Worship Music (as well as other styles of music) in Evangelical and Catholic Settings

[Beautiful]

In our city, it’s not likely. A deseg lawsuit in the 1980s all but destroyed the arts in the public schools. The children in public schools in our city have a half-hour of chorus per week.

The private schools, including the the Catholic schools, aren’t much better. There is one full-time music teacher for all of the Catholic parish schools in our city. The other schools have a part-time music teacher.

What this means is that for the last 20 years, children in our city have not been taught to sing. So they don’t.

I’ve accompanied children’s choirs, both secular and church, under excellent directors for over 50 years. What I have seen is that children sing best when the accompaniment is done correctly, and when they are taught to sing correctly by a good director.

Why give them junk? Why allow them to sing badly, and excuse it by saying, “How sweet the little children sound as they meander around the melody and the time signature.” Nonsense.

If a child can read print, they can learn to read music. I’ve seen children as young as 4 and 5 who can read music. So a school-aged child should be reading the notes in the hymnal and singing along with the correct melody in the correct time signature, and following the rhythm as much as possible (sometimes rhythms can be tricky to sight-read.)

When an accompanist holds back and plays softly, the little children hold back and sing softly because they aren’t being “supported” by the accompaniment. (Grown-ups do the same thing, or they don’t sing at all.)

I frankly would like to hear, in the Catholic churches, little children with eyes wide with excitement upon hearing a “full organ” on the hymns that call for a full organ (e.g., Joyful Joyful, We Adore Thee), and singing with all their hearts and with full voices! I would like to hear little children sighing with delight when the registration in each hymns verse changes in order to “interpret” the verse and helps the congregation to more fully understand and appreciate the hymns.

That’s how I play the organ. If it’s wrong, well…no one has stopped me yet.

I doubt anyone will be stopping your music any time soon.

My dear children had the benefit of piano/music lessons for 10 years. They were music literate at ages 4-5. They also had the benefit of music lessons in both public and Catholic schools all twelve years but they would not sing to the overwhelming sound of an organ at Mass. The Hymn of Joy does not require an organ for a full impact to the heart and soul.

I think here in lies the problem. Prayer song is about spirituality, heart and soul and not about worldly music theory and practice.

 

[JakeWI]

Our music director used to teach piano prior to her entry into Catholic sacred music. I always keep in the back of my mind “it is not necessarily the instrument, but how it is played” that sticks out to me. She plays the organ very simply. Though her mastery is the piano, which I can tell when she plays it.

Our church does about a 50/50 split. Usually it seems the organ is used for the main parts of the Mass, and usually the procession and recession. I don’t think I ever hear it played during offertory or communion. Usually it is hymns that sound quite beautiful on the piano… be it classic or contemporary. Occasionally her children come and play the cello or violin alongside.

Overall, the music sounds proper for Mass. My parents don’t usually attend Mass at our Parish, but when they do…they explain the music as beautiful and classic (even though usually half the hymns are post-vatican II). Many wouldn’t even guess that. It really is in the quality of the hymns, not all when they are written.

When the children’s choir sings, it is absolutely beautiful. I have even heard them sing in Latin. Not often, but they do it and do it well. And the amount of them that is in that choir is wonderful… there has to be at least 20 children. The music teacher in the school is part of the church choir, and our church music director even teaches in the school part time. I think that is giving them the base to learn that they need about sacred music. Not to mention, her hope is that once she retires, she will have a whole new generation of young people who are interested in beautiful sacred music in the Church. Hopefully that is the case…

 

[Cat]

Our music director used to teach piano prior to her entry into Catholic sacred music. I always keep in the back of my mind “it is not necessarily the instrument, but how it is played” that sticks out to me. She plays the organ very simply. Though her mastery is the piano, which I can tell when she plays it.

