Top choral director calls modern Church music 'ecclesiastical karaoke'

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He also criticized the practice of a lone cantor leading the singing in parishes.
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“The misuse of one booming voice behind a microphone, an ecclesiastical karaoke, seems to have killed off unified congregational singing.”
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Ya, that happens, more than I like with a couple of female vocalists we have.

But…

We have one man with a low baritone. He does such a great job. He tones his ability done, sings slow, and the organist slows down the pace. Everyone joins in. It’s great.

We have a side seating area at Church and people sitting there can’t see the projected words of the song (in the main part of the Church), his low & slow singing enables us to follow him - even without seeing the words of the song.
 
While the “karaoke” quip is amusing, the money quote is here (bolding mine):
The elected church music committees of the bishops’ conferences cannot have vested interests in promoting their own music, or type of music. This would be regarded as corrupt in any other field.
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He twists the knife, yes, but he also goes for the jugular.
 
Before this turns into “bash the cantor” I think the main problem is not cantors leading the assembly, but the horrible music we must try to sing and make singable for the congregation. Yes, I’m a cantor (professionally trained singer, all volunteer). I attempt to lead song prayerfully and to proclaim the psalm in a prayerful way. It’s not always easy. Thankfully, we have a singing congregation and one that is grateful to have people serving as cantors and choir members.
 
Why is it that the Mods don’t lock these sort of threads as opinion pieces?
 
JHow said:
As opposed to all the other threads that are full of sober academic debate? 🤷
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They lock all “opinion piece” articles in world news, VERY quickly. They seem rather lax in this forum.
 
Barbkw said:
Ya, that happens, more than I like with a couple of female vocalists we have.

But…

We have one man with a low baritone. He does such a great job. He tones his ability done, sings slow, and the organist slows down the pace. Everyone joins in. It’s great.

We have a side seating area at Church and people sitting there can’t see the projected words of the song (in the main part of the Church), his low & slow singing enables us to follow him - even without seeing the words of the song.
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I am sure that there will be churches in Hell and the one common denominator will be projected words & music on screens. I honestly thought that only Protestant churches did that…
 
Hboggs said:
I am sure that there will be churches in Hell and the one common denominator will be projected words & music on screens. I honestly thought that only Protestant churches did that…
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Oh, no, more and more Catholic churches are doing the same thing. I loathe it but some people think it’s the greatest thing since sliced bread: something about the people looking up rather than down into a hymnal.
 
Hboggs said:
I am sure that there will be churches in Hell and the one common denominator will be projected words & music on screens. I honestly thought that only Protestant churches did that…
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You could be quite right as I think this is a huge factor in desecrating my “sacred space.” We went to Mass out of town a couple of weekends ago and altho it was a small church, there were duplicate TV screens on each side of the altar! Just before the dismissal, I glanced up and there was such a pretty little mountain scene on the screen with animated water running thru a creek! I momentarily got confused and thought I was in my office in front of my computer! (I actually wrote a letter to the pastor about the secularization of his parish!)
uuggghhhh!
 
Tigg said:
You could be quite right as I think this is a huge factor in desecrating my “sacred space.” We went to Mass out of town a couple of weekends ago and altho it was a small church, there were duplicate TV screens on each side of the altar! Just before the dismissal, I glanced up and there was such a pretty little mountain scene on the screen with animated water running thru a creek! I momentarily got confused and thought I was in my office in front of my computer! (I actually wrote a letter to the pastor about the secularization of his parish!)
uuggghhhh!
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Had the same kind of experience at the parish where I started Lent. Big screen in the middle of the sanctuary with purrdy pictures during Mass – gag!
 
Jennifer_J said:
Before this turns into “bash the cantor” I think the main problem is not cantors leading the assembly, but the horrible music we must try to sing and make singable for the congregation. Yes, I’m a cantor (professionally trained singer, all volunteer). I attempt to lead song prayerfully and to proclaim the psalm in a prayerful way. It’s not always easy. Thankfully, we have a singing congregation and one that is grateful to have people serving as cantors and choir members.
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I totally agree with you. Our music director does a great job with what he’s got, the problem is what he gets.
 
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