Compound, I was a piano player at the KH at 10 years old, self taught. Later in life I learned to sing 4 part harmony. I can remember after dinner with guests playing the piano and singing alto with the group. Music was a family thing, we all had abilities as did people at the KH. As time went by, fewer read music or played an instrument. The only time people sang was at the meetings, no practice or for pleasure (any music or songs).
I wonder how many songs were deemed to have false religious origins, composed by now out jws, and the egos of so-called musicians in the organization.I have heard many jws that I knew were musical, complain about the changes and how hard it is to sing the songs.
I never understood why taped music was deemed better rather than a live accompanist that could adjust the music to the abilities of the singers. One overly righteous family had a daughter getting married and tried over and over to walk down the aisle to the tapes...could not adjust it so they asked me to play the piano that was left unused in the corner of the KH. I played my arrangements of the KH songs before and after the event and many people thanked me.
Look at the Kusserow family in Germany
*** w85 9/1 p. 11 My Family’s Love for God Despite Prison and Death ***
Dad also included time for recreation, which included music, painting, and a number of other things, all supervised by Mother, a professional teacher. We had five violins, a piano, a reed organ, two accordions, a guitar, and several flutes. Yes, not only did our parents supervise our school homework but they also made music and singing a part of our educational program.
