Guitar Music in Mass

  • Thread starter Thread starter aj830
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
A

aj830

Guest
Hello all. I was just offered to play Bass Guitar in Mass on January 22nd. This is very new for our parish and will be only the 2nd time Guitars and *Younger * Voices will be accompanying the usual Organ and Singers. I know they have received a few complaints about this music last time and I was just wondering if you alls opinion on whether I should accept or not. Some of the songs they are playing are You are Mine, Taste and See, and We are Many Parts.
 
I have sung at folk and giutar style masses all my life and I think that the complaints may not have been about guitars but perhaps the fact that the director may be trying to blend different styles of music that just don’t blend. If there are going to be guitars played in a non classical way, I probably wouldn’t pair it with an organ. Guitar and piano seem to go better together. Also, different styles and voice should go with the right kind of instruments. If you have a bunch of old ladies who are used to sing with an organ, of course it will sound odd if you have a younger woman who thinks she is a pop star.

As I siad, I am a singer. I am classically trained, but I know how to sing both contemporary music and classic. I love both, but not everyone can do both.
 
To answer your question, Go for it. Play the bass great and make that music sound great! Sorry to go on a bit in the last post. It just seemed like a funny combination of stylings, thats all.
 
I thought the liturgy was the "work of the people " not the work of the musicians or choir. Has anybody asked the folks in the pews what they want to sing to ?
 
tom.wineman said:
I thought the liturgy was the "work of the people " not the work of the musicians or choir. Has anybody asked the folks in the pews what they want to sing to ?
Click to expand...

Uh Oh! Now you did it!
 
40.png
aj830:
Hello all. I was just offered to play Bass Guitar in Mass on January 22nd. This is very new for our parish and will be only the 2nd time Guitars and *Younger *Voices will be accompanying the usual Organ and Singers. I know they have received a few complaints about this music last time and I was just wondering if you alls opinion on whether I should accept or not. Some of the songs they are playing are You are Mine, Taste and See, and We are Many Parts.
Click to expand...
Don’t do it. It’s Mass, not a hootenanny.
 
I wouldn’t if I were you. The Mass is supposed to be a solemn celebration after all, right?

If you have other talents in other areas, you could offer some of those. Maybe you could suggest the starting fo a youth choir with a repertoire from the Adoremus Hymnal? 😉

Personally I think there’s a place for the guitars, the snare-drums, and other “vulgar” (don’t worry, it just means “of the people”, or “common” in this case :)) instruments and the associated music. I just don’t believe that it should be used in the context of the Liturgy.

The local CCO and Newman Center where I live put on a “praise and worship” night every so often, and they play guitars, and we sing Steubenville songs. Its great… outside the Mass.

Anyway, I’ve said enough. Hopefully the people directing the choir will keep in mind that on the top of their priority list should be the worship of God in a reverent way, devoid of theatrics, and proper to the solemn character of Mass.

Good luck and God bless,

Agricola
 
Hello aj830,

I would politely decline the offer if I were you.

People need to remember that the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is
a very solemn occasion in which Jesus in Sacrificed and offered to
His Father for the forgiveness of sins.

I don’t really think guitar and folk type music shows the required
reverence for this occasion. Mass is not for our entertainment.

God bless,
Noel.
 
Taken from Psalm 150, verses 1,4,6

O praise the Lord.
O praise God in his holy place…
…praise him with flute and strings…
let everything that has breath praise the Lord!
 
Nope, I don’t see a place for playing the guitar in Mass. I think it is out of place in our church.
 
The best thing that could happen would be for the Latin Church to go back to traditional Gregorian Chant, with perhaps an organ. We use only chant in the eastern Catholic Churches and no instruments.

If a parish is going to have a hootenany Mass, then they should advertise it as such and also advertise the solemn Mass so folks will know which Mass to attend and which one to avoid.
 
Sing, be glad and rejoice and play every instrument the Lord has given us the talent to play, in order to praise His name! Guitar has been used in worship services for MANY years, nothing new here. It just should not be music of the rock and roll variety.

