss Jackson grew up in New Orleans in the 1920s and was part of one of the first professional gospel groups. Starting her solo career in 1937 she hit the commercial big time in the late 1940s. Contrary to how Rookmaaker lauds her (see later in this article), her contemporary gospel musicians accused her of selling out and watering down the content of her lyrics to please the mass audience. Nonetheless, Rookmaaker remains convinced that one of her songs in particular "is a truly Christian song, one of the most beautiful products of twentieth century Christian art." Part three, Music Articles. Divided into digestible sections, the reader is fed Rookmaaker's musings on six musical genres. Here are a few article titles from each - African and African American music: African music as it really is, American folk music at its best; Blues: Poetic fiction in the blues, African American music as a source of beauty and historical information; Spirituals and Gospels: Voices of victory, Visiting Mahalia Jackson (he really did meet her and there are photos to prove it); Jazz: Listening to Jazz, Ory's Creole tombstone; Rock: The background to modern music; Classical Music: Old music, Bach and Mozart. I'd like to take just a little more of your time and go over some of Rookmaaker's opinions of "modern music". The following is taken from the rock music interview given in 1972. It contains verbatim quotes, pure Rookmaaker, and certainly makes one ponder what he would say today of the whole Christian music scene. After the Second World War jazz developed and became fiercer. A mood of despair in society provided fertile ground. It increasingly broke musical norms but, "once the listener had grown accustomed to the fierce sounds, it left them with a desire for more fierce stimuli." Rules were further stretched. Free jazz appeared and "it became more and more anarchistic." "Many young people are crossing that threshold from a world with norms to a world without rules, eg, a student of Rookmaaker (to his apparent amazement) had determined that sociologically, shoplifting was not a crime but a lot of the older generation are doing it as well." Rookmaaker declares that the 1970s rock and the earlier rock and roll, which "fit perfectly with the rebelliousness we have been experiencing over the last few years," have their roots in the Age of Enlightenment (17th and 18th Century). "That is when the ideological revolution took place that is continuing to affect our present society." Rookmaaker is scathing of music in the 1970s: "There is the odd good song." He bemoans the fact that it is played at a tremendous volume with lighting effects: the aim is a trip, an immersion, and not a well lit, clear performance for analytic reflection. Rookmaaker says analysis is part of the enjoyment of music, though not only as an intellectual occupation. 'New music' doesn't allow this; it is too loud! He argues that rather than reject modern music (this term may be applied to anything musically new or current) Christians are called to be aware of what is going on in the world (with its despair-filled music) and give the answer. For example, he says we Christians should be the first to voice concerns about such issues as the environment. In 1972 Rookmaaker declared, "The only meaningful Christian music (to emerge in the twentieth century) comes in the form of the gospel songs of Mahalia Jackson et al." Furthermore he believed, "apart from black gospel music there is no contemporary (Christian) music of any value or significance." I wonder what he would make of today's Christian music scene? This is where Rookmaaker's views begin to look decidedly out of date. Ironically, the very year Rookmaaker made such a sweeping generalisation Love Song were recording their classic self-titled Jesus Music album while Larry Norman was releasing 'Only Visiting This Planet'. But whatever the limitations of his thinking when turned to rock 'n' roll, Rookmaaker's views on most other subjects are original, challenging and still resonate with truth. He advocates involvement, standing by God's grace in the world and pointing out, with thought and discretion, the good as well as the bad. His key word is "prophetic", being willing, alongside Isaiah, "to continue to testify to the Lord against the tide of (our) own culture. We will have to start walking together as Christians to make really new things. Renewal is possible if we make a concerted effort to separate the good from the bad. Our own works will have to be checked against Philippians 4 verse 8: 'Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, honourable, just, pure, lovely, and commendable, if there is any excellence, anything worthy of praise, think about these things.'"

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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