Our church does about a 50/50 split. Usually it seems the organ is used for the main parts of the Mass, and usually the procession and recession. I don’t think I ever hear it played during offertory or communion. Usually it is hymns that sound quite beautiful on the piano… be it classic or contemporary. Occasionally her children come and play the cello or violin alongside.

Overall, the music sounds proper for Mass. My parents don’t usually attend Mass at our Parish, but when they do…they explain the music as beautiful and classic (even though usually half the hymns are post-vatican II). Many wouldn’t even guess that. It really is in the quality of the hymns, not all when they are written.

When the children’s choir sings, it is absolutely beautiful. I have even heard them sing in Latin. Not often, but they do it and do it well. And the amount of them that is in that choir is wonderful… there has to be at least 20 children. The music teacher in the school is part of the church choir, and our church music director even teaches in the school part time. I think that is giving them the base to learn that they need about sacred music. Not to mention, her hope is that once she retires, she will have a whole new generation of young people who are interested in beautiful sacred music in the Church. Hopefully that is the case…

This sounds like our parish.

I try to play organ on the traditional hymns, and piano on the contemporary songs and any anthems. (I’m not yet skilled enough in organ to be able to accompany choral anthems.)

It all sounds beautiful to me, and whenever I play organ for hymns, people tell me that they love the different registrations.

 

[Cat]

I doubt anyone will be stopping your music any time soon.

My dear children had the benefit of piano/music lessons for 10 years. They were music literate at ages 4-5. They also had the benefit of music lessons in both public and Catholic schools all twelve years but they would not sing to the overwhelming sound of an organ at Mass. The Hymn of Joy does not require an organ for a full impact to the heart and soul.

I think here in lies the problem. Prayer song is about spirituality, heart and soul and not about worldly music theory and practice.

It is not correct to say that use of the organ and various registrations is “worldly music theory and practice.” The Church does not have a different music theory than the world. Music theory is music theory, and it is a-religious. It is not “worldly” to use the Cornet registration on the organ just because it is also used in secular pieces.

And although I respect your desire for “prayer song” to be about “spirituality, heart, and soul,” this doesn’t require a cappella singing, or singing to a “soft” accompaniment. There are many Psalms that are obviously meant to be sung with great gusto to loud accompaniment; some of them are even marked as such in the Bible.

It is in the Catholic Church that many of the greatest organists and composers flourished. They certainly didn’t back away from using the registrations that were available to them. Why were all the stops on the organ if the composers weren’t allowed to use them?

And I would ask the same question today–why on earth would a Catholic parish spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on a pipe organ (or a good electronic organ) with several manuals and dozens of stops, including extras like the Pontifical Trumpets and the Cymbalstern, when these are not appropriate for Catholic Mass music!!! This makes no sense! Or are the organists just supposed to “look at” these stops, but never touch them and certainly never use them for Mass!

Save the money and space, and buy a little Clavinova. But of course, the Church documents make it clear that the music of the pipe organ is especially appropriate for Mass, so it makes no sense to buy a keyboard if a parish can afford a pipe organ!

Have you visited any of the big shrines/cathedrals in the United States and been to Mass? The organists in these places don’t play quietly on the hymns! It’s glorious! Deafening at times!

I’m surprised to hear that your kids don’t sing to full organ. The children’s choir that I play for in our parish sings out even stronger with a good organ accompaniment on the hymns! What’s different about them? Of course, it helps that the choir director encourages them to sing correctly (head voice) and with a lot of support and proper breathing.

 

[ProVobis]

It all sounds beautiful to me, and whenever I play organ for hymns, people tell me that they love the different registrations.

Cat, good for you!

I don’t think it was that long ago that you weren’t so keen on the organ at all. What changed, if I may ask?

 

[JakeWI]

This sounds like our parish.

I try to play organ on the traditional hymns, and piano on the contemporary songs and any anthems. (I’m not yet skilled enough in organ to be able to accompany choral anthems.)

It all sounds beautiful to me, and whenever I play organ for hymns, people tell me that they love the different registrations.

