New Mass Music

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On a humorous note, perhaps the best way to judge modern worship music is the american bandstand approach, good beat, easy to sing, and you can dance to it.

Our pastor has banned any song that puts the words of the deity in the singers’ mouths. I would settle for any music that is reverent, appropriate for congregational singing, relates to the liturgical season and its place in the Mass, makes no major theological boo-boos, and is something the available musicians and cantors can handle.
Corpus Christi Cathedral has the most awesome choirs, schola cantorum, huge mixed voice choir, children’s choir, we try to travel there especially for holidays when I am not busy in the parish, they also have a Christmas program and special programs throughout the year. Check link to their website on masstimes.com and if you are any where in SE Tex make it a point to visit, well worth the trip to see what a beautiful thing Mass can be, entire celebration is worthy and beautiful.
 
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asquared:
On a humorous note, perhaps the best way to judge modern worship music is the american bandstand approach, good beat, easy to sing, and you can dance to it.
Our pastor has banned any song that puts the words of the deity in >the singers’ mouths.
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By that do you mean you can’t sing the Our Father ?
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LarryM:
Tom,

I’m not sure if what you describe is all that different from what we do here.

We use instruments to accompany the congregation and/or choir, and the instruments do not overpower the singing. That’s just good musicianship.
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What happens when the music is underpowered ?
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Chris-WA:
I’ve lived in many parishes across the country, and I’ve heard a lot of inappropriate music at Mass. The worst by far is “the rock band” approach. I was at a Mass in Gilbert, AZ and I couldn’t believe what I was hearing–loud drums, electric guitars, etc. None of the music was out of the missal. QUOTE]

That’s known as the MTV Mass. Its suppose to attract teens.
Words don’t matter as long as you can shake your booty.
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Being a former music director myself, of a small church, I feel that it is important that all music be geared towards the liturgy. Remember I am in Canada so we use the Catholic Book of Worship 1 and 2. I also used many other songs from the Holy is the Lord music book plus some from other composers like John Michael Talbot. The music should also be at the level of whom you are sharing it with. The biggest problem with choral music in my opinion is that many times it is geared for people who have a bit of music training. I use to play the guitar with an organist and I would ask her to drop it down an octave for many songs, I would notice that the majority of the people would be more willing to sing. Please note I have no problem with choirs but it is important for them to be in touch with the people. Fortunately the church I belong to has learned to do so.

I believe that with anything new you must put it to the test of not just how it sounds but also of making sure it has sound theology. Before I even look at the music I read the scriptures that are going to be read for the mass at hand. I would spend sometimes up to an hour of praying and preparing the music for the mass. The choir director in that small church who directed at the other masses would always play the same old standbys. In fact many times the music had nothing to do with the liturgy and there was many better songs that could have been used. I always like it when the music re-enforces what we have just read. I know it is not always possible but one should try.

I do miss leading the music at that church but unfortunately due to the liberalization of our diocese we had to go to a church that was more in line with the church. It really feels different being in the pew singing, it’s like my heart is not fully there as far as the music is concerned. But at least Christ is there.:yup:

Moe
 
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LarryM:
My parish has good, reverent liturgy, and excellent music.

**WOW…I’m turning GREEN **with envy :yup:. Do you have any idea of how lucky you guys are?
Our three-thousand family parish has a terrible music program…the Music Director just does not exert himself. I used sing, but just gave up…Now I sing with the choir in my husband’s church…They do only special things…A Praise Team does the weekly music leading. So, it isn’t any truoble to sing with them several times a year, and get my fix for good music. No one cares that I am a Catholic…and I get to do some pretty awesome stuff…
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I chose “sacred and holy” but wished this was a square-box poll so I could have picked “soul-stirring” also. Back when I was healthy I used to sing in a parish choir where several prolific Catholic composers beta-tested their newest compositions ---- that’s a truly different perspective on the music! Now I attend Mass at our cathedral, excellent musicians, careful chioces of music, enthusiastic choirs, and psalmists who enunciate; they truly set the diocese a good example.

karen marie
 
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kmknapp:
I chose “sacred and holy” but wished this was a square-box poll so I could have picked “soul-stirring” also. Back when I was healthy I used to sing in a parish choir where several prolific Catholic composers beta-tested their newest compositions ---- that’s a truly different perspective on the music! Now I attend Mass at our cathedral, excellent musicians, careful chioces of music, enthusiastic choirs, and psalmists who enunciate; they truly set the diocese a good example.

karen marie
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Our Cathedral is the MTV band. They have a buch of guitars, and they change the words of the prayers. The church I am going to is small and does not use the proper type of chalice for the Euchrist,but on the Assumption of Mary for example, Ave Maria was soloed during communion in beutiful tenor. We do sing hymns like ehymnal.com/holy.shtml (Holy, Holy, Holy); ehymnal.com/eternal.shtml (Eternal Father, Stong To Save); cyberhymnal.org/htm/a/b/abidewme.htm (Abide With Me); and at patriotic days many times treefort.org/~rgrogan/web/flagmusic.htm (God Bless America). Our priest is a Veitnam Army Chaplain, and veteran, He loves patriotism and always prays for our soldiers. About the former links and song, click on them. Solemn hymns such as theese I see no problem with. I love them and when I become a priest will have such hymns during Mass, as well as Traditional Hymns. What I have a problem with is the rock. I am an organ man. Give me the organ and piano over the drums and guitars any day. I love rock music but not at Mass!
 
