Harmonica during Mass. Thoughts?

[Elizium23]

No, we can apply objective criteria to determine the types of instruments and styles of music suitable for the sacred liturgy. The Church has given ample guidelines in her tradition. It is really not a matter of taste or personal preference but a question of what the Church prefers. So we can ask the following questions: is the harmonica suitable for sacred use? Can it be made suitable? Was it ever on a list of instruments prohibited in the sacred liturgy? For how long, and why was it there? Was it ever on a list of instruments encouraged for the sacred liturgy? Are there works of sacred music, approved by competent authority, which specify the harmonica as instrumentation?

This is not an exhaustive list of questions, but it is at least a starting point of objective criteria, instead of starting from how it makes you feel.

 

[pianistclare]

The real issue in these discussions is that people often live with their noses in rubrics.
Real parishes seldom mimic these “ideals”.
I have applied for Music Director positions at parishes that seem to have it all together, that profess to care deeply about the liturgy, and then the interviewing committee and the pastor were horrified to hear that I could incorporate chant, actually horrified at the prospect. The parish has no intention on spending tens of thousands on a pipe organ.
They are a ‘contemporary parish’. Or any other number of reasons why they can’t/won’t/don’t allow certain types of music.
There are people who have often expressed that they love their parish, that they pray in Latin, that they chant regularly, that they have a Schola cantorum. Well good for them.
That’s cool, if that’s what you like. But the bottom line is, that pastors want to have varying kinds of music to keep the people in the pews. People here have expressed that if themusic was not to their liking they would leave a parish. Parishes pick a style and that’s what they want. Or, they have hymnals already, and they just have to use them because they can’t outfit the place with all new hymnals because some parishioners just don’t like the ones they have.
This is not to say that we can’t strive for perfection or something that everyone can have in their parishes that truly enhances their prayer lives.
But the reality is that parishes have limited funds, and parishioners are just as vocal at the parish level as there are on the boards.
It’s a headache for the pastor. I often wish that people who are angry at the music choices would stop to think how it burdens a priest who is trying to keep everyone happy. He bases his decision on what he feels is best for his flock. Whether or not we understand or like it.
It’s like children who want something for Christmas because everyone else has it.
Sometimes the family just can’t swing it. Or they just don’t want to.
If the guy permits harmonica, we can like it or loathe it. But it’s the presider’s decision.
People who “school” their priest often are asked to find another parish. Is it a charitable, learned, or a worthy thing to do? On either side of the issue?
Finger wagging rarely goes well. It only divides.
Over something as BEAUTIFUL as the gift of “music”.

 

[Elizium23]

So music should serve the people, and service to the sacred liturgy comes a distant second, is that what you are saying?

 

[pianistclare]

So music should serve the people, and service to the sacred liturgy comes a distant second, is that what you are saying?

Oh please.
Believe it or not, people who serve at Mass do serve the people of God. They deserve respect. We go to Mass to partake at the table of the Lord. Not to size each other up.
All music in Mass serves the Lord. Even the music that some don’t like. One’s personal perception of it’s worthiness does not take away that offering by the musician.
Charity. It’s what we’re called to. If someone feels they can do it better?
By all means, step up.

 

[Elizium23]

I also don’t buy the “limited funds” excuse. Sometimes “limited funds” means “low budget priority” - well, that’s just poor planning. Sometimes the only options a pastor has explored are whether to go with OCP or go with WLP. Those can be exorbitant prices, because once you’re locked into a vendor, they find more ways to charge you for stuff. Parishes pay incredible amounts of money for licensing fees, worship aids, disposable newsprint hymnals, and they’re just throwing money away (not to mention the Word of God). Why pay for copyrighted stuff of dubious liceity when there is old stuff and new stuff that is not encumbered by licensing and copyrights? Human voices are no extra charge - and the best instrument in the world. Just ask a Byzantine, or the Churches of Christ Protestants. So if you have a “limited budget” for instruments, there’s an obvious answer.

 

[Phemie]

If it was played with taste I might not mind. I’d be more bothered by the guitars. I know of at least one parish where a drum set is employed. :dts:

Recently our Sunday morning Mass sounds like a kindergarten rhythm band: tambourine, sticks, etc. I find myself getting really annoyed and then have to remind myself that those new instruments are being played by new members of our community who come from a tradition where these are regularly used and where the organ is probably not common.