One of the men in the choir, probably early 20’s or maybe even younger, has taken up playing the organ as well. Whenever that specific choir plays, he usually plays one of the hymns in Mass. He plays it with gusto, so full and vibrant… different stops and registrations. I am so impressed with what is being done, and know that God wanted me at this Parish at this time.

 

[Sarabande]

This sounds like our parish.

I try to play organ on the traditional hymns, and piano on the contemporary songs and any anthems. (I’m not yet skilled enough in organ to be able to accompany choral anthems.)

It all sounds beautiful to me, and whenever I play organ for hymns, people tell me that they love the different registrations.

That’s wonderful, Cat!!! I’m so glad to hear that you are keeping up with the organ. As you know, it is not the easiest instrument.

 

[Sarabande]

Our music director used to teach piano prior to her entry into Catholic sacred music. I always keep in the back of my mind “it is not necessarily the instrument, but how it is played” that sticks out to me. She plays the organ very simply. Though her mastery is the piano, which I can tell when she plays it.

.

Wonderful to hear about what goes on in your parish! I don’t have time to get into it right now as I’m in the middle of preparing for my children’s choir this afternoon, but I agree with you in regards to instrumentation and how it’s used… for most instruments. My forte is the voice, so I’m very cognizant of how I use my instrument for sacred settings. I’m trained classically and as most people know opera is a part of classical training, but you don’t necessarily use your full operatic voice to sing at mass. For me, I think that would be inappropriate and become more like a performance, because opera is all about drama and being bigger-than-life. You use your voice differently depending on the repertoire, the space and the reason for singing.

I recently attended mass with my family where the woman who cantored had a good voice, but she came off as being a performer. She’s trained classically, but sounds more like a popular singer or, as my husband put it at the time, “Disney on Broadway”. A lot of over-emoting. I know this person and she is actually not at all like how she puts herself out, although she has a naturally large personality. BUT people I knew who attended the same mass were appalled by it. (I will note that these people are NOT uber-conservative about music or anything like that.) They felt like it was almost a mockery of the mass and it appeared to them that she made it all about her. I will admit that she was also hard to sing with because she took a lot of liberties with the music… changes in rhythm, notes, lots of rubato, blasted through the mic, etc. It’s good for solo singing outside of mass, like on the Broadway stage, but not during mass when you are a cantor LEADING the congregation. I don’t know her well enough to provide constructive criticism, but I wish someone could lead her in the right direction. And that change wouldn’t be hard to make with some training on proper cantoring. It is a skill that needs to be learned. You have to know when to give a little and when to back off just like with using any instrument for the mass. Sometimes, the music directors and even the priests are a little misled with that and want you to give more, which makes you “perform” rather than just lead.

 

[Sarabande]

It is not correct to say that use of the organ and various registrations is “worldly music theory and practice.” The Church does not have a different music theory than the world. Music theory is music theory, and it is a-religious. It is not “worldly” to use the Cornet registration on the organ just because it is also used in secular pieces.

And although I respect your desire for “prayer song” to be about “spirituality, heart, and soul,” this doesn’t require a cappella singing, or singing to a “soft” accompaniment. There are many Psalms that are obviously meant to be sung with great gusto to loud accompaniment; some of them are even marked as such in the Bible.

It is in the Catholic Church that many of the greatest organists and composers flourished. They certainly didn’t back away from using the registrations that were available to them. Why were all the stops on the organ if the composers weren’t allowed to use them?

And I would ask the same question today–why on earth would a Catholic parish spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on a pipe organ (or a good electronic organ) with several manuals and dozens of stops, including extras like the Pontifical Trumpets and the Cymbalstern, when these are not appropriate for Catholic Mass music!!! This makes no sense! Or are the organists just supposed to “look at” these stops, but never touch them and certainly never use them for Mass!

