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The Pope Likes Chant! |
| Posted by: tony on 10/11/2006 01:40 PM (Read: ) |
 Mike Liccione posted the link to Sandro Magister's article announcing that the Pope likes chant. Well. That's really not the whole of it. There's the whole preferential music thing, best way to worship God, transcendental liturgies, etc.
But is this news? This strikes me as a "dog bites man!" story.
For the record, I agree completely with the Pope (well, actually agree, not simply being obedient).
I love Gregorian chant and sacred polyphony. To me, incense is the smell of God, and I will always consider classical chant as "the voice of the angels". It brings God closer to me in a more (can I use this word in the context of the church?) sensual way.
But I've been through approximately 30 years of music by the St. Louis Jesuits, Haugen, Haas, Sr. Toolan, etc. Much of it is drek, especially in the Gather Comprehensive, castrated edition. In this volume, it looks like they went through with a search and replace and replaced all instances of "He" with "God". This gives you lines like "I sought the Lord and God answered me". It's like you got on the "God Phone", and said: "Can I speak to the Lord?". "This is God". Oops... wrong number!". But I digress.
Some of it is fabulous. Praying the lyrics brings tears to my eyes (no, not tears of pain). Maybe the vast majority of it is drek, but there are chrstnuts in there that are a wonderful component of any Mass.
I have been hearing all over St. Blogs about this new document released by the Pope. I can almost hear the jumping up and down and hooting of our more traditional bretheren. The thought of getting rid of all the Peter-Paul-and-Mary-esque lounge acts may be great in theory, but I don't see it happening any time soon, and as a matter of fact, I don't really see it happening in my lifetime.
You folks that know and love chant, you need to help us out. Many of us would like to learn and would find a simple Gregorian "Agnus Dei" a prayerful addition to our Mass. But don't insult our musicians, many of whom are volunteers and only know how to play a guitar. And don't dismiss all of our music. Show us which ones are reasonable, and have faithful Catholic lyrics. Teach us where to sing the songs and which ones to choose. Help us leave songs like "Sing a New Church" on the winnowing room floor by not only bringing us chant, but bringing us faithful modern music too.
You are sorely needed during this time of Liturgical renewal. |
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The Wind of the Spirit |
| Posted by: tony on 04/15/2006 11:11 AM (Read: ) |
 This Holy Week has been amazing for me. I have sung in my parish choir for 16 years now, and every other year I felt like I was getting ready for a concert. We usually began praparing for the Triduum in the beginning of February.
This year we have a new choir director. She started Ash Wednesday, and we have been preparing both Sunday liturgies and the Triduum during our 1-2 hour rehersal every week.
Our choir director is getting used to us, and we're getting used to her. We have a handful (seven) of choir members , and we have all the voice parts covered, but I have been used to an almost 40 voice choir.
Now we have to work harder to make our sound mesh, and learn each others strengths and weaknesses.
This weekend so far has been amazing. We have been doing old hymns, chants and interludes. Rather than "performing" the songs, we have been praying them. I hope I don't sound too silly, but during the singing of Behold the Lamb, I felt the wind of the spirit brush the back of my neck, and I finished the song with tears in my eyes. (There goes my manly man image.)
Tonight is vigil. I am nervous, even though I shouldn't be, because if God is with me who could be against me. We have a lot of new material with not a lot of rehersal time.
I guess it's time to just open up and tell God: "Here I am... use me as you will"
Please pray for us.
Update: Thank you all for your prayers. Everything went fabulously. A couple minor glitches, but a moving prayer-filled mass for all. Our pastor commented that this was the best vigil mass he's ever celebrated, and after mass, as an announcement, mentioned that our new music director had been here 40 days, and she's led us from the musical "wilderness" to the "promised land".
We are indeed blessed! |
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Let's Hear You Complain About Haugen and Haas Now! |
| Posted by: tony on 02/06/2006 10:18 PM (Read: ) |
This, breaking news from Scotsman.com:
SECRET discussions between the Roman Catholic Church and Michael Jackson to put the prayers of Pope John Paul II to music appeared to be in disarray last night after the singer fled members of the press who had got wind of the project.
Pope John Paul, who died last April, wrote 24 religious prayers and chants and Church officials now want to set them to music.
Jackson, recently cleared of child sex abuse charges in California, is seen as a prime candidate because of his worldwide celebrity status.
So what'll it be? "On Eagle's Wings", or "Thriller" :)
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