Music Question

[hk102003]

I know I’ve seen that there are some people on the forums that do not like the use of more recent Christian music in the mass such as Breathe or Here I Am To Worship. My question is even if you don’t like the music in the mass do you like it at all? I just wanted to see what people thought about this.

 

[NWUArmyROTC]

I like the Contemporary Christian Praise and Worship music, and some of the non-praise and worship Christian Music. Even though they occasionally suffer from bad theology, they are listenable and I do enjoy 'em.

Definitely a fan of Rebecca St. James, Nicole Nordeman, Michael W. Smith and Mercyme.

 

[NWUArmyROTC]

Oh, I forgot to answer your questions. I don’t think it really belongs in the Mass. Maybe some of the praise music (with correct theology) could fit in Life Teen, but I’ve never been to a Life Teen, so I really don’t know what goes on there.

 

[bquinnan]

I think Tom Booth is a brilliant songwriter. I love “I Will Choose Christ” as a song. I just really don’t think his style of music belongs in the Mass. There is a singer named Tatiana Cameron whose singing I love but who does many songs that wouldn’t fit a Mass well (although she does do some chanting). Renee Bondi is another.

My musical taste ranges from classical to country to jazz to rock ‘n’ roll. But the Mass has a very special purpose and I don’t believe ordinary music achieves that end. Movie music directors seem to know this – they don’t give us a standard pop number when they are trying to sweep us out of our workaday world to witness something extraordinary.

 

[Desdemona]

hk102003:

I know I’ve seen that there are some people on the forums that do not like the use of more recent Christian music in the mass such as Breathe or Here I Am To Worship. My question is even if you don’t like the music in the mass do you like it at all? I just wanted to see what people thought about this.

Well, to put it bluntly, the more recent stuff is written badly. Musically, there’s not much redeeming about it. Jazz is a diffferent kettle of fish, but is not appropriate for Mass, IMO.

Chant flows better for worship, IMO. A cappella in a church with a vaulted ceiling and no carpet on the floor (for maximum reverbs) it sounds like a slice of Heaven. The sound carries upwards and just floats in the air.

 

[kmktexas]

I really enjoy contemporary Christian music - just not at Mass. When I was making my way back to the Church, ‘Breathe’ would bring me to tears each time I heard it. And Tom Booth’s ‘Be Forgiven’ is my favorite to put on in the car on the way to Confession. But once I am in Church, I want my focus on the altar, not on the beat.

By the way, I am not against singable music for Mass. Some people find all (or allmost all) congregational singing distracting. Not me. I am of the ‘singing is praying twice’ school.