Does anybody have an idea why the Church doesn’t have more stringent guidelines for appropriate music at Mass? The current guidance seems pretty nebulous. Obviously, music can be a gray area, but there are some forms which are obviously way out of line–the rock band (MTV) mass for instance.
 
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Chris-WA:
Does anybody have an idea why the Church doesn’t have more stringent guidelines for appropriate music at Mass? The current guidance seems pretty nebulous. Obviously, music can be a gray area, but there are some forms which are obviously way out of line–the rock band (MTV) mass for instance.
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There are some fairly good guide lines but many bishops in North America seem to have their own ideas or don’t enforce them. Often they leave them up to “expert” committees that dream up these shenanigans.
 
I am lucky enough to be a member of a church that has modern masses and old fashioned high masses. I choose to go to the old fashioned masses, particularly those in Latin. However, the modern massess are more popular, they attract extremely large crowds - so I guess that the music does something for them.

Ollie.
 
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olliekeenan:
I am lucky enough to be a member of a church that has modern masses and old fashioned high masses. I choose to go to the old fashioned masses, particularly those in Latin. However, the modern massess are more popular, they attract extremely large crowds - so I guess that the music does something for them.

Ollie.
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How do they work a mix like that ?
 
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kmktexas:
I don’t really fit any of the choice. My answer would be that the music used in our parish is DANGEROUS. We use one of the mainstream missal company’s music issue.

As an example, our Music leader is fond of a song that sings about how tha Church is an empty building until the people come in. This is a direct denial of the Real Presence! The second verse is worse.

The tunes may be catchy or even beautiful. Some are just boring but most are ok as melodies. It’s the words that destroy them.

Can you guess that this is a sore point for me? I used to love the music at Mass. I love to sing. Now I am so sad.
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Oh and to add to this we get that dreadful applause for the band!:banghead:
 
I think I said this on another thread, but it doesn’t matter to me what the instruments are as long as they are well played and melodic. What irritates me is the “gender neutral” lyrics we have to suffer with.

For pity’s sake-if God is Our Father then God should be referred to in song as He, Him etc . My feminity isn’t at all threatened by the use of the male pronoun in liturgical music. I’m made of way sterner stuff than to be offended by the use of a male pronoun/reference.

Who started this? Songs that used to have some meaning have become insipid with all of the inclusiveness.

joy
 
Appalling. They should just quit and we could worship in silence. It is terrible quality. There are one or two good ones…Shine Jesus Shine anyone? 😃 😉
 
I wish the songs would be played and sung as written by the composers. What annoys me is the classic hymns written for organ sung by pop combos using synthesizers, electric guitars and drums, or contemporary music written with a strong beat played at half speed by a sloooow organist. Suit the choice of music to the abilities of the cantor, choir and congregation and to the instruments available. There is nothing to choose between an untalented organist or pianist and an untalented rock star wannabee.
 
John of Woking:
Appalling. They should just quit and we could worship in silence. It is terrible quality. There are one or two good ones…Shine Jesus Shine anyone? 😃 😉
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What about a spoken congregational Mass instead of a sing along.
Not everyone is wired to be a singer or arm waving extrovert.
One for the introverted 🙂
 
the new music we are preparing for Advent is great, kyrie in greek, latin sanctus and agnus dei, crucem tuam and other chants, our new youth choir is pioneering this and they have a great leader and really getting into it. Oddly enough, many of them sing in public school choirs which often practice classical sacred music as part of their education, but have never heard latin chant in their Catholic church. go figure.
 
If you are in the Tampa Bay area drop in.

**CLASSICAL MUSIC CONCERT

“Gregorian Chant – Mass for the Fourth Sunday of Advent”

Florida Pro Musica opens its 2004-2005 season with a performance of
Gregorian Chant: “Mass for the Fourth Sunday of Advent.”

Relax from the hectic stresses of the holiday season, and soak in the
contemplative sounds of this 1,000 year old music - an hour of Gregorian
Chant in the beautiful Sacred Heart Church in downtown Tampa. Under the
direction of Larry Kent.

When: Sunday, December 19 at 4:00 p.m.

Where: Sacred Heart Church, 509 Florida Avenue, Tampa, Florida 33602

Tickets: $15 General - $12 Seniors (65 & over) - $5 Students
**

http://www.floridapromusica.com/FPM-Sacred-Heart-2a.jpg
 
One question about Sacred Heart in Tampa: does the music director really not want the congregation to sing?

I travel constantly, and I am in Tampa on a Sunday a couple of times a year, going back to 1989. Mr. Kent is an excellent organist, and I dearly love that he always choses a balance of traditional vs. new music. But invariably, at least when I’m there, belting out one of my favourite Anglican anthems (there is an Imprimatur at the front of the hymnal so don’t complain) he takes off improvising halfway through the second verse, leaving the melody far away in the dust.

Now when I’m in Tampa I go to Corpus Christi.
 
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