 

[Cat]

The real issue in these discussions is that people often live with their noses in rubrics.
Real parishes seldom mimic these “ideals”.
I have applied for Music Director positions at parishes that seem to have it all together, that profess to care deeply about the liturgy, and then the interviewing committee and the pastor were horrified to hear that I could incorporate chant, actually horrified at the prospect. The parish has no intention on spending tens of thousands on a pipe organ.
They are a ‘contemporary parish’. Or any other number of reasons why they can’t/won’t/don’t allow certain types of music.
There are people who have often expressed that they love their parish, that they pray in Latin, that they chant regularly, that they have a Schola cantorum. Well good for them.
That’s cool, if that’s what you like. But the bottom line is, that pastors want to have varying kinds of music to keep the people in the pews. People here have expressed that if themusic was not to their liking they would leave a parish. Parishes pick a style and that’s what they want. Or, they have hymnals already, and they just have to use them because they can’t outfit the place with all new hymnals because some parishioners just don’t like the ones they have.
This is not to say that we can’t strive for perfection or something that everyone can have in their parishes that truly enhances their prayer lives.
But the reality is that parishes have limited funds, and parishioners are just as vocal at the parish level as there are on the boards.
It’s a headache for the pastor. I often wish that people who are angry at the music choices would stop to think how it burdens a priest who is trying to keep everyone happy. He bases his decision on what he feels is best for his flock. Whether or not we understand or like it.
It’s like children who want something for Christmas because everyone else has it.
Sometimes the family just can’t swing it. Or they just don’t want to.
If the guy permits harmonica, we can like it or loathe it. But it’s the presider’s decision.
People who “school” their priest often are asked to find another parish. Is it a charitable, learned, or a worthy thing to do? On either side of the issue?
Finger wagging rarely goes well. It only divides.
Over something as BEAUTIFUL as the gift of “music”.

Another awesome post from someone with experience! Thank you!

 

[Cat]

I also don’t buy the “limited funds” excuse. Sometimes “limited funds” means “low budget priority” - well, that’s just poor planning. Sometimes the only options a pastor has explored are whether to go with OCP or go with WLP. Those can be exorbitant prices, because once you’re locked into a vendor, they find more ways to charge you for stuff. Parishes pay incredible amounts of money for licensing fees, worship aids, disposable newsprint hymnals, and they’re just throwing money away (not to mention the Word of God). Why pay for copyrighted stuff of dubious liceity when there is old stuff and new stuff that is not encumbered by licensing and copyrights? Human voices are no extra charge - and the best instrument in the world. Just ask a Byzantine, or the Churches of Christ Protestants. So if you have a “limited budget” for instruments, there’s an obvious answer.

The cost of OCP hymnals is miniscule compared to the cost of hiring and paying the salary of a musician who is actually knowledgeable enough about traditional/ancient music styles and literature (and their proper place in the Mass liturgy) to implement and TEACH them to a surly congregation who has been raised in the school system of the last 40 years in which music education was given the boot in many schools.

Of course parishes could start with the children. The parish school could hire a music teacher that is knowledgeable about ancient music and able to teach it–IF the parish school actually hires a music teacher. In our city, there is ONE full-time music teacher in ONE parish school, and the other parish schools get by with a volunteer.

But it wouldn’t matter anyway–once a kid grows up, he/she stops singing in the Mass. This is a problem across the boards in Protestant churches as well as Catholic churches–people do not sing in church. They sit and listen. So you think you’re going to get them to start singing chant?! I think that’s unrealistic.

Also, as I mentioned earlier, there’s a 50/50 chance that any musician/music teacher who is actually qualified to teach Gregorian chant is gay and proud of it. What’s a diocese to do?! All over the country, we see gay music/liturgy directors getting fired in Catholic dioceses and the media making a big stink out of it. Pretty discouraging.

It probably won’t get better. Unless they are rich, many Catholic parents will discourage their children from majoring in music education because they don’t want their adult children starving and coming home to live in their basements. Music education continues to be cut out of public and many private schools, and Catholic churches simply do not spend the money hiring musicians.

And then there’s that pesky megachurch down the street from the Catholic parish–you know, the one that attracts a 10th of the population of the city every Sunday?! The megachurch hires professional jazz/rock musicians to play glorious praise and worship music not only in English, but Spanish as well. The priests have to be discouraged seeing a steady stream of parishioners exiting their parish because of the good music at the megachurch. And even those who don’t actually leave the Church will often head for the megachurch AFTER Mass to hear the good music.

