Traditionalists: would you consider guitar synthesizers as a solution?

[DAWNCUROLE]

youtube.com/watch?v=dJMGfrIiV-k
I’m pricing them as we speak. This will be a great way to bring the young and the old of the parish together. I can’t wait to see the expression on the faces of the people who just love that organ music.

 

[Cat]

SCOTT PGH, I DON’T PLAY THE GUITAR!

I don’t understand why you keep referring to the guitar when you address me. I play piano. Is this sarcasm on your part? Is it a joke? If so, I apologize, but I don’t get it.

BTW, I can’t remember which Catholic documents, but the guitar IS permissible in a valid Mass. I didn’t say TLM, just a valid Mass. Maybe someone else can help me out here with the proper documents. Or if I have time, I’ll look later after work.

 

[Scotty_PGH]

SCOTT PGH, I DON’T PLAY THE GUITAR!

I don’t understand why you keep referring to the guitar when you address me. I play piano. Is this sarcasm on your part? Is it a joke? If so, I apologize, but I don’t get it.

BTW, I can’t remember which Catholic documents, but the guitar IS permissible in a valid Mass. I didn’t say TLM, just a valid Mass. Maybe someone else can help me out here with the proper documents. Or if I have time, I’ll look later after work.

Ah. my bad - let me fix this:

Your -playing does not belong at ANY MASS.

EVER!

Save it for the social hour and donuts after Mass.

 

[mercygate]

I recall that Franz Gruber once played a guitar at Mass – of course that was before the days of hideous music generally. When a mouse ate a hole in the organ bellows on Christmas eve, Gruber played his new composition: “Silent Night” at Midnight Mass. And the rest is history.

 

[Jean_Anthony]

Please refrain from making personal comments, people. Thank you.

 

[Malcolm_McLean]

I got an idea and a likely short cut here…why not just play the organ instead!!! it would likely be much cheaper and hey its a shortcut to that sought after “organ sound”.

You can get an electronic synthesiser for a few hundred dollars. A real organ costs tens of thousands. Whilst the real thing is better - you can feel the low notes - I think we should keep an open mind on electronic music for smaller parishes.

 

[VociMike]

You can get an electronic synthesiser for a few hundred dollars. A real organ costs tens of thousands. Whilst the real thing is better - you can feel the low notes - I think we should keep an open mind on electronic music for smaller parishes.

I agree. Leave a vacuum and it will be filled by instruments and music less in tune (ahem…) with the desires of the Church.

 

[mercygate]

You can get an electronic synthesiser for a few hundred dollars. A real organ costs tens of thousands. Whilst the real thing is better - you can feel the low notes - I think we should keep an open mind on electronic music for smaller parishes.

A few HUNDRED dollars? I understand that the gizmo under consideration here is something you connect to your acoustic (?) guitar and it ‘translates’ the sound into “organ”. But if it’s not going off topic, a big synthesizer is at least a few thousand dollars. We have one. I’m a BIG pipe organ fan (Heck: I went to The University of Michigan, which has MAJOR organs – including the beautiful German tracker named after and built for Marilyn Mason), and there is NO substitute. But a pipe organ costs a fortune to build and a fortune to maintain. Where parishes can’t foot the expense, these machines are much improved and a far cry from what they were even as little as 10 years ago. Can you tell the difference? Of course. But sometimes you have to drive a Toyota when you can’t afford a Rolls-Royce.

 

[Cat]

I realize that some of you don’t accept the Vatican II Council. If you are one of these people, then this post is doo doo to you.

But for all of you who accept the Vatican II Council, Chapter Six, Article 120:

"The pipe organ is to be held in high esteem in the Latin church, for it is the traditional musical instrument, the sound of which can add a wonderful splendor to the church’s ceremonies and can most effectively elevate people’s spirits to God and things above.

Other instruments may also be used in divine worship, at the discretion and with the consent of the competent territorial authority as laid down in articles 22, 37, and 40, provided they are suitable, or can be made suitable, for sacred use, that they accord with the dignity of the sacred building, and that they truly contribute to the edification of the faithful."