Save the money and space, and buy a little Clavinova. But of course, the Church documents make it clear that the music of the pipe organ is especially appropriate for Mass, so it makes no sense to buy a keyboard if a parish can afford a pipe organ!

Have you visited any of the big shrines/cathedrals in the United States and been to Mass? The organists in these places don’t play quietly on the hymns! It’s glorious! Deafening at times!

I’m surprised to hear that your kids don’t sing to full organ. The children’s choir that I play for in our parish sings out even stronger with a good organ accompaniment on the hymns! What’s different about them? Of course, it helps that the choir director encourages them to sing correctly (head voice) and with a lot of support and proper breathing.

Completely agree with you on all of this, Cat. I’ve sung in about 200 Catholic churches, not including the parishes where I was a visitor/parishioner. I find, for the most part, that people sing better when the organ is used fully and well. If it is not played well or used too timidly (not simply… that’s different), that is when a congregation will falter.

Ok, now I really have to get back to preparing for my choir. So happy the conversation is continuing and that it has not had any bashing. YAY for all of us who are participating!!!

 

[here_i_stand]

Completely agree with you on all of this, Cat. I’ve sung in about 200 Catholic churches, not including the parishes where I was a visitor/parishioner. I find, for the most part, that people sing better when the organ is used fully and well. If it is not played well or used too timidly (not simply… that’s different), that is when a congregation will falter.

Ok, now I really have to get back to preparing for my choir. So happy the conversation is continuing and that it has not had any bashing. YAY for all of us who are participating!!!

I’m surprised, too. This organ/congregational singing mix gives me chills every time (it’s one of my favorite hymns, so that could be the reason). youtube.com/watch?v=XFOihu0AfmM

 

[Sarabande]

If you are an organist at church, have you ever had the delight of hearing a young child near you try to sing the Our Father with everyone? Probably not. Probably not many have that pleasure these days because of the domination of instrument, choir or individuals.

Given a chance, children will sing/pray too! Their voice is most precious of all! Little ones generally are not singing to the beat of a church choir and organ. Take a look. These are the ones we need to encourage to join us in song. We should sing at a level even a child feels welcome. Music should be encompassing at all levels.

The discussion has veered a little from the original post, but I will give that it does correlate in terms of if the musicians who are leading are using the congregational repertoire as a time to turn into solos or performance pieces (unless using deliberate choral works for special masses, etc.), then it does not promote congregational singing and becomes more about the performance.

I work with children with their music. I have to say that I have seen completely the opposite of what you are describing. At the school where I currently work and when I have been able to be a part of their school masses (I just prepare their choir with their hymns during the week after school) the ENTIRE school from Kindergarten to 8th grade sings with such gusto. Either the organist or pianist plays fully and booming. They blow the rooftop off with their beautiful voices. It’s a very culturally and racially diverse school, which I think helps because some of them are Protestants coming from a singing culture within the service. My five-year-old and two-year-old will sing their lungs out when the organ is booming away. It encourages them to sing out and not be worried about making too much noise.

What helps children sing out more than anything else is when the PARENTS or whatever adult is around them are singing. My parents always sang at mass. Neither one were professional musicians. My dad played trumpet in high school and my mom sang in choirs in grade school and high school (although was not a musician… she never learned how to read music), but that’s it. We followed their lead. If no one else in the congregation were singing, we’d all sing anyway. My dad would even make up harmony if he couldn’t sing some of the higher notes. If the cantor sang badly and overpowered us, we’d stop. It was too hard to sing with that. If a cantor sang badly, but knew how to cantor (ie. did not overpower the congregation and backed off the mic) we could still sing. If a cantor sang very well, but didn’t know how to lead, using the music more like a soloist platform (like the one I mentioned in another post), we couldn’t sing along. I always enjoy singing with a very good cantor who knows how to cantor, and especially with a choir, because it makes you feel as if you are singing with the congregation. The same with instrumentalists. Well-trained organists, who knew how to lead congregations were always easy to sing with and they could boom away. Poorly-trained organists or organists who treated the repertoire like solo pieces, changing rhythms, including complex accompaniments (Catholics are notoriously bad at being able to sing along them… although Anglicans and other congregations are not bothered by it at all and will sing full-voiced), etc. make it difficult to sing with. An organist/pianist who may not be “spectacular”, but can at least play the music correctly, is always good to sing with.

