We're getting a new music director

[leonie]

and I’m a little alarmed because in the “letter to the parish” portion of the bulletin, our pastor said that one of the reasons our music director was leaving because the music director felt people wanted more contemporary music in Mass.



One reason I’m particularly bother by this is that the music at our parish is mostly the banal music of the seventies and eighties.

What should I do? Should I send a letter to Pastor asking for more traditional music? Should I call him? Should I let it go?

I have no musical ability and very little musical training myself.

 

[Wolseley]

Send him a letter requesting that the music in your parish conform with Vatican II, and you want Gregorian chant and Renaissance polyphany accompanied by pipe organ.

Be sure to include quotes from Sacrosanctam Concilium, The Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy (#116 and #120), so he can’t hedge and come back with some “Spirit of Vatican II” balderdash about “But Vatican II stipulated that we are to sing TV sitcom theme songs from the 1970’s written by the St. Louis Jesuits!”

 

[PaixGioiaAmor]

and I’m a little alarmed because in the “letter to the parish” portion of the bulletin, our pastor said that one of the reasons our music director was leaving because the music director felt people wanted more contemporary music in Mass.



One reason I’m particularly bother by this is that the music at our parish is mostly the banal music of the seventies and eighties.

What should I do? Should I send a letter to Pastor asking for more traditional music? Should I call him? Should I let it go?

I have no musical ability and very little musical training myself.

Write your pastor and tell him what you would like to see in a new director of music. He may take into account what parishioners have to say in this process.

Saying that you want polyphony may go too far; most of it is difficult and you have to have a pretty good choir to pull it off. It goes beyond the will to do it. But you can go back to making the organ the instrument of pride and the use of more reverant music.

 

[puzzleannie]

call the pastor and offer to serve on the committee to interview and hire a new music director. If you have several Masses with different “populations” it would be worthwhile to survey the congregation of each to see what they prefer. sometimes perception does not match reality. the old MD was probably burnt out by constant complaints about the music and tired of trying to please everyone.

bear in mind a radical change in the type of music will entail a big outlay for new hymnals and scores, so make sure there is a budget for this.

 

[leonie]

call the pastor and offer to serve on the committee to interview and hire a new music director. If you have several Masses with different “populations” it would be worthwhile to survey the congregation of each to see what they prefer. sometimes perception does not match reality. the old MD was probably burnt out by constant complaints about the music and tired of trying to please everyone.

bear in mind a radical change in the type of music will entail a big outlay for new hymnals and scores, so make sure there is a budget for this.

Eek!! serve on the committee?!?! Annie, did you miss that I have very little music background and no expertise in liturgical music!!!

Don’t scare me!. Me and music–bad idea. I’m just an average Catholic that loves good music in the Mass.

But, a survey is a nice idea. Maybe if I write, I’ll include that in my request.