Music to fill silent times during Mass

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DenRat

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We have a talented (and very nice) young man who plays the organ and piano for our masses. He plays beautifully. However, if there is any silence during Mass he seems compelled to continue playing the piano after the hymn is complete to fill the silence. Sometimes it’s before Mass begins; after the collection/presentation of gifts hymn while the priest prepares the gifts; after communion while the vessles are being cleaned and put away; starts up communion hymn early as the priest receives communion.

I find it annoying. There are times when silence to reflect on receiving the Lord in Eucharist or preparing to receive him is disrupted by piano playing.

I was reading the thread about applause at Mass (which some have given him and the choir, usually after the Christmas or Easter season) and this came to mind. Am I being too much of a fuddy-duddy?

Denise
 
If you’re a fuddy-duddy, so am I. I don’t see anything wrong with silence, in fact I like it. Our choir doesn’t like silence much either. During the middle part of the the Our Father, they do a “ooohhh-ooohhh” thing that sounds hollywoody to to & nearly drowns out Father.
 
No, I don’t think you are a fuddy-duddy. I think it’s personal preference.

I get up at 5am every Sunday just to attend the Mass without any music. I appreciate the reverance that silence brings. The silence helps me focus and reduces distractions.
 
There are many times where silence is very appropriate in the church. You should talk to your pastor about this.
 
OK, I’ll vote for the music! Our organist is literally one of the most talented on the East Coast (recitalist, etc.), and he can just pick up a melody and develop it into something beautiful! My heart just jumps in and rides along. I love it. I also love silence, and I will admit that not every moment is filled with music. That might indeed be too much. But I do like it when he fills the time of the offertory and Communion with an improvisation after the hymn is complete. If he ever plays background music during the Eucharistic Prayer, however, we’ll have to have serious words!

Betsy
 
Oh, yes! Let’s hear it (quietly) for silence! :clapping: I especially wish we could have silence instead of a Communion hymn. I want to pray, not sing. The hymn distracts me. But I think I might be a fuddy-duddy.
 
I’m not ashamed to be a fuddy-duddy. The silence should be left there to give people time to contemplate God. I find few things more irksome than a music director who insists on having a hymn after Communion.
 
I get up at 5am every Sunday just to attend the Mass without any music.
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You mean you’re totally opposed to any kind of music in Mass-including the parts where you sing? I don’t think there’s really anything wrong with that, but wasn’t it written in the Bible or something that singing was like praying twice? My dad usually says that a lot anyway, but even so I still wouldn’t let my voice be heard singing. I’m sure if Simon (that guy on American Idol) were to hear it, he’d probably blow up in frustration at how terrible and untalented of a singer I am! 😃 Which would probably work out to be most convenient for many! 😛
 
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Max:
You mean you’re totally opposed to any kind of music in Mass-including the parts where you sing? I don’t think there’s really anything wrong with that, but wasn’t it written in the Bible or something that singing was like praying twice?
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No, I don’t oppose ALL music during Mass, but truth be told, I probably oppose most of the modern music. I do enjoy many of the older hymns, though. I appreciate music during the processional and recessional. And I love hearing the Latin High Mass sung – it’s angelic.

What I find distracting is having to sing for most of the responses – the Lord have mercy, Gloria, responsorial Psalm, Alleluia and Amen. I would rather speak these responses/prayers. The prayers are more meaningful to me when I speak rather than when I am singing; I guess it’s because I can concentrate on the words easier. And certainly, as others have posted, I do not like singing after Communion – that is most distracting.

I’m sure it’s personal preference for I, too, would not make it very far on American Idol. :whistle:
 
If you have an organist such as ours, they KNOW when it is appropriate to play and when not to. But I agree, I do like time that is quiet to pray and meditate. I love organ music, but it can be overdone. God bless
 
Well, it happened again at the Saturday vigil Mass. About 10 minutes before mass and until Mass started the organist and the 2 teen cantors were practicing quietly in the choir loft. (But it was distracting). Sister leads the rosary before mass and as soon as she is done I like to pray silently to prepare myself for Mass. While this practicing was going on I happened to notice a woman kneeling in prayer with her head in her hands, covering her ears, seemingly in an effort to concentrate on her prayers.

The song at the presentation of the gifts was Let There Be Peace on Earth. Since it’s an oldie and many people know it, it was sung enthusiastically. However, it’s only one verse and the sone is over. It can be repeated but the timing was such that when the gifts made it to the altar we reached the end of the song. Instead of stopping, he continued to play it again. Father prepared the gifts, washed his hands, straightened out the altar cloth, counted a few hosts into the pyx for the choir and stood there waiting for the music to stop before the Eucharistic Prayer.

I’m just venting. I don’t know if I want to start a big case about this at our small church. We need to be more united.

Denise
 
Be still and know that I’m God.

Some of the best advice I ever found
in the bible.
 
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