I think in all, the music director and the musicians need to know their congregation and what works with them. Some congregations are too used to performances and trying to retrain them into realizing how not good that is, is very difficult, especially if the pastor is on board with it. Some congregations need leading all of the time, no matter what you do. Some can sing without any leading.

As musicians, knowing the balance and how to recognize when you or your colleagues are crossing the line where it becomes like a performance rather than a prayer can be a challenge, especially at first and especially if you have a pastor or a congregation who are encouraging the crossing of the line. And the biggest challenge is figuring out where the line lies, as I can see even in this discussion that there are differences to that. One of the most reassuring and encouraging pieces of feedback I have received from various people who come up to me after mass or even when I’m just walking down the street on a random day is one where they remark that while there are other cantors they’ve heard who have just as lovely voices, I don’t “perform” and that it’s “refreshing” to see and hear. I apparently portray myself inconspicuously and prayerfully. I’ve worked at that because I personally am one of those cantors who actually hates being up front to sing. I prefer it when I can be in the back and you just hear a voice slightly over the congregation when they need it, so I’ve tried to do what I can to be inconspicuous.

There is one thing I agree with in terms of when there is a music program. You will discover politics and the sacred music arena can be the worst when it comes to Church politics. I try to stay away from it because it takes away from prayer and the mass. When the ego gets involved that will definitely take away from the prayer aspect of the music, as well as the congregational aspect and be all about Me, Me, Me from the organist, to the guitarist to the singer.

 

[Cat]

Cat, good for you!

I don’t think it was that long ago that you weren’t so keen on the organ at all. What changed, if I may ask?

I’ve always liked organ.

The thing that irks some traditionalistsabout me is that I love other instruments in church, too, especially the piano. I love orchestral instruments in church, including the tympani.

And yes, I love a rock band in church. Yes, in church! Because of my background in Evangelical Protestant churches (we did not visit bars or nightclubs), I see absolutely no irreverence in rock music in church (as long as the band is attired modestly). Quite the opposite–I think that loud rock music especially expresses the grandeur of the Lord God quite well.

I do NOT think that the pipe organ (or electronic organ) is the ONLY appropriate instrument for use in the Mass. I get upset when Catholics on CAF try to make this argument. It’s just not true. Other instruments are allowed as the territorial authority approves them.

I also think we have to be realistic–there are not a lot of organists around, and very few students. There are stats from the AGO proving that the numbers get lower every year. If Catholics want organ music, they simply have to step up and start GROWING them. I don’t see that happening anywhere. (Perhaps in university cities?) It upsets me when Catholics on CAF complain about the organ not being used–in most cases, this is probably because there is no one who can play.

It also makes me flaming mad when someone says, “If you can play the piano, you can play the organ.” I’m not allowed to say on CAF what I think of this statement.

ProVobis, what I’m not keen on is chant of any kind. It will be 11 years since we converted this April, and after many attempts to get interested in chant and trying to find it “worshipful,” I still dislike it and do not find it worshipful at all. It’s distracting to me, and not very pretty. JMO, and I respect others who enjoy it. I’m just glad that in our parish and many other parishes, we have the option to attend Masses that have very little chant. (Chant is used for the Psalm and for several of the responses in the Masses in our parish.)

I also dislike hearing Mass or any part of Mass, including the music, in a language other than my own. I know that many Catholics love Latin and find it very worshipful. I do recognize that it is the Official Language of the Church, but I definitely do not find it “worshipful.” It’s very distracting and frustrating. I have a great need to understand what is going on. Again, it’s my Evangelical Protestant background, and I’m not ashamed of it.

