CHANT - Easy or Hard?

[EmmaSowl]

The founding principle of blending is humility.

YES! Although I know nothing of scholas, I do know that humility in the music industry is the only thing which will help the faithful.

 

[EmmaSowl]

I think western ears are used to finding pitch through multi-part harmony. Without other voice parts they tend to lose pitch much more quickly than they would otherwise.

I respectfully disagree. I remember my Godmother complaining about the overbearing harmony because it confused her and hid the melody.

Plus, for decades, I have noticed that, the stronger the harmony, the less the people sing - I can see why: in some places, the harmony is sung louder than the melody.

 

[EmmaSowl]

It is easy to do poorly, and it is hard to do well; even harder to do excellently.

Please elaborate. I am interested in your reasons/experience.

(Note: I don’t think God calls the faithful to sing excellently).

 

[EmmaSowl]

choirs too often sing something new each and every week.

Yes! And even worse, during holy seasons, they often jazz things up with brand new Masses, responses, etc. Imho, it’s a dirty trick to cheat the faithful out of singing during the important times just to flex one’s musical chops.

 

[EmmaSowl]

Congregational singing is a recent introduction to the Catholic liturgy.

Taking your word for that. But the history does not negate the fact, that in America, with the newest GIRM, we are urged to full participation in song.

We cannot obey the GIRM if those in musical authority do all they can to confuse us and force us to listen to their superior renditions (which often fall flat).

I find it so ironic that every parish I’ve belonged to has twisted itself into a pretzel in order to shove as many laymen as possible into the sanctuary: cantors, lectors, dancers, layman (usually nuns and seminarians) giving homilies. But any urging to help the people in the pews sing is met with shunning (in my area).

It’s almost as if there’s a message: the really important Children of God are in the sanctuary - those who don’t make the cut need to bow to the Chosen.

 

[EmmaSowl]

Wow, I totally agree. I once heard a choir sing “0h Sanctisima” in English. And I once heard the Suspicious Cheese Lords live. How magnificent it was!! If I practice for the rest of my life I will never reach that level of excellence

I don’t quite understand all you said (I suspect it’s a jargon deficiency), but this weekend, I was asked by the 40-Days-for-Life coordinator to lead “O Sanctisima” at our Life Chain.

Despite the wind and the car noise, et al, the chant was sung by all - led by a convert who listened to the song on YouTube in order to guide Cradle Catholics.

Afterwards, one Cradle Catholic praised my ability to pronounce Latin. I was able to explain that Latin (like Spanish) is much easier to pronounce because the vowels never change (unlike English).

I will never reach that level of excellence

None of us are called to excellence. We are called to faithfulness.

 

[EmmaSowl]

O sactissima is as far from Gregorian Chant as you can possibly get. And it is a relatively recent composition. Late 1700s, I think.

Please elaborate. I’m sincerely interested. “O Sanctissima” is what I consider standard chant since I became Catholic 26 years ago. I’d like to know how misguided I might be.

 

[EmmaSowl]

I think it’s fine to change the Sunday Mass setting once a year at the start Advent.

I, too, am fine with new music - as long as it is introduced gradually in time for the Big Event.

It is cruel to spring new music on the faithful during their favorite seasons (making it impossible for them to join in singing).

I, personally, would suggest every 3 years. But I could get behind once a year as long as that meant one (and only one) new song a year for the Big Seasons.

 

[EmmaSowl]

It’s only got the proper translation of the Psalms and several more Mass settings but who needs that, right?

Proper translations of the Psalms should be #1 on any choir list.

I have a similar problem in that my Mass sings the same Alleluia Verse every week. When I asked why we weren’t singing the weekly verse given in the Missal (which, I believe, is mandated and is Holy Scripture), I was told that other verses don’t fit the chosen musical setting.

In other words, the arbitrarily chosen musical setting holds more weight for this particular choir director than the instructions of our bishops.

 

[EmmaSowl]

There is also Ambrosian and Mozarabic chant still in use.

The music you posted as examples shows me that chant, in general, is far more easy to read than contemporary music.

 

[EmmaSowl]

I simply cannot find the beauty in chant that so many Catholics find. I dislike the randomness of it. I prefer “order,” a well-written melody and words that I understand.

Could you elaborate on the randomness? I have been Catholic for about a decade longer than you (raised atheist; baptized at 32) and I find chant to be indescribably more ordered than Contemporary Praise.

Holy Mother Church does not REQUIRE Catholics to like chant, but simply to recognize that it does hold an honored place in the Church.

Right about the non-requirement; right about the need to recognize the honor; totally lacking in accepting that neither of those things mean squat if not acted upon.

IMO, anyone who advocates more chant in the Mass must also advocate well-done chant, which means educating the cantors, choir, and CONGREGATION in how to properly sing chant so that a beautiful sound is produced.

This, to me, sounds incredibly elitist. The Mass is for all Catholics. The songs are for all Catholics. Shame, shame, shame on music leaders who try to make Catholics feel inadequate for not being perfect singers.

 

[Peeps]

It’s a hymn. . It’s not a chant at all, although like any hymn, it can be sung in a chant style. Here’s part of the Wikipedia explanation (I hope it’s OK that I post this)

" O sanctissima " (O most holy) is a Roman Catholic hymn in Latin, seeking the prayers of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and often sung in various languages on her feast days. The earliest known publication was from London in 1792, presenting it as a traditional song from Sicily; but no original source or date has been confirmed for the simple melody or the poetic text. The tune is often called " Sicilian Mariners Hymn " or similar titles, referring to the seafarers’ nightly invocation of Mary as their maternal protector:[1] Our Lady, Star of the Sea. The tune has been notably reused for the German Christmas carol “O du fröhliche” (O, how joyful), the English recessional hymn “Lord, Dismiss Us With Thy Blessing”, and the first half of the American civil rights anthem “We Shall Overcome”.

