Choral Singers Who Convert - Do You Continue Singing?

[RICKY_RASPER]

I have sung all my life, sometimes in more than one choir at a time. I lam particularly blessed by choral singing. It blesses me to know that we bless others.

Since I became interested in converting I dropped out of one choir which I felt was too “me” focused. I have not dropped out of the second choir which is more liturgical, with a repertoire of quite a bit of Catholic polyphonic music. This choir begins again in a week.

This choir has a one Sunday a month singing commitment and meets weekly for practice. I don’t know how I will feel when I go back. I may feel like I don’t belong there anymore.

I have always felt that the Lord has given me the gift of song for the edification of his people. I feel called to sing in the choir.

I attend the EF and frankly I don’t see a lot of room for women choir singers. Most of the time the all male schola sings and very occasionally, there will be one woman singer when there is polyphonic music.

Are there any converts who have been at a loss as to what to do when it comes to singing?

Are there women who attend traditional masses who have found opportunities for singing?

I would prefer to not sing at a Protestant service once a month but this choir is truly awesome.

Thanks.

Note: I’m not looking for a “You shouldn’t be attending any Protestant service” tongue-lashing. God is dealing with me on that.

Second Note: I am not interested in being a cantor and there are no female cantors at the traditional mass anyway.

If you make a decision to veto Protestant music you will cut yourself of from Bach, Mozart, Schubert,Beethoven ect,ect,ect

 

[The_Old_Medic]

If you make a decision to veto Protestant music you will cut yourself of from Bach, Mozart, Schubert,Beethoven ect,ect,ect

Wrong, wrong, wrong. Most (if not all) of them wrote Masses, among many other things. You REALLY need to educate yourself about music before making statements like that.

 

[I_Thirst]

When I was going through RCIA, I played in the choir – but I didn’t sing. After I converted, I sang in the choir but I stopped. I ran a schola in my parish, but my parish is hostile towards chant and won’t allow it. Now I sing more in the pews at a local Eastern Catholic Church than I ever did in the choir at my RC parish. (And there are never Protestant hymns.)

 

[m134e5]

If you make a decision to veto Protestant music you will cut yourself of from Bach, Mozart, Schubert,Beethoven ect,ect,ect

Mozart, Beethoven, and (I think) Schubert were Catholic.

 

[RICKY_RASPER]

Wrong, wrong, wrong. Most (if not all) of them wrote Masses, among many other things. You REALLY need to educate yourself about music before making statements like that.

LITURGICAL LUTHERAN MASSES ACTUALLY! You REALLY need to close your mouth before you put your foot in ti.

 

[RICKY_RASPER]

Mozart, Beethoven, and (I think) Schubert were Catholic.

Mozart was born Catholic, he was excommunicated for joining the Masonic,and refused last rights on his deathbed from a friendly priest.

Beethoven again born Catholic and excommunicated for interpreting the Mass “Missa Solemnis” from a Lutheran viewpoint and adding his own words.He never attended Mass.

Schubert born Catholic and refused to attend Mass after the excommunication of his friend Beethoven.He wrote four Masses deliberately omitting the words (“and in one holy catholic and apostolic church”) All Masses dedicated to the Lutheran church.

Bach, pure Lutheran liturgical composer.

 

[Sarabande]

Beethoven - although only nominally Catholic, was never excommunicated. That said, he almost was excommunicated. He had a priest come to his death bed, but there is no proof of his sincerity in it.

Mozart - Actually, it is still up in the air that Mozart refused last rites. No evidence has proven that he did. It appears that there were conflicts in what happened. Some writings by contemporaries who were there at his deathbed said the priest showed but he was unconcious. Others show that the priest never actually made it on time before he died. He had a funeral mass at St. Stephen’s Cathedral and given post mortem last rights and a requiem mass at St. Michael’s . He also was not excommunicated. (If he was, I do not think they would have given him a requiem mass.) Although the ban on freemasonry came in 1738, it was only promulgated in certain countries and was not in force in Austria until after Mozart’s death. Many, many devout Catholics in Austria in the 18th c. actually were freemasons because it was still allowed there and it was thought there was no conflict of interest at that point between Catholicism and freemasonry. Of course that changed later. If you read any of Mozart’s personal letters and writings, it shows that he was still a devout, spiritual person to the end and still considered himself a Catholic, although maybe not to the perfection that others would have liked him to be.