 

[Sarabande]

I’m surprised, too. This organ/congregational singing mix gives me chills every time (it’s one of my favorite hymns, so that could be the reason). youtube.com/watch?v=XFOihu0AfmM

I have never heard this hymn and I can understand why this gives you chills. It’s beautiful, but I think what gave me the chills (in a very good way) is how beautifully and fervantly the congregation in the video is singing it, wrong and right notes and all. It also touched me how you can hear some of the congregants singing a little too above the actual pitches on the higher notes especially in the first verse, but with all of their hearts and souls. When I see/hear a hymn like this, an organ playing like that and a congregation singing like that, all I want to do is sing to the heavens and not have a care in the world about what people may think.

To me, there was nothing “performance-like” with the way the organ was playing even though it was booming. There was nothing “performance-like” with the singing, even though people were singing out. But what impressed me even more is that no one was rushing out of the church even after the recessional line passed them. And there were still many standing there while the postlude was playing. Was this an Anglican parish or a Catholic one?

Thank you for sharing this.

 

[ProVobis]

I also dislike hearing Mass or any part of Mass, including the music, in a language other than my own.

So you would turn down an offer to play at a Spanish Mass, for example? I’m no where near as good as you are, but I played for a small Polish crowd and they all sang.

 

[liturgyluver]

I have never heard this hymn and I can understand why this gives you chills. It’s beautiful, but I think what gave me the chills (in a very good way) is how beautifully and fervantly the congregation in the video is singing it, wrong and right notes and all. It also touched me how you can hear some of the congregants singing a little too above the actual pitches on the higher notes especially in the first verse, but with all of their hearts and souls. When I see/hear a hymn like this, an organ playing like that and a congregation singing like that, all I want to do is sing to the heavens and not have a care in the world about what people may think.

To me, there was nothing “performance-like” with the way the organ was playing even though it was booming. There was nothing “performance-like” with the singing, even though people were singing out. But what impressed me even more is that no one was rushing out of the church even after the recessional line passed them. And there were still many standing there while the postlude was playing. Was this an Anglican parish or a Catholic one?

Thank you for sharing this.

This is a very popular hymn in the UK amongst both Catholics and Anglicans. I am often surprised when I read the music lists of US Catholic parishes, how very little traditional hymnody it contains and is biased towards post 1960s music and songs rather than hymns.

This church is a Catholic church in central London (St James Marylebone) but the ocassion included members of the ordinariate which may account for the more fervent singing!

 

[Sarabande]

This is a very popular hymn in the UK amongst both Catholics and Anglicans. I am often surprised when I read the music lists of US Catholic parishes, how very little traditional hymnody it contains and is biased towards post 1960s music and songs rather than hymns.

This church is a Catholic church in central London (St James Marylebone) but the ocassion included members of the ordinariate which may account for the more fervent singing!

Thank you, Liturgylover! I never visited St. James Marylebone while studying in and visiting London. I lived within walking distance of St. Etheldreda’s so I attended mass there on most Sundays and then would go to other parishes from time to time, and then also to Westminster Cathedral. But I loved the Brompton Oratory, which I found out about during my last visit to London.

I own several Catholic hymnals more popularly used here in the U.S. for when I freelance, and I agree that there is a huge lack of traditional hymnody in them. The music liturgy I experienced in London is one of the many things I miss from there.

 

[27lw]

I’ve always liked organ.

The thing that irks some traditionalists about me is that** I** love other instruments in church, too, especially the piano. ** I **love orchestral instruments in church, including the tympani.

And yes,** I** love a rock band in church. Yes, in church! **Because of my background in Evangelical Protestant churches (we did not visit bars or nightclubs), I see absolutely no irreverence in rock music in church **(as long as the band is attired modestly). Quite the opposite–I think that loud rock music especially expresses the grandeur of the Lord God quite well.