One option that I wish that the parishes would explore is setting aside a substantial portion of their budget to educate interested laypeople (e.g., me). Send us back to school to learn about ancient music and how to teach it. Or at least send us to the various music seminars around the country (I had to pay for my own Pipe Organ Encounter for the last four years.) Give us a bone here!

But I can understand why the congregation might get a trifle irritated to see their offering monies wasted sending Cat to the Gregorian Chant Colloquium while families in the parish struggle to pay their bills, and parish children can’t afford to attend the parish school.

Priorities, priorities, priorities!

IMO, those who want traditional/ancient music in their parish Masses should step up and pay for it, and if they don’t have the money, then they should find it (fundraising, 2nd jobs, etc.)

And honestly now, do you really think people can “just stop whining and do it” without a knowledgeable music teacher? Without a knowledgeable music teacher and a systematic program designed to gradually educate the entire congregation, chant will sound as bad as much of the contemporary music now sounds in the parish!! If you think the contemporary music ensembles and bands sound awful, wait until you hear some self-taught Gregorian chant! MEEEOOOOOWWWWW!

 

[Cat]

Elizium23, I don’t mean to sound nasty towards you or anyone else who wants better music in their parishes during Mass. I know that my previous post sounded like I was firing shots at you and I apologize for calling you out on this one.

As a musician (I actually work full-time in a hospital and play piano/organ part timel), I think that many people who are upset with their parish music don’t have realistic expectations.

This is an issue that needs a lot of discussion and more importantly, a lot of listening, and most importantly of all, PRACTICAL and AFFORDABLE action plans that can be implemented by most parishes.

I HAVE listened over my years here in CAF, and one thing that I have done is to start taking organ lessons from a FAGO three years ago. I am a skilled pianist and gladly play piano for any parish who requests my services. But organ…I never learned while I was young. So at age 54, I started my organ lessons, and it was darn discouraging for those first few years. But I have now achieved enough skill to be able to play hymns, and I have actually played for the Latin Mass parish in my city on occasion.

So don’t get the idea that I’m against you or others who want better music. I’m willing to learn.

But I’m the weird exception. You have to realize that. And also, I’m very foolish to be spending $250/month (plus the costs of music books, plus I have an organ in my home, but my brother bought that for me!). I’m 57–that money should be spent on my retirement savings and/or paying off all my debts (around $50,000 in credit card and college loans). Instead, I’m spending it on learning to play the organ so that Catholic Masses can have better music. I’m a fool.

I hope that I am helping you to understand that this issue is not cut-and-dried, just start singing chant in the Mass, easy-breezy. There are so many complications, and unfortunately, music is a very very very low priority issue in the Church today.

 

[Phemie]

The reality in my parish is that we have two retired elementary school teachers leading a unison choir of mostly music illiterates (the reality for most people in the pew including yours truly). These two teachers strum guitars and one occasionally plays the accordion, an instrument she picked up a few years ago. Recent additions to the instrumentation include tambourine and sticks.

Hymns are chosen from our CBW II & III and sometimes from the old paperback Glory & Praise booklets published in the late 60s, early 70s, because that’s what they are comfortable with. Chant is not even on their radar, the closest they’ve ever come is Taizé’s “Jesus Remember Me”, done once a year during the Veneration of the Cross.

There is no organist anywhere in my small town. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever been in a parish where we had a trained organist, not even in the pre-Vatican II parish where I grew up. We have had people play the organ but they were people who’d studied piano and used that training to play the organ.

I know exactly one trained organist, the son of classmates of mine, a man in his late 30s. He came from a very musical family background but he’s probably the first in his family to actually study music. He earns his living doing admin work at a Community College.

He, like my brothers and I, grew up surrounded by music: there wasn’t a party or family gathering without instruments or sing-alongs but nobody had any formal training, all the musicians played by ear.

 

[Tigg]

It seems to me that you are contradicting yourself.

You say that preference should have little influence on the music/liturgy of the Mass.

But then you express your preference, stating that YOU have never heard the harmonica played reverently, and that YOU would not associate that instrument with what is sacred.

So YOUR preference should be taken into account, but not the preference of others?

And yes, the liturgy should be what God wants. But who decides what God wants? The Church has said that the organ should be used in the Mass, but what is an organ? It is an instrument in which air passes through various tubes (or this can also be duplicated electronically). That’s what a harmonica is, but it’s not as big and there are not as many tubes.

