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Jimsdun
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It isn’t much over the top. Remember the movie “Sister Act” where the pop hit “My Guy” became “My God.” That is just one of many examples.
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Sarabande
Guest
Gosh, I haven’t seen that since I was a kid, but, yes, I do remember that now. We thought it was hilarious especially seeing the sisters dancing… but not reverent. I never liked what they did with the “Hail, Holy Queen” although I thought it was funny. (I did think the first half was nice though) It was one of the few traditional hymns that we actually did sing in school and it was one of my favorites. I just looked it up to refresh my memory:
youtube.com/watch?v=x2osa8o8L-E
Yes, it was funny for a movie, but if this really happened during a real mass, with the bum shaking by Whoopi and the applause at the end, to me that would have just become a concert rather than a mass.
We used to have a Gospel choir in my Catholic high school as we had a large group of African American Catholic students - although all students were welcomed to join. (I first went to a Catholic high school, then to a public one when my parents couldn’t afford it) and they used to sing “O Happy Day” for concerts. It was a great song for concerts.
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THutch04
Guest
Yes, some of the music that I don’t care for in Mass is definitely appropriate in other settings. Actually, the first time I heard “Be Not Afraid” was in a performance setting, and the first time I heard “Hear I am, Lord” was on an evangelical radio station (which has some of the best music I’ve ever heard, including an absolutely gorgeous version of the Prayer of St. Francis…yes, on an evangelical station…shocking!). Both of those songs worked beautifully for those settings, but not for Mass. Christian rock I don’t really care for in general, but that doesn’t make it inappropriate outside of Mass. I do have a soft spot for spirituals though…so many of them are beautiful!
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drafdog
Guest
It is interesting to note that the “Hail, Holy Queen” as performed in the movie “Sister Act” is not a rewrite of the music. I listened very carefully to see exactly what was done and the only thing that changed was a minor alteration to the rhythm. The time signature and musical line (melody) were unaltered. I don’t think that so slight a change merits the condemnation heaped upon it.
That being said, I still have not found anyone on this forum site who is willing to do the logical thing and set up a fund for commissioning new chant style settings for Mass in the vernacular. I am aware of only one effort made in that direction and it was most successful for the cathedral in my home diocese. I don’t know if it is still in common use there but while I attended some 36 years ago, it was the standard used at most Sunday liturgies. Get off your backsides and do something constructive rather than complaining impotently on websites.
Matthew
That being said, I still have not found anyone on this forum site who is willing to do the logical thing and set up a fund for commissioning new chant style settings for Mass in the vernacular. I am aware of only one effort made in that direction and it was most successful for the cathedral in my home diocese. I don’t know if it is still in common use there but while I attended some 36 years ago, it was the standard used at most Sunday liturgies. Get off your backsides and do something constructive rather than complaining impotently on websites.
Matthew
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japhy
Guest
Are you familiar with the Church Music Association of America? Or the Chabanel Psalms?
And you don’t need new ones. The Roman Missal already has chant for the Mass in it!
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Sarabande
Guest
I’m a professional musician, been studying since I was 4 and work in both the secular and sacred realms. I think I know a
little about music. I wasn’t condemning it. I actually thought the movie was funny and some of the Gospel music was good. What I didn’t like what they did to the music WAS the rhythmic changes to a traditional hymn which I didn’t think was needed and seeing the wiggling bum during mass, which I also didn’t think would have been appropriate had it been a real mass. For a movie I was fine with it. It was only my opinion. Also, I’m surrounded by colleagues who are either supportive or are actively composing new sacred repertoire - including my husband who was taking composition lessons. I’m not a composer, so I’m one of the “supporters”. So, please be a little more charitable before knowing the person you are judging.
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bugz2007
Guest
It saddens me that this type of song (these two in particular) are not considered Mass appropriate. Perhaps it is because they happen to be two of my favorite songs for Mass, and because I’ve never know Mass without this type of song. I understand being wary of contemporary praise and worship music, but I don’t understand objections to songs like these (unless, of course, the objector is like-minded to my father who wishes there was no music during Mass, but I feel that his objections are somewhat selfish in that he believes removing music would make services shorter).
I attended a Mass at a large retreat (upwards of 2,000 individuals in attendance) where “Here I am, Lord” was not led by a cantor, and merely played on the piano, which was gorgeous to my ears to begin with…but what followed blew me away. The 2,000 Catholics in attendance joined their voices in prayer at the chorus, without any leadership. That, my friends, was one of the most moving experiences of my young life.
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Sarabande
Guest
I didn’t mean to sound this way in my post last night. I had just returned from Manhatten where I stopped into St. Patrick’s after my rehearsal to say a prayer and when I got out, I saw this woman giving the finger to the Cathedral a few times. Thus, I wasn’t in a good mood and kind of tired when I came home.
In regards to the Hail Holy Queen comment, it was the rhythm change and the way they sung it stylistically for the second part of the hymn. I didn’t like it and didn’t think it was needed, especially as a kid watching and knowing it was one of the only traditional-sounding hymns we sung in school for mass. It was sort of an insult on people who like traditional-sounding sacred music as boring and not uplifting, when many people, even children like me at the time, do find that music uplifting. For me as a young Catholic student at the time didn’t want to see that hymn taken away as well.
God bless.
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Orpheus2112
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Sarabande
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Yes, I think it was South Park. It’s such a raunchy show sometimes from some of the episodes I’ve passed through, but what I saw of this episode was such an interesting and funny social commentary.South Park! That was a funny episode!I love it whent he album went Myrrh.
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hasikelee
Guest
I can’t stand Christian rock/pop. I hate it. Icky.
You know…the “Our God is an Awesome God” with waving hands…or the "Gloria a a clap clap oohh Gloria a a clap clap.
shudder
And I hate it in Mass.
But I’ll definitely admit it can be used in other situations and applications. Just because I hate it doesn’t mean others have to hate it as well.
You know…the “Our God is an Awesome God” with waving hands…or the "Gloria a a clap clap oohh Gloria a a clap clap.
shudder
And I hate it in Mass.
But I’ll definitely admit it can be used in other situations and applications. Just because I hate it doesn’t mean others have to hate it as well.
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