I do NOT think that the pipe organ (or electronic organ) is the ONLY appropriate instrument for use in the Mass. I get upset when Catholics on CAF try to make this argument. It’s just not true. Other instruments are allowed as the territorial authority approves them.

I also think we have to be realistic–there are not a lot of organists around, and very few students. There are stats from the AGO proving that the numbers get lower every year. If Catholics want organ music, they simply have to step up and start GROWING them. I don’t see that happening anywhere. (Perhaps in university cities?) It upsets me when Catholics on CAF complain about the organ not being used-**-in most cases, this is probably because there is no one who can play.
**
It also makes me flaming mad when someone says, “If you can play the piano, you can play the organ.” I’m not allowed to say on CAF what I think of this statement.

ProVobis, what I’m not keen on is chant of any kind. It will be 11 years since we converted this April, and after many attempts to get interested in chant and trying to find it “worshipful,” I still dislike it and do not find it worshipful at all. It’s distracting to me, and not very pretty. JMO, and I respect others who enjoy it. I’m just glad that in our parish and many other parishes, we have the option to attend Masses that have very little chant. (Chant is used for the Psalm and for several of the responses in the Masses in our parish.)

I also dislike hearing Mass or any par. : ) t of Mass, including the music, in a language other than my own. I know that many Catholics love Latin and find it very worshipful. I do recognize that it is the Official Language of the Church, but I definitely do not find it “worshipful.” It’s very distracting and frustrating. I have a great need to understand what is going on. Again, it’s my Evangelical Protestant background, and I’m not ashamed of it.

Although you may not attend bars / nightclubs, I can assure that many Catholics do. Although I suspect that that’s not the only place where people hear rock anymore. I always think that church music should try to aim for the least level of offensiveness. I think a lot of people find rock in church inappropriate and offensive. (I do).

 

[Cat]

So you would turn down an offer to play at a Spanish Mass, for example? I’m no where near as good as you are, but I played for a small Polish crowd and they all sang.

I doubt I would be ever asked to play for a Spanish Mass. In our city, the Spanish Mass parish has its own musicians and they play their own kind of music.

But if I was asked (and the asking would have to be in English), of course I would play if I were available. It’s a service to God and His people.

But again, I doubt I would ever be asked. I don’t have the qualifications necessary to understand or play the style of music that Hispanics prefer in their Masses. I don’t know how my name would ever come up in discussions between local Catholic Hispanics about their Mass music. They don’t know me, and I don’t know many of them.

 

[Cat]

Although you may not attend bars / nightclubs, I can assure that many Catholics do. Although I suspect that that’s not the only place where people hear rock anymore. I always think that church music should try to aim for the least level of offensiveness. I think a lot of people find rock in church inappropriate and offensive. (I do).

And a lot of people don’t. (I don’t.)

I would not ever play any music in Mass unless the Music and Liturgy Director in our parish (or whatever parish I played for) assigned it to that Mass. No one here has to worry that I will burst into loud rock music during their Mass. **What’s inappropriate and harmful in Mass is for people to “do their own thing.” **

I play for Family Mass in our parish (it’s held in the school gym). The music director of this Mass usually selects a Matt Maher or Audrey Assad song for the communion meditation. These pieces are well-received by the congregation. My husband says that these pieces often move him to tears. I’m the same way. A Latin chant leaves me stone-cold. A Maher or Assad piece will often have me tearing up at the keyboard. Beautiful words, very meaningful and applicable to my life and spiritual situation.

Again, it’s what you were raised with. Our family was all together last evening (for Pi Day), and we were discussing Mass music, and my husband said, “People always prefer what they grew up with.” I think he’s right.

 

[pnewton]

I doubt I would be ever asked to play for a Spanish Mass. In our city, the Spanish Mass parish has its own musicians and they play their own kind of music.

I would face the same dilemma. One cannot do what one lacks the ability to do.