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whatevergirl
Guest
My memory of traditional then.
Do you like the Our Father and Glory to God, sung or recited?
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EasterJoy
Guest
Sung, absolutely–If the entire Mass were sung on Sundays and Holy Days (which implies chant), that would be the best.–but…
…with a melody that is solemn without being maudlin. It kills me when a solemn melody for the Gloria is rendered so slowly that it sounds like a dirge. “Glory to God in the highest!” should be sung, and with a will. Neither should the melody sound like something written for an episode of “Sesame Street.” It is joyous, but it is a prayer, too. Someone not knowing the language should hear that it is a joyous prayer being sung.
…with a melody that is published (meaning: available in the pews in a book or handout) or is very widely known, so that even visitors may truly join in. Full participation is very important.
…Also, no octave leaps, syncopated rhythms, or nonsense like that. A conjunct melody (without large jumps from one note to the next) with a regular rhythm is not only more widely accessible, it is also more prayerful.
…with a melody that is solemn without being maudlin. It kills me when a solemn melody for the Gloria is rendered so slowly that it sounds like a dirge. “Glory to God in the highest!” should be sung, and with a will. Neither should the melody sound like something written for an episode of “Sesame Street.” It is joyous, but it is a prayer, too. Someone not knowing the language should hear that it is a joyous prayer being sung.
…with a melody that is published (meaning: available in the pews in a book or handout) or is very widely known, so that even visitors may truly join in. Full participation is very important.
…Also, no octave leaps, syncopated rhythms, or nonsense like that. A conjunct melody (without large jumps from one note to the next) with a regular rhythm is not only more widely accessible, it is also more prayerful.
I prefer the middle ground. They should be** chanted.** Okay, so sung then.
The traditional practice of the Church is to have them sung.
This is especially true for the Gloria, since it’s a hymn. Hymns are more properly sung than recited. That’s why even when doing the Office of Readings in private, I sing the Te Deum, by virtue of its being a hymn. And since I have no proper English tones, I do it in Latin.
The Our Father has standard tones in both Latin and English, and I really see little reason for the plethora of settings that seem to pop up every so often.
The traditional practice of the Church is to have them sung.
This is especially true for the Gloria, since it’s a hymn. Hymns are more properly sung than recited. That’s why even when doing the Office of Readings in private, I sing the Te Deum, by virtue of its being a hymn. And since I have no proper English tones, I do it in Latin.
The Our Father has standard tones in both Latin and English, and I really see little reason for the plethora of settings that seem to pop up every so often.
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JaMc
Guest
At my parish, we only sing the Gloria during the Easter season. I don’t mind the Our Father being sung, as long as it’s the Catholic Our Father, not the Protestant one they sing at a neighbouring parish (with which, oddly enough, we share a pastor), i.e., “forgive us our debts…”, “for thine is the kingdom…”, etc.
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aggiecatholic05
Guest
i prefer for both to be recited. one complaint i here a lot is where you get the music director who thinks they’re a star so they sing 3 octaves away from what a normal person can. those are some of the people i want to whop with my ‘common sense stick’ by which i mean a stick.
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whatevergirl
Guest
LOL–yes! You read my mind.
But, just found out a few masses ago, that our music director entered himself into American Idol, but didn’t make the finals. I think while he is a great singer, mass is not a performance.
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Dauphin
Guest
They’re magnificent when chanted like this:
Gloria:
http://www.fssp.com/main/audio/ICD-03.mp3
Pater Noster:
http://www.fssp.com/main/audio/ICD-20.mp3
Gloria:
http://www.fssp.com/main/audio/ICD-03.mp3
Pater Noster:
http://www.fssp.com/main/audio/ICD-20.mp3
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Newbie2
Guest
I prefer the Gloria sung, but was at mass this morning where it was recited rather than sung. Not the same to me.
I also like the priest to sing as long as he has a good voice. Bad singing voices, methinks do more to distract than to inspire.
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aggiecatholic05
Guest
thats why i dont sing. trust me its for the best.I prefer the Gloria sung, but was at mass this morning where it was recited rather than sung. Not the same to me.
I also like the priest to sing as long as he has a good voice. Bad singing voices, methinks do more to distract than to inspire.
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Newbie2
Guest
On the other hand, the congregation should sing, bad voice or not.
- One voice tends to be drowned out by many.
- The Almighty, after having to listen to one’s poor voice time and time again, might get tired of his ears hurting and improve it.
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aggiecatholic05
Guest
you really have never heard me sing.On the other hand, the congregation should sing, bad voice or not.