QUOTE]

Let’s look at the bigger picture here. The Catechism states, " The main reason for this pre-eminence [of music] is that, as a combination of sacred music and words, it forms a necessary or integral part of solemn liturgy." I see no contradiction in what I said (that the music should be worthy of the Eucharist) and the description in the catechism which uses the descriptives “sacred and solemn.” I read an article which stated the point of sacred music though, is not to make us feel good (the personal preference part) but that it accompanies the church’s rites to bring us beyond our own emotions and experiences to a transcendent experience of the divine.

The important thing to remember is that the territorial authority (the bishop and the priests) have the authority from the Church to make decisions about the music in their parishes, and if the priest in this situation decided that a harmonica is appropriate for the Mass, then we should not allow our personal preference to undermine what the priest has decided. We don’t have to like it, but we shouldn’t try to say that it’s somehow inappropriate./

 

[Tigg]

It seems to me that you are contradicting yourself.

You say that preference should have little influence on the music/liturgy of the Mass.

But then you express your preference, stating that YOU have never heard the harmonica played reverently, and that YOU would not associate that instrument with what is sacred.

So YOUR preference should be taken into account, but not the preference of others?

And yes, the liturgy should be what God wants. But who decides what God wants? The Church has said that the organ should be used in the Mass, but what is an organ? It is an instrument in which air passes through various tubes (or this can also be duplicated electronically). That’s what a harmonica is, but it’s not as big and there are not as many tubes.

Let’s look at the bigger picture here. The Catechism states, " The main reason for this pre-eminence [of music] is that, as a combination of sacred music and words, it forms a necessary or integral part of solemn liturgy." I see no contradiction in what I said (that the music should be worthy of the Eucharist) and the description in the catechism which uses the words “sacred and solemn.” It is argued that the point of sacred music though, is not to make us feel good (the personal preference part) but that it “accompanies the church’s rites to bring us beyond our own emotions and experiences to a transcendent experience of the divine.”

The important thing to remember is that the territorial authority (the bishop and the priests) have the authority from the Church to make decisions about the music in their parishes, and if the priest in this situation decided that a harmonica is appropriate for the Mass, then we should not allow our personal preference to undermine what the priest has decided. We don’t have to like it, but we shouldn’t try to say that it’s somehow inappropriate.

Okay, let’s see here. In a former parish our pastor would periodically invite a mariachi band to sing at our most well attended Mass. The leader of the group would turn to the congregation and blow her trumpet at us to encourage us to sing and clap along. And yes…I would occasionally experience the vibration of foot tapping along with the music. It was a thinly disguised concert and although they were quite good, I would have preferred to be in a hall to hear them as the group became the focus instead of the Sacrifice. Was that appropriate music? It was subjectively chosen.

I think Archbishop Alexander Sample should be given the assignment to tour U.S. parishes. He, in his own right, is an expert on liturgical music. For those interested, here is what the church really says about music at Mass.

catholicnewsagency.com/news/bishop-finds-sacred-music-essential-for-liturgy/

 

[JakeWI]

So… without saying “Nope, Harmonica cannot be used”. I will go with the… “it depends on how it is played”. I have never heard it used before, so I cannot say whether or not it would sound fitting, if played correctly. In conversations with our director of music, she was even discussing potentially teaching youth how to play guitar in a sacred, beautiful way for Mass. Meaning playing it as a classical guitar and not as a folk band. I haven’t heard it played this way in Mass yet, but searched out classical guitar online to listen to some works played this way… and it is beautiful. I am guessing harmonica could indeed be played this way too.

In regards to learning the organ, I have seen a few Catholic churches in our area that have had young men, around my age and potentially younger, playing the organ. It isn’t a huge amount, but definitely promising to see, including a young man at our own Parish. I asked my wife for a keyboard for Christmas so I could relearn the keys of a piano and playing music (which I haven’t done in years). My goal is eventually to learn the organ and to help out when needed there as well. Baby steps, however… baby steps…

 

[ProVobis]

And then there’s that pesky megachurch down the street from the Catholic parish–you know, the one that attracts a 10th of the population of the city every Sunday?!

Ah, yes, that old go “with the crowd” phenomenon. Didn’t they even write a song about it? “Take me out to the ball game… take me out WITH THE CROWD.” It’s amazing very few know the exact words to the song but they sing it anyway. Why? Because the crowd is doing it. Never mind the Cubs have lost over 100 more games in the last five years than they’ve won. They still draw millions every year. But it’s the crowd and they must be right.

Point is, they’re not always right.

