Today we’d like to introduce you to Humphrey Dobson.
Humphrey, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I was born in the UK and, thanks to a kind elderly neighbor, had piano lessons from a young age. Apart from that, I mostly experienced music through church. My family belonged to an evangelical congregation in the Church of England where a lot of Christian contemporary music was sung. But when I joined my high school’s chamber choir, I learned to sing more formal music in great cathedrals around England and Wales. It was a natural next step to major in music at university. In the years since then I have served as a church musician (outside my day job)—first in the UK, and now in the USA since emigrating in 2017.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Our world is awash with music. In this age of limitless recordings, it is easy to face choice paralysis. How do you choose what music to listen to for enjoyment, for relaxation, or for use in church worship services? Although I completed my time at university with a degree and as a trained musician, I had not been taught any objective standards of beauty for music. How should we assess what is good-quality, average, or poor-quality music? Neither had I found anyone to help me understand a Christian worldview for music. How should churchgoers who want to be faithful to the Bible, God’s written Word, decide what music is acceptable inside or outside church worship?
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I have spent my career in the Christian non-profit world on both sides of the Atlantic. But outside work I have continued to sing and play piano, especially as a church musician. A few years ago, I realized that some long-forgotten ideas provide a coherent basis for understanding beauty in music. Christians also know that mankind is made body and soul in the image of God. The human soul is invisible, but profoundly important, and music’s impact is primarily on the soul.
So that is the genesis of my new book, “Music to the Glory of God” published by Shepherd Press. I explore how objective principles such as proportion and harmony can explain beauty in music, as they also do for architecture. I examine how music can shape man’s soul for good or ill. The book also provides an introduction to classical music to guide the general reader to find masterpieces that have stood the test of time. I encourage everyone, especially children, to listen to or learn to perform good music.
Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
There is no guarantee that anyone will want to publish your book, however much toil and sweat goes into it. There is always the risk that years of work could never see the light of day. As a new author, you face a potentially lengthy process of finding a publisher. Even if your book is published, you don’t know if people will like it!
But the whole process teaches perseverance. I would encourage anyone who has found something important to say, which has been lost or forgotten, to put their words into a book. It is a great and authentic way of doing long-term good. Remember, the secret of great writing is to rewrite. The first draft is never your best work.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.shepherdpress.com/products/music-to-the-glory-of-god/
- Twitter: https://x.com/HHTDobson
- Other: https://www.shepherdpress.com/products/music-to-the-glory-of-god-hardcover/
