Church music

[otjm]

And for those who are more caught up in their opinions than in reality, the responsorial psalm is normally chanted…

This whole conversation reminds me of the aficionados who so delightfully disdain anyone who either cannot understand, or does not like symphonic music. The disdain they show for others is strongly reflected in some of the comments herein, and in similar threads concerning this topic.

And as to the issue of the liturgy belonging to Christ, well, I suspect that if some people today were able to find a time machine and go back to the early Church, of the 1st 100 to 150 years after Christ, they would be dumbfounded as to what the liturgy was like back then; they would indeed criticize the Apostles, the early bishops, and the rest of the clergy; and if they were to actually make it back to the Upper Room, they would be entirely scandalized by the first Eucharist.

But it does make good grist for the mills.

 

[Deo_Gratias42]

Unfortunately, the Catholic hymnals have no SATB parts… just the one note of the melody. Dunno why OCP does that… but there’s a lot I don’t get about OCP.

OCP does publish a hymnal with SATB parts. It’s called Choral & Praise (not to be confused with Glory & Praise). I hate singing hymns in parts. What improves the quality of hymns is a really good organist who knows how to use the stops effectively and improvise between verses. We are very fortunate to have a professional organist/conductor in charge of the music at my parish.

 

[Cavaradossi]

That’s right Pnetwon

The Liturgy belongs solely to Christ and not man.

And hence men ought not modify it after their own tastes and fashions but rather use the Church’s abundant gift according to their true and spiritual needs.

I think it’s shows the universal nature of our Faith which appeals to every human regardless of rank,age,or gender.

Is worship intended to appeal to the capricious desires of men or to offer unto men the privilege of worshipping the God who fashioned them? Not all musical styles are equally suitable for worship, just as cubist paintings are not as suitable as iconography for adorning the walls of a Church.

The orthodox are so focused on persevering their Liturgical practices that forgot the imporant lession of not being to legalistic which has resulted in them becoming infexable

Were you only aware of the many ways that the typicon is followed in practice with all of its multitudinous local variations, you would not make such an ignorant and ludicrous claim.

 

[pnewton]

And hence men ought not modify it after their own tastes and fashions but rather use the Church’s abundant gift according to their true and spiritual needs.

Except that if we engage in excessive antiquarianism, that is, if we try to go back to the roots of the Church at the time of St. Paul, and celebrate Mass as originally done, we would find that the Catholic Church has, modified the Mass considerably over the centuries, adjusting to the culture (a better term than "tastes and fashions) and using those same abundant gifts as always. Changelessness is a myth. I see appeal to what is true, best of suitable is really nothing but begging the question. No one is suggesting that we use music that is bad or unsuitable. It is the definition of these words that is at question.

“Is worship intended to appeal to the capricious desires of men…”

Likewise, no one is suggestion that we appeal to capricious desires. What the Church does is emulate he Savior, who “made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant.” In the nature of Christ we find the divinity is never content to be elevated so far above the poor and the need, physically or spiritually, so as to be unobtainable. Thus we read that St. Paul says he “became all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some.” There is a balance between that which is the ecclesiological highest, and that which is the most evangelical. This is not a balance which can be determined from the top down, but by those nearest the spiritual needy. Thus, the Catholic principle of subsidiarity. The Church sets the ideal, as well as limits, when it comes to liturgy. Then we pray for holy priest who can shepherd the people well.