Comments on: How to End Bad Liturgical Music http://www.catholictools.com/how-to-end-bad-liturgical-music/ Thu, 02 Feb 2012 15:15:05 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: Friendly ghost http://www.catholictools.com/how-to-end-bad-liturgical-music/comment-page-1/#comment-292 Friendly ghost Fri, 06 Jan 2012 13:36:50 +0000 http://www.jasonbuck.org/jason/?p=122#comment-292 Hi guys - - I think you are just on the tip of the iceberg here. Try checking out chantcafe.com, or musicasacra.com. Most people don't know that there are certain texts and chants, that are just completely ignored at most U.S. parishes. i.e., there is a particular text for each Sunday for the entrance, communion, offering, etc. A random hymn is a lesser choice, yet that is almost all we hear at the average U.S. parish. By the way, did you know that Vatican II says that organ is the premier instrument for Mass, and that Gregorian chant is the premier music of the Catholic Church? Yet how often are both organ and chant out the window. We all have so much to learn. I am a recent convert, but I feel like I am close to reverting to my Lutheran background, because I can't take the lame music anymore. Or the lame music education at my kids' Catholic school. Hi guys – -
I think you are just on the tip of the iceberg here. Try checking out chantcafe.com, or musicasacra.com.

Most people don’t know that there are certain texts and chants, that are just completely ignored at most U.S. parishes. i.e., there is a particular text for each Sunday for the entrance, communion, offering, etc. A random hymn is a lesser choice, yet that is almost all we hear at the average U.S. parish.
By the way, did you know that Vatican II says that organ is the premier instrument for Mass, and that Gregorian chant is the premier music of the Catholic Church? Yet how often are both organ and chant out the window. We all have so much to learn. I am a recent convert, but I feel like I am close to reverting to my Lutheran background, because I can’t take the lame music anymore. Or the lame music education at my kids’ Catholic school.

]]> By: Catholic Tools http://www.catholictools.com/how-to-end-bad-liturgical-music/comment-page-1/#comment-197 Catholic Tools Tue, 04 Jan 2011 15:25:42 +0000 http://www.jasonbuck.org/jason/?p=122#comment-197 Frank, Excellent Insights. For the new year, I want to high light this comment and share it with others. Thanks, Frank,

Excellent Insights. For the new year, I want to high light this comment and share it with others.

Thanks,

]]> By: Frank Bahus http://www.catholictools.com/how-to-end-bad-liturgical-music/comment-page-1/#comment-195 Frank Bahus Wed, 29 Dec 2010 18:34:38 +0000 http://www.jasonbuck.org/jason/?p=122#comment-195 This article just begins to touch on a subject dear to my heart. I am a classically trained musician with degrees in theory and classical guitar who also had a rock, pop, and jazz background prior to joining the contemporary music group at St. Rose of Lima Church in Baltimore over 15 years ago. While musically advanced, I had virtually no experience in liturgical norms, magnified by the fact that I am not a cradle Catholic. Fortunately, others in the group as well as the priest and lay leaders have helped me in this regard. You are correct that understanding these norms is critical to the worship experience. I have sometimes felt guilty about not accepting all interested persons into the group that can't pass an audition but I also believe that poor musicianship is distracting to the worship experience. With regard to musical selection, one thing you don't mention is that traditional music generally has all of the notes written out for the performers so there is much less variation in what is played on a given musical selection. Most contemporary music is in the lead sheet format which leads to a wide range of variability (often times bad) in the accompaniments and arrangements. I personally believe this is an area that could be much improved with some conscious effort to include updated chord substitutions, extensions (e.g., add 9, 11, inversions, etc.), rhythmic treatments, harmonies and counterpoints, and arrangements with intros, interludes and endings. Too often, groups just play the basics or copy their favorite version instead of going with their own strengths via tailored arrangements. This is probably beyond the capabilities of many groups so a forum that helps them get started by providing examples and guiding principles would be great. If there is such a forum, please advise as I would like to contribute. As you point out, shortcomings in any of these areas wind up reflecting unfairly on the contemporary style. This article just begins to touch on a subject dear to my heart. I am a classically trained musician with degrees in theory and classical guitar who also had a rock, pop, and jazz background prior to joining the contemporary music group at St. Rose of Lima Church in Baltimore over 15 years ago. While musically advanced, I had virtually no experience in liturgical norms, magnified by the fact that I am not a cradle Catholic. Fortunately, others in the group as well as the priest and lay leaders have helped me in this regard. You are correct that understanding these norms is critical to the worship experience.

I have sometimes felt guilty about not accepting all interested persons into the group that can’t pass an audition but I also believe that poor musicianship is distracting to the worship experience.

With regard to musical selection, one thing you don’t mention is that traditional music generally has all of the notes written out for the performers so there is much less variation in what is played on a given musical selection. Most contemporary music is in the lead sheet format which leads to a wide range of variability (often times bad) in the accompaniments and arrangements. I personally believe this is an area that could be much improved with some conscious effort to include updated chord substitutions, extensions (e.g., add 9, 11, inversions, etc.), rhythmic treatments, harmonies and counterpoints, and arrangements with intros, interludes and endings. Too often, groups just play the basics or copy their favorite version instead of going with their own strengths via tailored arrangements. This is probably beyond the capabilities of many groups so a forum that helps them get started by providing examples and guiding principles would be great. If there is such a forum, please advise as I would like to contribute.

As you point out, shortcomings in any of these areas wind up reflecting unfairly on the contemporary style.

]]> By: Catholic Tools http://www.catholictools.com/how-to-end-bad-liturgical-music/comment-page-1/#comment-177 Catholic Tools Mon, 18 Oct 2010 18:24:28 +0000 http://www.jasonbuck.org/jason/?p=122#comment-177 Well Said! Well Said!

]]> By: Bill http://www.catholictools.com/how-to-end-bad-liturgical-music/comment-page-1/#comment-174 Bill Thu, 30 Sep 2010 19:05:06 +0000 http://www.jasonbuck.org/jason/?p=122#comment-174 Well said. I've been playung guitar at church for 30 years, and am very glad my mentors were perfectionists. When I was in seminary, my skills and knowledge received a solid upgrade. The issue is not the instruments, but rather the integrity of worship. I was often criticized for not letting this or that person join a group, but music ministry is not a social club. The particular instrument is irrelevant so long as it allows the congregation to focus on worship and not on the music. For my part, the sure sign of something wrong is the people looking at me instead of facing the altar. Well said. I’ve been playung guitar at church for 30 years, and am very glad my mentors were perfectionists. When I was in seminary, my skills and knowledge received a solid upgrade. The issue is not the instruments, but rather the integrity of worship. I was often criticized for not letting this or that person join a group, but music ministry is not a social club. The particular instrument is irrelevant so long as it allows the congregation to focus on worship and not on the music. For my part, the sure sign of something wrong is the people looking at me instead of facing the altar.

]]> By: Josh http://www.catholictools.com/how-to-end-bad-liturgical-music/comment-page-1/#comment-3 Josh Sat, 12 Dec 2009 18:25:53 +0000 http://www.jasonbuck.org/jason/?p=122#comment-3 This article is very good. Going Franciscan is the way. This article is very good. Going Franciscan is the way.

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