Dan Schutte's Music - Worthy For Worship?

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LauraL:
In the same vein, you might be interested in this group:

mgilleland.com/music/moratorium.htm

You might want to email the founder to suggest that Schutte be added to the list.

I don’t particularly care for most of this contemporary music. Its focus is on us as a community, instead of on God (can you imagine expecting God to find joy in hearing us sing about how lucky He is to have us!), it’s musically and theologically immature – it’s cotton candy, fun for what it’s worth, but very much of it will make you very sick!
There are three aspects to worship: worship of God as regards his splendor, his glory; worship of God as one who is our friend – our lover – (“personal relationship with Jesus”); and there is worship of God as a community.

Rarely do we accomplish all three equally.
 
There are three aspects to worship: worship of God as regards his splendor, his glory; worship of God as one who is our friend – our lover – (“personal relationship with Jesus”); and there is worship of God as a community.

Rarely do we accomplish all three equally

PLease provide a link to the Magisterial Document that teaches that.
 
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baltobetsy:
Joseph - lighten up! 😃 Come on, admit it - doesn’t the song go something like this in your mind:

Here I am Lord
It is I, Lord
I am bringing up three very lovely girls…
Oh man, I’m a cantor and I just know I’ll sing the wrong words now…

eeesh. 😉

My husband already poisoned “On Eagles Wings” for me by calling it “On Beagles Ears”…
–Ann
 
For me, it was the protestant hymn “Let Us Break Bread Together”…the correct refrain is “Let us break bread together on our knees…on our knees” As an undergrad, when we did it in choir, all the upperclassmen who’d done it in previous years would deliberatley sing “Let us break wind together on our knees…on our knees…” I’d never heard the hymn before, so in rehearsal, I burst out laughing like an idiot…ah, I still laugh when I remember it…! :rotfl:
 
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Sparky:
Oh man, I’m a cantor and I just know I’ll sing the wrong words now…

eeesh. 😉

My husband already poisoned “On Eagles Wings” for me by calling it “On Beagles Ears”…

–Ann
Oh, that’s adorable…what a clear image I have now of a beagle soaring, ears akimbo, sullen jowels…aaaaaaahahahahahaha! :rotfl:
 
I agree that some of Dan Schutte’s music is saccrine and he’s not my personal favorite in liturgical music, but I think we should keep to the facts. Most of his music is going on 20 years old, so it’s probably safe to assume it was written when he was still a priest (if that’s an important distinction to make). If it’s in the OCP hymnal, then it’s my understanding that it’s been approved for use in liturgical celebrations (that is per the music director in my parish, I have not confirmed that on my own). As for the other “rumor” mentioned, I don’t believe it’s charitable for that to be discussed. We should pray that it’s not true, for his benefit.

Peace to all…
 
Parishminister - Re If it’s in the OCP hymnal, then it’s my understanding that it’s been approved for use in liturgical celebrations (that is per the music director in my parish, I have not confirmed that on my own). The question would be “Approved by who?” OCP states that it is *Published with Ecclesiastical Approbation. It is my understanding that this is a step below an Imprimatur. *I was told it means they sent a copy to the bishop and he hasn’t gotten back to them; so they assume approval.

maybe permission but less than a ringing endorsement.😉
 
OK, first of all I need to publicly apologize for gossipping about Dan Schutte in my original post above. The post caused me to confess to the sin of gossip yesterday at confession. (seriously) I do not know what I repeated to be true, but even if it is, it is wrong to repeat it. I apologize to Mr. Schutte and to all of you.

Anywho, Y’all are in BIG TROUBLE!!! I, too, am a cantor, and now I will have a very difficult time singing both “On Beagle’s Ears – er EAGLE’S WINGS” and “Here I Am.” Oh, and if the occasion rises, “Let us Break BREAD Together.” Sheesh.

Reminds me of one time when I was reviewing wedding music with the celebrant just before the wedding Mass. One of the songs the couple selected was “Set Me Like a Seal On Your Heart,” from Song of Songs, and a song I quite liked. The priest laughed and, right there in church, did an imitation of a seal. The song has never been the same for me since.

'thann
 
This thread made me check out our hymnal today before Mass. There is not ONE Dan Schutte song in there. At my husband’s assignment parish, their entire hymnal is Dan Schutte & Marty Haugen.
 
Detroit Sue:
This thread made me check out our hymnal today before Mass. There is not ONE Dan Schutte song in there. At my husband’s assignment parish, their entire hymnal is Dan Schutte & Marty Haugen.
What hymnal do you use in your church?
 
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Prometheum_x:
This means that there are only so many possibilities for constructing a melody line. It should not be surprising then to find similarities between different songs. With the tremendous amount of songs that have been written just in this century, my prediction is that you could take any phrase from a piece of sacred music and find a parallel in secular music.
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This is also true of poetry: only so many ways to put words together, rally. My 7th grade students are always astonished to find that the opening verses to each canto in Edmund Spencer’s great classic, “The Fairie Queen”, can be easily sung to the tune of Gilligan’s island, as they share the same meter and foot. 😛 Try it!

*The Patron of true Holinesse,
Foule Errour doth defeate:
Hypocrisie him to entrappe,
Doth to his home entreate.

The guilefull great Enchaunter parts
The Redcrosse Knight from Truth:
Into whose stead faire falshood steps,
And workes him wofull ruth. *

This does not in any way reduce the value of the poetry. the same is true of music which reminds us of other, cheesier music.
 
