There's loads of good music out there.
Most can be found here:
Along with this sound, a couple other things happened - at the Mass of the Lord’s Supper, the congregation was most vocal and confident for the Agnus Dei, which was from one of the chant Masses. As we were processing to the Pange Lingua, I walked by an elderly priest who was singing his heart out in Latin. This is the heritage that was all but discarded. The Exultet was chanted in Latin at the Easter Vigil and, frankly, it might be a little early for this. The English translation was in the program, but without having the Latin next to it, several of us got a bit lost.
We choir members were talking amongst ourselves and it seems that the Mass is headed back to the chant tradition. The article above does not address that exactly, but does make a partial case for reverting to chant. I think the author has some interesting things to say, while not necessarily agreeing with him. First off, all the books - useless. A good number are USCCB inspired and are more about how to plan than how to sing. And if you don’t have a director who knows how to draw beautiful sounds, all the reading isn’t going to do much good. As far as the music resources being pathetic - yes and in multiple ways. For a couple generations now, we’ve relied mostly on volunteers rather than employing professionals who could make the beauty happen and train willing volunteers. This was another place where tradition wasn’t simply allowed to die - it was killed. The author does make a VERY good point about the copyrights, something that’s bugged me for a long time.
Part of what we are facing is a couple generations who have never been taught how to sing, how to make music, the details of being a choir member, etc. There’s quite a bit that goes with it. To be blunt - you don’t simply start singing motets or chorales or Renaissance pieces. Just the rhythm requirements alone require a pretty competent level of musicianship.
Yes, chant is easy to start with, except that as a church we’ve forgotten how to chant (we figured that out in the last couple weeks). It’s easier to get the idea while reading neums (which is NOT hard to read at all). And I completely disagree on the untrained having a sense of humility. Not in my experience. The more experienced, trained, section leader sorts are usually the “show up and sing” people who are willing to sort music and get dirty under the organ. It’s the ones who overestimate their level of competence that are a problem.
The other points aren’t exactly musical, but very true observations. That all does need to be addressed, but it would be nice if that could be somewhat separated from the actual musical issues. The non musical points are more a matter of catechesis.
There's loads of good music out there.
Most can be found here:
Our Cantor sang the Exultet, near the beginning of the Vigil Mass, then the Litany of the Saints, which another choir member and I punctuated at points with handbells. It was lovely!
Great post. I’ll read it thoroughly in a bit.
Is chant that easy? I do not know. I am a member of a parish choir and just doing the last two verses of the Holy Thursday procession hymm ( in Latin ) before the body of the Lord was placed in speical adoration alter by St. Thomas Aquintas was very hard.
I did get for my birthday on Saturday the two “Chant” cd’s from the Spanish Benedictines to listen to. Love the chanting, but to listen. Could I learn it, but as a child of VC 2, I just do not know.
Could the chant music be translated into English?
Teach the chants in English, that is translate them, kept the beautiful sound part in the translation.
I heard a beautiful English translation of the Exultet by a deacon who transfered from another parish about close to a year ago Holy Saturday. If that can be done, then the chants can be done in translation.
My parish has a wonderful lady music minister. Knows her music well.
During the last few months, she had to take a leave of absence for medical reasons, will be back this week. The sub taking her place, taught some beautiful songs, one a spiritual. Sprituals are from the heart to God, in song prayer form. One is “Change My Name”.