Music /practice before Mass

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In our Parish we have a piano/guitar and sometimes before Mass they practice in the sancutary really loud. Any thought about this. Ialways thought that it was supposed to be quiet so the people could pray and meditate.
 
Many, if not most, parishes have no place other than church to practice. Our church is very small and the choir must rehearse before Mass in the church itself. There is no parish hall or multi-purpose room. Because we have our regular rehearsal on Wednesdays, Sunday mornings we go over only one or two pieces as a warm up.

It’s not an ideal situation, but that’s the reality – that or no prepared music for the Mass itself.

'thann
 
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thann:
It’s not an ideal situation, but that’s the reality – that or no prepared music for the Mass itself.

'thann
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Another option is to have only a single organist and give him or her a key to the church so practice can occur any other time than before Mass.
 
I sing in my church’s choir, and hate the idea of practicing right in the church, either before or after Mass – I always feel it’s an intrusion on those who wish to pray quietly. Fortunately, we have a rehearsal room, and will go there on the occasions that we have to practice before or after Mass.

Another thing that bugs me (when I’m sitting with the congregation) is a music ministry that wants the congregation to “rehearse” something before Mass. I find that really distracting – I’d rather have the time before Mass to pray the rosary, or engage in other prayer, even if it means we (the congregation) will sing the responsorial psalm a little less well.
 
I’m not too fond of the piano music in the Mass, I like pipe organ myself. Guitar when done right is good too. I have been to Masses with flute as well.
 
I used to be church organist and played flute/sang in the choir. We had rehearsals in the evening during the week. At another church, we practiced before mass and I felt very uncomfortable with it. I think quiet organ music playing while people enter church is beautiful and very respectful of the occasion.

In short, practice/rehearsal should be at another time, perhaps in the evening during week so as not to take away from the reverence of the Mass.

God Bless
Giannawannabe
 
We try very hard to keep the church quiet in the 20 minutes before and 10 minutes after mass.

Our masses are scheduled 2 hours apart, so there is typically 45 mins to an hour between the end of one and the beginning of the next. The choirs rehearse during the week and do not warm up before mass. The setup for choirs and ensemble instrumentalists starts about 10 minutes after the end of one mass and ends 20 minutes before the next mass begins.
 
I agree that it is disruptive to those who wish to pray in silence when the musicians are practicing loudly.

I guess I am somewhat biased, as well. I would be more accepting of it if it were chant or organ, but the piano, guitar, drums, and regular singing just mess up my concentration.
 
Sunday is a time for public communial worship and not personal “quiet time” for prayer. (although it is most certainly allowed, the church is not reserved for this purpose on Sunday) It is the obligation for the music group or cantor to rehearse the music with the congregation prior to each liturgy. See Bishops documents “Music in Catholic Worship” and “Liturgical Music Today”. This being said there should silence observed just prior to the gathering song and several times during Mass. You can find exact placement for these moments of silence in the newly released GIRM.
 
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thebeadtwister:
Sunday is a time for public communial worship and not personal “quiet time” for prayer. (although it is most certainly allowed, the church is not reserved for this purpose on Sunday) It is the obligation for the music group or cantor to rehearse the music with the congregation prior to each liturgy. See Bishops documents “Music in Catholic Worship” and “Liturgical Music Today”. This being said there should silence observed just prior to the gathering song and several times during Mass. You can find exact placement for these moments of silence in the newly released GIRM.
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Wow. Since I have no desire to shell out money for either of the documents from the USCCB, can you tell me exactly where it says that music must be rehearsed directly prior to the celebration of the Mass? Of course one must rehearse the music–but not right before Mass. That directly conflicts with the dogmatic constitution on the sacred liturgy and the chirograph on sacred music promulgated by our late Holy Father.

When I took over as the music director at my parish last summer I made sure to meet with the singers/cantor AT LEAST the day before Mass. I made it very clear that any practicing going on in the sanctuary had to end when the first person came in, and that at least fifteen minutes would be devoted to either silence or soft organ playing (outside of Advent and Lent, mind you!). At first, the musicians didn’t like it. They were offended that I should rob them of their “practice time.” But eventually it hit them that maybe they should spend time preparing their hearts for the Holy Sacrifice instead of making a fruitless attempt to learn music that they never bothered to practice during the week. Perhaps this is a terribly rude thing to say, but I suspect that the music offered up at your parish probably doesn’t require a whole lot of practice time anyway.

As for your comment about the need for silence “just before the gathering song…” The moments prior to the singing of the Introit should be used to process the choir to the sanctuary if this is where they sing. The choir then sings the Introit as the priest and ministers approach and incense the altar. sigh I reeeeally hope that the new missal clarifies things…
 
I seems you have caught yourself up in a circle of rhetoric that you may not ever escape from. Let’s stick to full, active, participation. If your church perfers not to sing, which seems to be the case, then we will have to agree to disagree. The GIRM and the other two documents should cost you about $20 or you could do a little free research on the Bishops web site, but you might not like what you see since your mind has already been made up.
 
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thebeadtwister:
Sunday is a time for public communial worship and not personal “quiet time” for prayer. (although it is most certainly allowed, the church is not reserved for this purpose on Sunday) It is the obligation for the music group or cantor to rehearse the music with the congregation prior to each liturgy. See Bishops documents “Music in Catholic Worship” and “Liturgical Music Today”. This being said there should silence observed just prior to the gathering song and several times during Mass. You can find exact placement for these moments of silence in the newly released GIRM.
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Could you please provide links to the two documents you referred to? I searched the USCCB website and could not find them. Also, could you please define the span of time prior to Mass inferred by “just prior”?

The GIRM states:
Code: 
 45. Sacred silence also, as part of the celebration, is to be observed at the 
 designated times... 

 Even before the celebration itself, it is commendable that silence to be
 observed in the church, in the sacristy, in the vesting room, and in adjacent
 areas, so that all may dispose themselves to carry out the sacred action in a
 devout and fitting manner.
So please elaborate; Does “just prior” mean 30 seconds before the Processional? Is that enough time to dispose ourselves to carry out the sacred action in a devout and fitting manner? For me, it is not.

I fail to see why CatholicNerd would be disappointed to learn this. I found it reassuring.

The loud music prior to Mass is also an invitation for those who would disrespectfully talk to one another anyway to talk even louder. Of course, this just detracts further from the sacredness.

Before you accuse me of not singing, I sing every song during Mass at the prescribed times. I think it is so true that when we sing, we pray twice.
 
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thebeadtwister:
I seems you have caught yourself up in a circle of rhetoric that you may not ever escape from. Let’s stick to full, active, participation. If your church perfers not to sing, which seems to be the case, then we will have to agree to disagree. The GIRM and the other two documents should cost you about $20 or you could do a little free research on the Bishops web site, but you might not like what you see since your mind has already been made up.
Click to expand...
My “church” also happens to be your Church. My parish liturgies are conducted according to the norms of the IGMR (GIRM, if you prefer), thus our ordinaries, propers, readings, dialogues, and eucharistic canon are sung. Except on major feast days, the congregation joins us on the Kyrie, Gloria, Sanctus, Benedictus, and Agnus Dei. The Credo and Pater Noster are ALWAYS sung by all present in the church. We do have congregational hymns that are sung in addition to the propers of the Mass, as well as motets sung by the Schola. The result is a musical feast worthy to accompany the heavenly feast that is the Mass. And it’s 100% IGMR compliant! May I recommend a review of “Let’s take a tour of the IGMR!” ? christusvincit.blogspot.com/2005/03/lets-take-tour-of-igmr-part-i.html
 
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