Love and peace
 
Mom of 5:
Sing, be glad and rejoice and play every instrument the Lord has given us the talent to play, in order to praise His name! Guitar has been used in worship services for MANY years, nothing new here. It just should not be music of the rock and roll variety.

Love and peace
Click to expand...
Actually, I have no qualms about classical guitar music in Mass. Why couldn’t someone compose some reverent and orthodox classical guitar hymns or chant for Mass?
 
40.png
gardenswithkids:
Taken from Psalm 150, verses 1,4,6

O praise the Lord.
O praise God in his holy place…
…praise him with flute and strings…
let everything that has breath praise the Lord!
Click to expand...
It says to praise the Lord with that, but that passage doesn’t say it’s ok to use such instruments during the Mass.
 
Mom of 5:
Sing, be glad and rejoice and play every instrument the Lord has given us the talent to play, in order to praise His name! Guitar has been used in worship services for MANY years, nothing new here. It just should not be music of the rock and roll variety.
Click to expand...
The Church says that any instrument that has a profane or secular connotation would be inappropriate in Mass. It hasn’t actually come right out and defined specifically which instruments are inappropriate, so until or unless it does, it falls into the realm of common sense to determine what is or isn’t appropriate. And what sort of connotation do guitars have? Rock and roll or folk music. It doesn’t matter if a guitar is used to play sacred music; sorry to be crass, but as I’ve said before regarding this very topic, you can spray perfume on poop, but it’ll still stink.
 
40.png
DavidJoseph:
The Church says that any instrument that has a profane or secular connotation would be inappropriate in Mass. It hasn’t actually come right out and defined specifically which instruments are inappropriate, so until or unless it does, it falls into the realm of common sense to determine what is or isn’t appropriate. And what sort of connotation do guitars have? Rock and roll or folk music. It doesn’t matter if a guitar is used to play sacred music; sorry to be crass, but as I’ve said before regarding this very topic, you can spray perfume on poop, but it’ll still stink.
Click to expand...
Wish you could hear my son sing the Ave Maria while he plays the guitar, you would eat your words. Not just because he is my son, but a wonderful musician. His voice and ability to play many instruments has brought much joy to not only the parish he attends, but many others that request him to sing/play in other parishes for special days.

Just curious, do you have a good singing voice or play an instrument(any) well enough to solo and make your mama proud??

Love and peace
 
Mom of 5:
Wish you could hear my son sing the Ave Maria while he plays the guitar, you would eat your words. Not just because he is my son, but a wonderful musician. His voice and ability to play many instruments has brought much joy to not only the parish he attends, but many others that request him to sing/play in other parishes for special days.
Click to expand...
It’s awesome that your son is so talented, but just because a person plays a given instrument well doesn’t automatically mean the instrument is appropriate for Mass – doesn’t matter who’s playing it.
Just curious, do you have a good singing voice or play an instrument(any) well enough to solo and make your mama proud??
Click to expand...
Relevance please? This thread is not about me. It’s about whether or not the person who started this thread ought to play bass guitar at Mass.
 
40.png
DavidJoseph:
It’s awesome that your son is so talented, but just because a person plays a given instrument well doesn’t automatically mean the instrument is appropriate for Mass – doesn’t matter who’s playing it.

Relevance please? This thread is not about me. It’s about whether or not the person who started this thread ought to play bass guitar at Mass.
Click to expand...
When a guitar is played in the classical guitar style it can sound very beautiful and would be really nice in Mass. This style is like plucking the strings on a violin (and it sounds much the same only a deeper and richer sound) and it is wonderful. Unfotunately most people don’t know how to play it this way (I’ve only learned two songs), but I would love this kind of music in Mass.
 
Lady Cygnus:
When a guitar is played in the classical guitar style it can sound very beautiful and would be really nice in Mass. This style is like plucking the strings on a violin (and it sounds much the same only a deeper and richer sound) and it is wonderful. Unfotunately most people don’t know how to play it this way (I’ve only learned two songs), but I would love this kind of music in Mass.
Click to expand...
Is it even possible to play a bass guitar in a classical style?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top