Abstract:
In this article, the meaning of a combination of the adjective ‘reformed’ and the noun ‘music’
is explored. The main question is: What can be termed ‘reformed music’? In order to answer
this question, some of the work on liturgy by the theologians Smit, Old and McKee will be
explored, specifically their understanding of ‘reformed liturgy’. Throughout, the article takes
the form of a historical reflexive autoethnographic journey into the life and experiences of
the author of this article in the period roughly stretching from 1986 to 1996. In particular, it
focuses on the way in which the author appropriated two different kinds of music genres.
His exposure to both reformed church music and the alternative Afrikaans music movement,
which included rock bands such as Johannes Kerkorrel en die Gereformeerde Blues Band will
be scrutinised. Ultimately, the aim of this journey is to establish which one of these two
music genres from this specific period in the history of South Africa is worthy of the name
’reformed music’.
