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The stuff in the current "hymnals" is so bad, the material used in Level I piano books surpasses it. It's that pedantic. Funny thing is, that people like me, who are pros, yes, go to Mass and sometimes even cantor, but actually work in the protestant churches because the music in the Catholic church is written by people who don't know what they are doing.

I agree! It's unfortunate you have to play in a protestant church. Time to get the old hymnals together. Is your pastor adverse to that idea?

See post 130.

I'm actually a soprano, which is really bad, in the current music disaster, because my range is so much higher than the what the music people have convinced themselves the congregation can sing.

As for my pastor, well, part of the reason I left the last parish is because the music director and I went round in circles over this. The new parish has a program in place and, yes, it's bad, but as a new person I'm not going to start there making waves. And as my voice is pretty big and does not blend well, forget the Cathedral. Romeri, the music director over there, likes the blendite straight tones for some dumb reason. And his soprano sections never sound supported.

You know, you opened a big can of worms. I'm on my soapbox. Although, being in SYmphony Chorus now is taking some of the edge off.

Now that I think about it...

The music in the Oregon Catholic Press books is chosen by survey. If I remember right, they send a survey to music directors and that's how they determine what stays. Over the years, some of the better stuff has disappeared. Which tells us more of the mentality of the people actually doing the music - most of whom are volunteers.

Ninenot might know more about this as an organist and music director.