- One voice tends to be drowned out by many.
- The Almighty, after having to listen to one’s poor voice time and time again, might get tired of his ears hurting and improve it.
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whatevergirl
Guest
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Sarabande
Guest
At my parish we will sometimes have the “Our Father” chanted - not sung - which brings me a more spiritual and deeper connection to God in prayer. The chant “Our Father” is usually chanted very well by the congregation. Whenever I cantor or someone else cantors, we never lead for the chanted “Our Father” because everyone chants it. And I love that because you hear a group of voices rather than this miked voice over the rest of the congregation - unless the priest really likes to belt it out and he forgets to turn off his mic. lol
We have never chanted the “Gloria” in English, although we have sung arrangements of it for special masses. Problem with many of the settings are that many are rather cheesy - at least in my opinion. BUT when we have our 11:00 mass with choir and the Gloria is sung, the choir will almost always do beautiful arrangements for the choir. I also love it for our Latin NO masses and they often do a Victoria or Palestrina mass using the “Kyrie” and “Gloria”. Nothing is closer to heaven and God, as well as bringing me more to a focus on the mass and receiving Jesus, than to hear that spiritual music at mass. But that’s me - music is what connects me to the most deepest and spiritual parts of my soul. To some people, music isn’t that important or just doesn’t bring them to a spiritual transcendence, so I can understand how some people wouldn’t feel that way.
For the other masses at our parish the Gloria is often recited, which is fine as well for me.
In terms of the question why it seems that well-trained musicians are choosing “bad” music - it’s sometimes not their faults. There is sometimes a lot of things going on behind the scenes. Sometimes the pastor tells them what settings he would like. Sometimes, like at my former parish, enough of the influential parishioners will dictate what they want or else. And other times, even well-trained musicians just have bad taste. (One of my close friends is a well-trained classical musician, but she is the first to admit that she has cheesy and bad taste in certain music.)
We have never chanted the “Gloria” in English, although we have sung arrangements of it for special masses. Problem with many of the settings are that many are rather cheesy - at least in my opinion. BUT when we have our 11:00 mass with choir and the Gloria is sung, the choir will almost always do beautiful arrangements for the choir. I also love it for our Latin NO masses and they often do a Victoria or Palestrina mass using the “Kyrie” and “Gloria”. Nothing is closer to heaven and God, as well as bringing me more to a focus on the mass and receiving Jesus, than to hear that spiritual music at mass. But that’s me - music is what connects me to the most deepest and spiritual parts of my soul. To some people, music isn’t that important or just doesn’t bring them to a spiritual transcendence, so I can understand how some people wouldn’t feel that way.
For the other masses at our parish the Gloria is often recited, which is fine as well for me.
In terms of the question why it seems that well-trained musicians are choosing “bad” music - it’s sometimes not their faults. There is sometimes a lot of things going on behind the scenes. Sometimes the pastor tells them what settings he would like. Sometimes, like at my former parish, enough of the influential parishioners will dictate what they want or else. And other times, even well-trained musicians just have bad taste. (One of my close friends is a well-trained classical musician, but she is the first to admit that she has cheesy and bad taste in certain music.)
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reff
Guest
I prefer the Our Father recited, I don’t like reciting the Gloria but at Vigil Mass the Version of the Gloria sounds like a little kids song. However it’s much better than our 11:00 am’s Gloria which is the “happy cra. . . i mean clappy” version. Ugh.I prefer them recited. Does your parish sing them, and what do you prefer? I wish that the mass would go back to some its traditional tenets.The singing is very beautiful, but I think that some people are not comfortable singing, so they don’t sing…
When I have attended weekly masses, the prayers are all recited. It seems that there is greater participation that way.
I don’t know, but it seems like the music ministry at my parish, has practically taken over the mass. Really can’t hear anyone singing most of the time–but them.
Are we there to be entertained, or to worship and pray?:ehh: sigh When did the music become such a focal point of mass? Again, it sounds beautiful, but it seems to be taking away from the intent of mass, when nearly every prayer and responsorial psalm is sung.
Just curious as to your thoughts.
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Jsmith17
Guest
I personally enjoy the version of the Our Father my parish sings, and most everyone participates. The choir always seems to sing a little louder at the Our Father than at other times, I think so that the tonedeaf people won’t feel so bad. I think singing also helps unify the congregation a little more than reciting. When reciting the Creed, I can barely make out what people are mumbling, but the Our Father is clear and understandable.
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