Today at Mass we were subjected once again to the immensely irritating (to me) song, “Will you let me be your servant?” Why this particular song is in our Catholic hymnal is beyond me. It has nothing whatsoever to do with the Mass and is awfully “feel goody”. Ugh.

We also sang “Here I am Lord” and I had to suppress giggles, thinking of “Is it I Lord, I am bringing up three very lovely girls.” Y’all are all in big trouble, ya hear?! 😃
 
Joseph - lighten up! 😃
I am sure that it was not this writer’s intention to be offensive, so I hpoe that my response will likewise be understood to be without offensive intent toward this writer.

I expressed my opinions, observations and evaluations of certain songs and their fitness as songs of worship only. I did not express any personal opinions of this or any other writer in this discussion, and I would appreciate the same courtesy in return. Thank you.
Come on, admit it - doesn’t the song go something like this in your mind:

Here I am Lord
It is I, Lord
I am bringing up three very lovely girls…
No, it doesn’t.

With me, it is more usual for the lyrics of songs to rewrite themselves in my mind’s ear. For example, at benediction when “O Salutaris Hostia” is sung, I sometimes “hear” it as “O Solitary Hostia”, especially if the cantor does not enunciate clearly.

If we are to suggest that “On Eagle’s Wings” is unsuitable for worship because it may remind singers or listeners of “The Brady Bunch” Theme, should we likewise conclude that “O Solutaris Hostia” is unsuitable for worship because it may likewise sound to singers or listeners like “O Solitary Hostia / Quae Jelly Pandas Ostium…”?

Yours in Christ,

Joseph Bilodeau.
 
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Sparky:
Oh man, I’m a cantor and I just know I’ll sing the wrong words now…

eeesh. 😉

My husband already poisoned “On Eagles Wings” for me by calling it “On Beagles Ears”…
–Ann
**Do you know the song “Let us Praise God Together”? **

Well, one line goes…“When I fall on my knees with my face to the rising sun”…

**So…Onece, when singing directly into a mike, I sang “When I fall on my face”…Was very much embarrassed:o **
 
See the article below for one person’s characterization of Haas/Haugen/Schutte as “traditional” composers (those “old” songs from the 12th-19th century are “hymns” in her vernacular) and “praise and worship” as the next “evolutionary” development. I don’t “hate” any of this music though occasionally the lyrics contradict Catholic doctrine and some of the hand clapping-boisterous stuff seems out of place at Mass. But couple this article with the music “survey” at my parish asking people if they want “less Latin” in the Mass, and I wonder what agenda is being pursued in my diocese.

tommcfaul.com/escritaria/litmusic.html
 
My husband already poisoned “On Eagles Wings” for me by calling it “On Beagles Ears”…
–Ann
I never figured out how “On Angels Wings” became Eagles Wings anyway
 
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baltobetsy:
Joseph - lighten up! 😃 Come on, admit it - doesn’t the song go something like this in your mind:

Here I am Lord
It is I, Lord
I am bringing up three very lovely girls…
Yes, well there is also:

Here comes the bride
All Fat and Wide…

There’s not a song ever heard by a fifth grader that doesn’t have alternate lyrics.
 
Joe Kelley:
Parishminister - Re If it’s in the OCP hymnal, then it’s my understanding that it’s been approved for use in liturgical celebrations (that is per the music director in my parish, I have not confirmed that on my own). The question would be “Approved by who?” OCP states that it is *Published with Ecclesiastical Approbation. It is my understanding that this is a step below an Imprimatur. *I was told it means they sent a copy to the bishop and he hasn’t gotten back to them; so they assume approval.

maybe permission but less than a ringing endorsement.😉
Keep in mind that the chairman of the board of OCP is the Archbishop of Portland in Oregon, currently Archbishop John Vlazny. They use OCP missals at the cathedral in Portland, not to mention probably every other parish in Oregon. Our bishops have seen and heard the music.

By the way, are there really people criticizing a composer’s music because it sounds bad when done badly? Because it does not sound equally good regardless of which instruments are chosen to accompany it? Those are good reasons for a particular music director to choose other music, not a reason to keep it out of the missal.

As for the composers, keep in mind that they’re composing for a group of the most opinionated, non-compliant singers in the history of music, lead by choirs and musicians whose support is sometimes even less than an afterthought. The poor people deserve our prayers… maybe to St. Gregory the Great.
 
You guys are killing me. I’m a cantor as well, and have to sing what the music director and priests choose, whether I like it or not (and I can’t stand "On Eagles Wings, “Here I Am, Lord”, “Be Not Afraid”, etc.). Now I KNOW I’m going to mess one of these up. Thanks loads. :rotfl:

There’s a hymn in our hymnals (RitualSong from GIA) called “Two Fishermen” that has a bit of a, shall we say, “nautical” air. Our music director refers to it as “that Gilligan’s Island hymn”.
 
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baltobetsy:
Here I am Lord
It is I, Lord
I am bringing up three very lovely girls…
Okay, Betsy. I always read your posts with interest and have learned alot. BUT now THIS was funny! Thanks for the laugh! :rotfl:

I’ve heard others make the comparison at different places on this board, but you’re the first I’ve seen that has put the song into my head. Fortunately, we don’t hear that song at the church we currently attend.

God bless,

Debbie
 
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