Schubert - I don’t know much about his spiritual beliefs as I’ve never read any actual book biographies on him. But I love his lieder.

Bach - A devout Lutheran.

 

[DaveBj]

I had only an adequate voice, and I eventually blew it out leading singing in a Southern Baptist church, before I converted. I don’t really like to hear myself sing any more, and I don’t sing, except at Mass.

However, I am still an instrumentalist. Around here the local churches have “singin’s,” especially around decoration time, and I play at those. I have also played organ (gospel-style Hammond) at family funerals.

 

[RICKY_RASPER]

Beethoven - although only nominally Catholic, was never excommunicated. That said, he almost was excommunicated. He had a priest come to his death bed, but there is no proof of his sincerity in it.

Mozart - Actually, it is still up in the air that Mozart refused last rites. No evidence has proven that he did. It appears that there were conflicts in what happened. Some writings by contemporaries who were there at his deathbed said the priest showed but he was unconcious. Others show that the priest never actually made it on time before he died. He had a funeral mass at St. Stephen’s Cathedral and given post mortem last rights and a requiem mass at St. Michael’s . He also was not excommunicated. (If he was, I do not think they would have given him a requiem mass.) Although the ban on freemasonry came in 1738, it was only promulgated in certain countries and was not in force in Austria until after Mozart’s death. Many, many devout Catholics in Austria in the 18th c. actually were freemasons because it was still allowed there and it was thought there was no conflict of interest at that point between Catholicism and freemasonry. Of course that changed later. If you read any of Mozart’s personal letters and writings, it shows that he was still a devout, spiritual person to the end and still considered himself a Catholic, although maybe not to the perfection that others would have liked him to be.

Schubert - I don’t know much about his spiritual beliefs as I’ve never read any actual book biographies on him. But I love his lieder.

Bach - A devout Lutheran.

Thanks Saraband,
I found your words very enlightening. It’s nice to know that the site has real music lovers like yourself. What I find is that when you listen to the music that these masters produced you get the feeling that God is speaking through the music. Weather these composers were Catholic or not is unimportant.You could not produce such wonderful music if God were not in you!
Your Brother in Christ,
Richard.

Ave verum corpus MOZART Dir LEONARD BERNSTEIN
youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=6KUDs8KJc_c

 

[Sarabande]

Thanks Saraband,
I found your words very enlightening. It’s nice to know that the site has real music lovers like yourself. What I find is that when you listen to the music that these masters produced you get the feeling that God is speaking through the music. Weather these composers were Catholic or not is unimportant.You could not produce such wonderful music if God were not in you!
Your Brother in Christ,
Richard.

Ave verum corpus MOZART Dir LEONARD BERNSTEIN
youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=6KUDs8KJc_c

You’re welcome. Well, I am a professional classical singer, so it is my “job” and my utmost love to sing, perform and to listen to all of this music, as well as try to learn about the composers and the history surrounding the times that they composed. You can’t get a complete idea of why they wrote the way they did without doing that.

I do agree with you. I don’t care what religion or faith a composer considered themselves. God blessed them with gifts that couldn’t be denied whether or not they believed in it themselves. When I hear or perform music, it is almost always a prayer for me. Doesn’t even matter whether or not it is sacred or secular. Not that I am in favor of singing secular classical vocal music at mass, nor am I in favor of having music with text theologically counter to Catholic teaching during the liturgy… I’m far from that train of thought.

There were works by spiritual, religious, atheist and agnostic composers which seemed to be “kissed by God”, especially with their sacred works. It’s like they wouldn’t be able to escape God’s hand, and I think it’s because many composers, no matter what their beliefs were, tended to delve into a spiritual depth when they composed. You can also see and experience that with the musicians who do allow themselves to be completely ego-free and immerse themselves into this music. For me, it’s the immersion of allowing myself to enter a higher spiritual plane above that which is earthly. There are those few minutes of spiritual ecstasy and a connection to God like none other.

