:thumbsup:It seems that that’s the most popular version for people to sing along to. There are other versions like Byrd or Gounod or Mozart but the choir usually sings those alone.
Unfortunately you’d find yourself in disagreement with the core of Catholic liturgical teachings. The great emphasis there is on communal participation, vs. turning the Eucharist into a private devotion. If we are not participating, what are we doing? Spectating? Observing? Meditating? We did some surveys at all of our Masses recently, and by and large a common crituque was that people (even at the “older crowd” 4pm saturday mass). wanted to dump the older songs in favor of ones that they could actually sing along with. I was even surprised to hear them say (by a 2-1 margin in a crowd with an average age of 72) they preferred guitar over organ because the organ was too loud. They like the gentle guitar sound.I like a through-composed Gloria, that is, one without a refrain. I intensely dislike refrains; it just seems like a very cheesy, overt, trying-too-hard way to get everyone to “participate.”
I couldn’t care less whether there is congregational participation or not. Congregational participation is nice, but then we get stuck into that “participate-a-thon” mode where it becomes practically anathema to have occasional or semi-regular difficult Renaissance polyphonic settings, which I immensely enjoy, and which of course only the choir is usually trained well enough to sing.
Mass becomes too much like a school field day when we are expected to do everything at all times. I certainly think that congregational participation should be fostered in a reasonable and understandable way, but to always sacrifice musical beauty in the name of participation is a kick in the teeth. That is not to say that simpler settings cannot be beautiful, but nothing quite beats an occasional polyphonic setting; some diehard “participation promoters” shudder at that, I find, because it necessitates the majority of the people remaining quiet.
In short, I think balance is key. There is nothing wrong with congregational participation, and I won’t argue against it, but when it becomes the kind of shove-it-down-your-throat “PARTICIPATION PARTICIPATION PARTICIPATION” environment, it’s cheesy and tends to make many people not want to participate in anything at all.
On a related note, I think we Catholics in the recent past have almost turned congregational participation at Mass into a God in and of itself to be worshiped, and I think we have to get out of that theme.
That’s my two cents.
I don’t advocate a low-key celebration. I advocate for extreme solemnity and glorious beauty.
You may not have to sing the hymns but certainly if the dialogue is sung you are expected to sing the responses in return, just as you are expected to make the responses if they are spoken. It ain’t a dialogue if the priest is the only one speaking/singing.
I am criticizing here the extreme attitude of having everybody doing something all the time, and the attitude that musical beauty should be sacrificed to get people to sing along.
This kind of comments are totally uncalled for and they are usually referenced to as “appeal to ridicule” and as “appeal to emotions” thus it is a not a solid manner to argument about liturgical theories. Probably your point would be a valid one if presented in a more objective manner.
Yes, I suppose. Though I don’t understand why it is uncalled for, as it truly represents my own feeling on the matter, and it was not rude.
I have red quite of bit of your posts in the past and it seems to me that your are quite able to make solid and fruitful arguments to support your ideas. I understand your feelings and I am not saying that you were rude even if I think that your approach was not called for. I know that your contribution to the discussion can be more focused and helpful for the rest of us, I have seen you doing that before and in an effective manner.
Well, thank you, Cristiano.
icelweb.org/musicfolder/openpdf.php?file=Credo1.pdfI’d love to sing the Gloria and the Credo at every Mass - I guess I should look for music to the Credo for the new English translation; I could play it on my keyboard at home at least.
The sarcasm isn’t helpful.
