Holy and Beautiful Music

  • Thread starter Thread starter ajpirc
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
You’re right, hehe, thank goodness I changed! Did you here her new song? Judas or something? I think it’s horrible the way she puts Jesus in a song like that! It’s crazy! Anyone agree?:eek:
 
I think teens like that sort of music because it relates to “now” times. I LOVE the song Manifesto! I also like the song about Jesus walking a lonesome valley, I don’t know what it is called, though. It’s in my Church quior book.
 
I think that there are so many references in the Psalms about singing to the Lord that there is a wide variety of music that would be appropriate. If it can add to your Christian experience while giving praise to God, I believe that it is a good thing.

As a classically-trained musician, I may be a little more open to it. Gregorian chant, though, can be a little arduous for many. It also marked the evolution of music at that time. As time passed, music changed. Much of the history of music is tied to the Catholic church. They gave allowances of what was and was not acceptable. In time, instrumental ensembles were allowed. Gradually, Gregorian chant was left behind, and music that was more ornate and of aesthetically greater grandeur took its place.

Naturally, older music still has its place both in the church and the secular world. Otherwise, professional orchestras would not exist. I just think that, with the passage of time, more progressive forms of music have slowly made their place. Years from now, what seems now as progressive will appear old-fashioned.
 
DElias said:
Gradually, Gregorian chant was left behind, and music that was more ornate and of aesthetically greater grandeur took its place.
Click to expand...
Gregorian chant is STILL the music proper to the Roman Liturgy, (you are referring to music within the liturgy, correct?). Also, if you are referring to liturgical music, I would like to know what you mean by “aesthetically greater grandeur”, as in my experience, the music that has “replaced” the Gregorian chant has been banal at best.
 
What about other types of chant, like Ambrosian, Celtic, or Byzantine?:rolleyes: Personally, I abhor Christian Rock, I much prefer well thought out compositions, like those of Anton Bruckner, or the poly-choral composers of the early baroque. I don’t tend to like chant without the proper acoustics and a good schola, and even then, only with some sort of harmony, like organum, polyphony, or even a drone (so long as the drone isn’t obnoxious), or if the chant is in laid inside a larger work. I’m sorry, but mono-phonic chant is just boring. We have to remember, that in the early Middle Ages, music had but two purposes: dancing/entertainment, and liturgical (of which wasn’t anything more than pitches attached to the words). Music was not considered art, and was, quite frankly, emotionless and void of any real care or thought of quality. It wasn’t until the later Middle Ages and the Renaissance that people started putting much thought into music (because they started to realize that the music was for God himself, and thus deserved their best creative effort). Music was finally art, and while chant was the basis of most music, nobody wrote straight up chant anymore

Then rock came and killed music again…:rolleyes:
 
E.E.N.S said:
Gregorian chant is STILL the music proper to the Roman Liturgy, (you are referring to music within the liturgy, correct?). Also, if you are referring to liturgical music, I would like to know what you mean by “aesthetically greater grandeur”, as in my experience, the music that has “replaced” the Gregorian chant has been banal at best.
Click to expand...
I believe that what you are thinking is a take on thematic grandeur. I am not claiming that there is greater spiritual significance with contemporary music. The additional harmonies as well as the way they are used alongside the complexities of rhythmic structures gives an impression of greater grandeur. Think of it like comparing blue grass to a John Williams movie theme.

Gregorian chant was created during an early period of music. Music before this was even more simplistic. Along the same lines, music of today makes the chant of yesteryear seem quite simple both structurally and harmonically. Music slowly evolved in the church since that time eventually leading us to what is available today. My argument is that, considering the commonality of the themes, contemporary music holds its place just as well as Gregorian chant.
 
DElias said:
Gregorian chant was created during an early period of music. Music before this was even more simplistic. Along the same lines, music of today makes the chant of yesteryear seem quite simple both structurally and harmonically. Music slowly evolved in the church since that time eventually leading us to what is available today. My argument is that, considering the commonality of the themes, contemporary music holds its place just as well as Gregorian chant.
Click to expand...
Gregorian Chant gets its name from Pope Gregory the Great, who under his supervision, organized structured already existing chants and probably added some more, for the use in the liturgy. The history of the chants of the Church go back to the music that was used in the synagogue in Jewish prayer.
 
hoop0826 said:
Gregorian Chant gets its name from Pope Gregory the Great, who under his supervision, organized structured already existing chants and probably added some more, for the use in the liturgy. The history of the chants of the Church go back to the music that was used in the synagogue in Jewish prayer.
Click to expand...
Sorry for the shameless plug, but I’ve addressed this a few posts ago, and also, in my own blog). Long story short, while popular tradition has it that Pope St. Gregory the Great was to credit for what we know as ‘Gregorian’ chant, the discovery of a more ancient chant tradition known as Old Roman chant, which does bear some affinity to Gregorian chant but is clearly distinct from it, in the late 19th century (and which was not given proper attention until only the mid-20th century!) has put this idea to the test.

Small trivia: among the hundreds of medieval manuscripts of Gregorian chant, there is not one which is known to have been used or written at Rome before the mid-13th century, and the very few sources of definite Roman origin which date from before that period contain similar material to that of Gregorian books, but are different from a melodic point of view. The irony is, there was no surviving Gregorian manuscript in use at Rome before that period; all that we have are chant-books of the Old Roman type! 😉
 
ajpirc said:
What happened to Catholics listening to Gregorian Chants? The only type of music that Catholics are listening to now is that Christian rock and modern Christian music. In my opinion, this is the farthest religious music from holiness (it’s not very beautiful either). I feel as though I am one of the only Catholics still proud of our holy, beautiful, and trditional Gregorian Chants (and I’m only 16). I never knew the traditional Church. If anyone else feels the same way, please reply.
Click to expand...
You are not alone. I have the same feeling about these musics at Mass. I refuse to sing them too.
The Gregorian Chant has its roots in Judaism and should have not been dropped to suit the modernists who impose their will and not God’s will in the Church. I pray for the return soon.
I believe that the Chants lift our spirit to God in adoration and it is pleasing to God since He gave them to the Jews and to the Church. The tunes of the chant represents the cry of the our suffering souls in this world and our crying for God’s help. Suffering because that is what has always being among the people of God. His people carries a burden of suffering because of the world’s rejection towards God and His people. And today, we can see how much God’s people are suffering because of the sins commited agaisnt God all around us. we need them back really soon. Crying out to God pleases Him.
 
E.E.N.S said:
Gregorian chant is STILL the music proper to the Roman Liturgy, (you are referring to music within the liturgy, correct?). Also, if you are referring to liturgical music, I would like to know what you mean by “aesthetically greater grandeur”, as in my experience, the music that has “replaced” the Gregorian chant has been banal at best.
Click to expand...
Agreed.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top