 

[Cat]

Ah, yes, that old go “with the crowd” phenomenon. Didn’t they even write a song about it? “Take me out to the ball game… take me out WITH THE CROWD.” It’s amazing very few know the exact words to the song but they sing it anyway. Why? Because the crowd is doing it. Never mind the Cubs have lost over 100 more games in the last five years than they’ve won. They still draw millions every year. But it’s the crowd and they must be right.

Point is, they’re not always right.

I don’t think people attend a megachurch because they are following a crowd. Many people attend a megachurch because they want to stay anonymous and blend in and not not be approached to join a small group or volunteer for a committee or come to a fellowship night or whatever. They just want to sit at a little table (where there is no room for anyone but them), sip coffee, and listen to the video sermon and the excellent gospel music, and not say hi to anyone and not make friends with anyone and go home and not worry that someone will call them and ask them if they would like to meet with the pastor. NO, they don’t want to meet with the pastor! They just want to be left alone and enjoy the music.

 

[27lw]

I think everyone who cares enough to post about this topic is frustrated! I hear the frustration in just about every post. Some of us are involved with the music aspect of liturgy, and some of us are just concerned parishioners.
I guess the question is, how to make things get better? Some here are admirably and personally involved with trying to improve the quality of music. I guess the main frustration is because often it seems that the people in charge (priest / parish committees / music directors) stand in the way of change for various reasons. I wish that bishops would set certain standards / guidelines across the board, so people wouldn’t feel as inclined to parish-hop when the music changes. If the music is changing the same way at all parishes, there’s no incentive to go to St. Rockin’ Out across town. Just my hopeless idea. Maybe St. Jude can help me out!

 

[quies]

My thoughts???..I’ve never heard the harmonica played reverently, nor would I associate that instrument with what is sacred…

Actually, there are lots of examples of classical fugues, etudes, etc.on the Web performed by harmonicists with and without ensembles and philharmonic orchestras.

 

[Cat]

I think everyone who cares enough to post about this topic is frustrated! I hear the frustration in just about every post. Some of us are involved with the music aspect of liturgy, and some of us are just concerned parishioners.
I guess the question is, how to make things get better? Some here are admirably and personally involved with trying to improve the quality of music. I guess the main frustration is because often it seems that the people in charge (priest / parish committees / music directors) stand in the way of change for various reasons. I wish that bishops would set certain standards / guidelines across the board, so people wouldn’t feel as inclined to parish-hop when the music changes. If the music is changing the same way at all parishes, there’s no incentive to go to St. Rockin’ Out across town. Just my hopeless idea. Maybe St. Jude can help me out!

This is a good post and I’m glad to see the recognition of a frustration level among music-loving Catholics. I have been frustrated about the lack of attention paid to this issue in the U.S. Catholics are more likely to hear a homily or read an article about masturbation than music. (Maybe if we were all learning to play the organ, we would have less inclination and time for masturbation, and I do not mean that to be a pun.)

But we have to be careful about asking the bishops to establish standards for music and publish “hit lists” of forbidden songs/hymns/composers/instruments.

They have a whole world to shepherd, and should they decide to eliminate certain styles of music, certain songs, certain instruments, etc., they could well condemn many parishes to a music-less Mass, and this could result in massive attrition from the Church. The bishops would have to answer for this to the Lord someday.

I just finished reading an excellent history of Mexico and Our Lady of Guadalupe. One of the things that stood out in this book was the description of what happened after Our Lady visited Juan Diego and the news of miracle spread and 9 million Mexicans were baptized. The Catholic Church in Mexico started looking “Mexican,” including distinctly Mexican music.

Many of us would have a difficult time with Mexican music in our Mass (unless we are Mexican!). But Our Lady apparently approved and continued to bless Mexico! That’s pretty powerful “evidence” that white, European, Gregorian chant in Latin is not the only music that God loves in the Mass. We really, really need to be careful not to try to speak for God. Our bishops have done well to give very general guidelines that can be used to include almost any style of music and almost any instrument, including the lowly harmonica.

I’m actually tempted to write a little children’s book about “The Harmonica Who Wanted To Play at Mass.”

 

[Oneofthewomen]

Would this be appropriate use of the harmonica at Mass?

 

[Mark121359]

I would not like an electric guitar playing in “lead” style,

Yeah right. I can almost picture Jimmy Page with his Gibson double neck whaling away next to the Tabernacle. (which seems to be pushed off to the side nowadays…but that’s another thread.) Guitar, bass, harmonica, violin, drums?..Now I know why I prefer the TLM!!!

Peace, Mark