Scotty PGH, your statement: “Your -playing does not belong at ANY MASS” is strictly your opinion and is not the teaching of the Catholic Church.

Ahh, it’s so good to be under the authority of the Church, not fellow Christians!

 

[BobP123]

A real organ costs tens of thousands.

Actually you could have picked one with lots of ranks very cheap. A lot of churches felt they had no need for them anymore; used to see them in ads all the time. Even I could have picked up one or two, though they couldn’t fit the contours of my house.

 

[Walking_Home]

I realize that some of you don’t accept the Vatican II Council. If you are one of these people, then this post is doo doo to you.

But for all of you who accept the Vatican II Council, Chapter Six, Article 120:

"The pipe organ is to be held in high esteem in the Latin church, for it is the traditional musical instrument, the sound of which can add a wonderful splendor to the church’s ceremonies and can most effectively elevate people’s spirits to God and things above.

Other instruments may also be used in divine worship, at the discretion and with the consent of the competent territorial authority as laid down in articles 22, 37, and 40, provided they are suitable, or can be made suitable, for sacred use, that they accord with the dignity of the sacred building, and that they truly contribute to the edification of the faithful."

Scotty PGH, your statement: “Your -playing does not belong at ANY MASS” is strictly your opinion and is not the teaching of the Catholic Church.

Ahh, it’s so good to be under the authority of the Church, not fellow Christians!

---

You must understand what article 22 means. It is the Apostolic See that has the authority to regulate the liturgy. When we refer to the Apostolic See–it is the Pope and the various Vatican organization that he speaks thru. Recently the Pope expressed the the proper form of music for the Latin rite is Gregorian Chant.

So you see–you do need to understand the authoritive structure of the Church.

vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_const_19631204_sacrosanctum-concilium_en.html

A) General norms

1. 1. Regulation of the sacred liturgy depends solely on the authority of the Church, that is, on the Apostolic See and, as laws may determine, on the bishop.

 

[BobP123]

“The pipe organ is to be held in high esteem in the Latin Church, for it is the traditional musical instrument, the sound of which can add a wonderful splendor to the Church’s ceremonies and powerfully lifts up men’s minds to God and higher things”. SC VI #120

Does anyone have a problem with this?

Also, from adoremus.org/0403Choirs.html

As pipe organs fell to guitar groups and electric keyboards, organists and choir directors like myself retreated to Protestant churches. “Why should I spend time in choir rehearsal”, a former member of a cathedral choir wailed to me, “if all we do is sing those unison congregational hymns?” Why, indeed.

 

[Walking_Home]

Quote:
“The pipe organ is to be held in high esteem in the Latin Church, for it is the traditional musical instrument, the sound of which can add a wonderful splendor to the Church’s ceremonies and powerfully lifts up men’s minds to God and higher things”. SC VI #120

Does anyone have a problem with this?

Also, from adoremus.org/0403Choirs.html
Quote:
As pipe organs fell to guitar groups and electric keyboards, organists and choir directors like myself retreated to Protestant churches. “Why should I spend time in choir rehearsal”, a former member of a cathedral choir wailed to me, “if all we do is sing those unison congregational hymns?” Why, indeed.

What can I say—there is a “band” at my Sunday NO Mass.

 

[mercygate]

Does anyone have a problem with this?

Also, from adoremus.org/0403Choirs.html

Oops. Your second quote is me. The choir director invited my earnestly to join the choir. My response to her was (I blush), “But Marie, I would have to sing all that HIDEOUS music!”

I’m a convert out of the Anglican tradition, where my little blue collar parish (people, not just choir) sang Missa Marialis, Missa de Angelis, and Missa Dominicalis in Latin, mind you. And all trimmed out with Palestrina, Mozart Josquin de Pres and Tallis. Sigh.

 

[I_Believe]

Another vote for the human voice here.

Organ is ok as long as the organist checks his/her Theolonius Monk at the door

(don’t ya love it when the organist throws those jazz licks in there while the collection baskets are being passed ? )