I’ve always loved Bernstein’s interpretation of the “Ave Verum Corpus”. He takes it at a perfect tempo, not too fast, not too slow, but with incredible reverence and love. I have this recording on cd along with the Exsultate Jubilate and the Great Mass in C. Arleen Auger’s voice is pure and angelic for the Exsultate and Frederica von Stade is one of my loved mezzos. Bernstein is also one of my favorite conductors. He was so good at bringing this kind of music to the “masses”, never talking down to the people. And his orchestral interpretations were just beautiful and sensitive as well as passionate and earthy.

 

[RICKY_RASPER]

You’re welcome. Well, I am a professional classical singer, so it is my “job” and my utmost love to sing, perform and to listen to all of this music, as well as try to learn about the composers and the history surrounding the times that they composed. You can’t get a complete idea of why they wrote the way they did without doing that.

I do agree with you. I don’t care what religion or faith a composer considered themselves. God blessed them with gifts that couldn’t be denied whether or not they believed in it themselves. When I hear or perform music, it is almost always a prayer for me. Doesn’t even matter whether or not it is sacred or secular. Not that I am in favor of singing secular classical vocal music at mass, nor am I in favor of having music with text theologically counter to Catholic teaching during the liturgy… I’m far from that train of thought.

There were works by spiritual, religious, atheist and agnostic composers which seemed to be “kissed by God”, especially with their sacred works. It’s like they wouldn’t be able to escape God’s hand, and I think it’s because many composers, no matter what their beliefs were, tended to delve into a spiritual depth when they composed. You can also see and experience that with the musicians who do allow themselves to be completely ego-free and immerse themselves into this music. For me, it’s the immersion of allowing myself to enter a higher spiritual plane above that which is earthly. There are those few minutes of spiritual ecstasy and a connection to God like none other.

I’ve always loved Bernstein’s interpretation of the “Ave Verum Corpus”. He takes it at a perfect tempo, not too fast, not too slow, but with incredible reverence and love. I have this recording on cd along with the Exsultate Jubilate and the Great Mass in C. Arleen Auger’s voice is pure and angelic for the Exsultate and Frederica von Stade is one of my loved mezzos. Bernstein is also one of my favorite conductors. He was so good at bringing this kind of music to the “masses”, never talking down to the people. And his orchestral interpretations were just beautiful and sensitive as well as passionate and earthy.

Thanks again Saraband,
I once sang with a Choral Society but the music was simply uninspiring and did not fufill the passion in me. I have been playing the Classical Guitar for thirty years until I badly broke my wrist last summer, I have been unable to play ever since :bighanky: if you would be kind enough please pray it may be wholly healed.
I don’t know if you watch EWTN but there is a Priest called Father Leo Clifford who offers some words of wisdom. The music that accompany’s his homily is beautiful.If you have heard it do you know what it is ?
Your Brother in Christ,
Richard.

 

[Sarabande]

Thanks again Saraband,
I once sang with a Choral Society but the music was simply uninspiring and did not fufill the passion in me. I have been playing the Classical Guitar for thirty years until I badly broke my wrist last summer, I have been unable to play ever since :bighanky: if you would be kind enough please pray it may be wholly healed.
I don’t know if you watch EWTN but there is a Priest called Father Leo Clifford who offers some words of wisdom. The music that accompany’s his homily is beautiful.If you have heard it do you know what it is ?
Your Brother in Christ,
Richard.

I am so sorry about your wrist. You will definitely be in my prayers. I absolutely love classical guitar. It is such a beautiful instrument when played well. And I love so many of the transcriptions and original works for voice and guitar.

Unfortunately (or fortunately… however one may look at it) I don’t watch much tv. Most of the time it is kiddie shows with my daughter. haha! If I ever do have a chance to turn on EWTN, I’ll check out Fr. Clifford… I just saw his website. I don’t know what the music is called, but my husband may know. He’s the bigger orchestral person than I am.