So, to be clear, you would rather have someone sing/play the organ a piece about the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist when they actually don’t believe it…instead of reverent believers who don’t use the organ?
Cat’s post summed up several great points that I won’t bother repeating. The points speak for themselves for the most part. Your comment about Protestants is interesting, as we’ve cribbed Sacred Music from protestants for ages. And of course, there’s also the issue that the Church has always been influenced by secular music throughout the years, whether people like to admit it or not. For example, in the early Church we used primary Jewish style music, however eventually Greek influences started to be integrated. Now we’re seeing the same thing, with more modern instruments being taken in. Over the years we’ve seen music evolve in the Church with the organ being introduced and women being permitted to sing. Which has come a long way from people used to have issues with any music at all.
Music is language, and all languages evolve.
And finally, with all due respect, just because someone is alright (or prefers) with contemporary music at Mass does not automatically mean they have not been exposed to Sacred Music in a “genuine” sense. Do we need to start prefacing all of our posts with our musical resume so we’ll be taken seriously? But since Cat broke the ice already…
The letters you see in my signature are certifications from Microsoft, Cisco, and CompTIA. For those who don’t know, they’re computer certifications for IT Personnel and are often needed to get jobs in the field. I went back to school to take those exams, and I’m finishing up within the next week or so. But this isn’t the first time I went to school.
From a technical stand point, I understand things about music. In my “past life” I graduated from TV - Broadcasting, specializing in video editing and doing sound in a live (and studio) environment. To be truly exceptional in doing live sound, you need a good ear. You need to be able to catch acoustics, harmonies, resonances. You need to catch frequencies that most people can’t, frequencies that are within the range of the human ear, but most people can’t catch. You need to be able to adjust different audio levels, balance the channels on the board so there’s a proper mix. It’s hard, unless you have a good natural ear and a natural intuition for it, and it is without being boastful I can say with confidence that I had (and still do) both the ear and the skills. Good enough to do it for a living, even. So the “sublime” you speak of, the “subtleties”, I can hear all of those with ease.
From a historical stand point, I understand things. My wife is a double major, vocal performance and composition. She has, for several years, been constant with her studies in the classical music scene. Over the time I have known her I have learned much about musical history, either through her or through wanting to better understand what she loves.
From a musician stand point, I understand things. I started playing drums at Church, and God continues to work in me to help me improve. Rhythm, timing, beats, volume, sound, all of it comes together in a natural blend thanks to the Lord.
From a participation stand point, I understand things. I have heard some great pieces of Sacred Music. I have been to the local Sacred Music Society’s concerts. I have been to our city’s orchestra. I have been to my wife’s concerts and heard her original Sacred Music scores. I have heard her talk about what she teaches the kids at her school. I live close by the Basilica that does a High Mass who has a wonderful priest and a talented organ player. I have been exposed to great, genuine Sacred Music that from a technical standpoint was well done.
Yet I still enjoy contemporary music at Mass, and will continue to play drums at them. I travel an hour plus to get to my parish when the High Mass is about 10 minutes away. On some Sundays I go to both, other Sundays only my parish. I know you might have trouble with this, but like Cat said earlier it is possible that people can think contemporary music is “sublime, solemn, majestic and dignified”. You might find this also hard to believe, but you can do this with contemporary instruments as well. I know this because, praise the Lord, people actually have described our music it in some of those words. Everything you describe about Sacred Music, we’ve been told ourselves after Mass every so often.
Your belief that people “haven’t been exposed to genuine Sacred Music” has now been refuted by two separate people with two different backgrounds. And even if it hasn’t it really boils down to one’s taste and attitude going into Mass. If you go in thinking “Sacred Music is horrible” you won’t give it a chance. If you go in thinking “contemporary music shouldn’t be done at Mass” then you probably won’t like it. It’s very subjective because music is a subjective subject. And since you are often discussing points that are very subjective, as some will disagree with you on it (just as some will disagree with your affinity to the Latin Rite and some will disagree with my Franciscan Spirituality).
The documents you have provided give food for thought, and we all thank you for them. But your subjective opinions are not necessarily to be treated as fact, as obviously some people will simply disagree. To use a food analogy; it’s as if might you might be lactose intolerant, but someone else can drink that milk for calcium.
