As I’ve attended a few funerals and weddings at Protestant churches, the only piano I saw was at a small Baptist church. The others had grand organs played by very talented musicians. (You can find some of them on youtube.)
I find it interesting as Vatican II tried to promote the organ as the favored instrument for the Church. And hold it in high esteem, or something like that. Yet the Protestants seem to outdo the Catholics in that respect.
In evangelical churches nowadays, it is unusual to find the organ played during a worship service. My husband subscribed to a Christian worship magazine for a few years, and there were constant admonitions for churches to tear out the organ and replace it with more modern instruments and sound equipment.
Even a piano is unusual. What you are more likely to find is a Praise and Worship band. Sometimes it is a real “rock” band, but more often, it is “pop” rock.
You say you attended weddings and funerals with organ music played by talented musicians. Heads up–those musicians were probably hired by the family of the deceased, or by the bride and groom, because in spite of the modernization of the Protestant churches, many people still prefer old traditions when it comes to marrying and burying.
The hired musicians probably have no affiliation with that church. They may not have an affiliation with ANY church, but are professional musicians that play gigs wherever they can get them.
I would willingly play (piano) for weddings and funerals in non-Catholic fellowships, except that I work during the day, even on Saturdays, so it’s not worth putting my business card out there at this point in my life.
Some of the “high” Protestant churches, or “mainlines” still use a pipe organ, and spend a lot of money hiring an organist (who is usually the Music Director as well). You might see really good organ music at these churches. In fact, I’ve read articles in Protestant magazines and websites about how many classical musicians are leaving evangelical churches and heading towards either the Catholic Church, or the mainline denominations (Episcopalian, Lutheran, Reformed, Presbyterian, Methodist, Congregationalist, etc.).
Unfortunately–or maybe I should say, fortunately!–because of their liberal theology, many of these mainlines are loosing members by the tens of thousands. So at this point, some of these churches are actively courting the classical musicians so that they will have someone left to put some money in the offering plate and pay the electric bill!
There are still a few “hold-outs” in the evangelical world, though–churches that still don’t have a Praise and Worship group, that don’t do Praise and Worship choruses, and that still enjoy organ, piano, and orchestral instruments during their worship service. I know of one such church in my city, who had a young man named Scott Aniol as the Music Pastor. Here is a link to his website:
scottaniol.com/
Very different ideas than most evangelical church music ministers! Very very conservative.
). The dignity would along the lines of Trent, but the readings, prayers, etc would be according to V2.
I guess, though, much like the SSPX, you’re arguing that VII isn’t binding and we can pretty much ignore it because it’s only a list of non-obligatory suggestions. If that’s your position, fine, but I think that instead of simply embracing the anything-goes “Spirit of Vatican II,” we should probably read the documents and use them as the pastoral guidance they were intended to be.