 

[Peeps]

This, to me, sounds incredibly elitist. The Mass is for all Catholics. The songs are for all Catholics. Shame, shame, shame on music leaders who try to make Catholics feel inadequate for not being perfect singers.

I said nothing about “being perfect singers.” I used the words’ “to properly sing chant so that a beautiful sound is produced.”

Yes, there is a correct way to sing chant, and it’s not difficult to learn the techniques that produce a beautiful sound. Perhaps one of the reasons why many Catholics dislike chant is that they have a hard time listening badly-done chant presented by people who have not taken the time to learn the correct techniques.

There is nothing elitist about wanting to sing correctly, any more than there is nothing elitist about wanting to eat food that has been properly prepared, or wear clothing that has been properly made. Priests spend years in school and seminary preparing to be priests, and even after they receive the Sacrament of Holy Orders, they still continue their education, studying the Bible, praying, and seeking to become saints.

Laypeople do not earn a living doing the work of the Church, but nevertheless, they should seek to do their very best and if given the opportunity to learn a useful skill in the church, should take that opportunity.

If someone does their very best, that’s fine. That’s all that God asks of us. But if we have the opportunity and the means to learn something that will help us do a better job, then to refuse to take that opportunity and call those who DO strive to improve “elitist” is…well, I would say wrong of us, and even prideful, or perhaps fearful. Fear of failure, IMO, is one reason why a person would refuse to learn a skill that will help them in their Christian walk. But as Christians, we need to remember that God’s love drives out fear and enables us to walk through fire–or join a class dedicated to learning better chanting techniques.

Singing is a skill that can be learned. Most of us do not possess the God-given gift/talent of being great singers, hence the relatively few number of singers who make a living (or even become rich) singing.

But all of us can learn various techniques, developed over the centuries, that will help us to produce a more pleasant sound and not feel unpleasant or painful to us (or others who are hearing us!). There is nothing elitist about wanting to be more skilled at chanting.

I am a good pianist because I took lessons from qualified teachers and spent 2-4 hours a day practicing back during the my teenage years. I still practice and prepare in advance when I am asked to play for Mass, church services, theater, or any other opportunity that I am given.

I recognize that my ability (and a talent for a “soft touch” which many musicians comment on) has been graciously given to me by God, and as Jesus taught us, we are not to bury our talents in the ground, but invest them so that God can receive the glory for what He gives us.

 

[Peeps]

Could you elaborate on the randomness? I have been Catholic for about a decade longer than you (raised atheist; baptized at 32) and I find chant to be indescribably more ordered than Contemporary Praise.

“Randomness” is my term for “a-melodic.”

Chant does not have a regular meter or rhythm, or a regular melody line.

I’m not sure why–probably because of upbringing and ethnicity, but I love songs and music with a strong, soaring melody; e.g., anything by Andrew Lloyd Webber."

I love the hymns that have a strong melody, e.g., “Crown Him With Many Crowns,” and “Holy Holy Holy.” And although many Catholics on CAF seem to dislike it, I truly love "Gather Us In’ because of the sea chantey melody–strong and stirring. I do NOT like contemporary hymns like “Gift of Finest Wheat” because the melody is rather weak.

I tend to dislike rap and hip-hop and other similar genres of music because they don’t have a melody.

Hope this answers your question

 

[HeDa]

There are Mass settings (tunes) for Ordinary time, Advent, Lent, Easter, Solemnities and alternative tunes in both the vernacular language and Latin. It is regulated when they are supposed to be used and my cantor´s eyes literally turn red if she hears that the Lent settings were used during the Easter season at weekday Masses when she wasn’t present.

I found it hard when I first started going to Catholic Mass, as that parish didn´t put up a board with the numbers that were supposed to be sung. We never knew if it would be in the vernacular language or Latin either. I found it easier to learn them by heart as I don’t read music. Ordinarium IV (Cunctipotens genitor Deus) I have only sung during the Mass with the Blessing of Oils so that one is hard to remember year to year.

 

[melonhead]

Chant is beautiful, but tough for me. But then, I have a musical voice like a cancerous cat being tortured over hot coals.

 

[OraLabora]

Mass IV is usually for feasts of the apostles.

Some of the ordinary Mass settings are quite tough, but many are fairly easy. Kyrie XIa, Kyrie XVI, Gloria XV, Sanctus and Agnus XVIII.

I believe the rubrics do allow substitution of an easier, non-seasonally appropriate setting to accommodate the skills of the assembly.

There is also the Graduale Simplex which has, as the name suggests, simpler settings of the propers.

 

[Phemie]

The setting of O Sanctissima that I’m familiar with is also a German Christmas carol and, much to my surprise when I finally figured out why it sounded so familiar, the Smurf’s Christmas song Let Us Sing Together.

 

[HeDa]

Good to know about Mass IV. I wish we would sing it in my parish. It is a challenge for the parish to learn the ones that are only used a few times/year as we are having vernacular Sundays and Latin Sundays Mass settings for the High Mass. We have a really good cantor and choirs that help a lot.

 

[Erikaspirit16]

First, if I can sing Gregorian chant, anyone can sing it.

Second, go to a Mass with contemporary music. Count the nearest 10-20 people. See how many are singing. I’ve been doing this experiment for about 20 years in a number of parishes. Generally, if you get 40% participation, you’re doing good.

Then go to a Mass with Gregorian chant. 100% participation. QED.