I have a question what kind of catholic churches dont use instruments at all. Not thats there anything wrong with a choir or a organ. This is just my opioun But i pefer a small church building parish just simple. Something that looked like it came out of the 40s. I want all my focas to be on God. I find myself very tradional i hope this makes sense.
Typical novus ordo music is horribly distracting. I have to say I detest guitars. To me the loveliest music at Mass is a capella chant done by a small group. It becomes almost transcendent. But if the music distracts from the Mass then better to have no music at all IMHO.
Sometimes the music if not well done can be distracting. But music has always been a part of the liturgy. Even Angels sing. It's the highest form of expression. Maybe find a church with a better music approach. Chant is beautiful, we were singing numes in one church I attended, it pre dates written music. I loved it.
Darn, I thought my guitar playing was pretty decent . . .you would probably not like my violin or hammered dulcimer
At the TLM I attend there is often a capella singing and chant, but the organ is played as well. I think it's perfect. It's definitely like the 1940's in there: men in suits, babies everywhere, women in dresses and veils/hats.
I LOVE chant. I listen to it occasionally online. I wish it was still part of novus ordo Masses as there are no Latin Masses near us. I find chant to be very reverent and I am often bothered by the singing which can sometimes border on grandstanding.. I'd like chant, or else nothing at all.
Wasn't Silent Night,which the words were written by a Catholic priest, first performed simply with a guitar in a church? So it may be possible to have good guitar music in a church? I haven't run into personally, but it may happen somewhere
So many of the songs we sing are the same ones I grew up with. Hard for me to say what is post or pre-Vatican II... what is Novus Ordo and so on. Such as we sang this one today. A lot of the hymns we sing are old from what I can tell. Holy God We Praise Thy Name I like one church that has a bell section here, their music has a bit of a kick, fine with me. "Eat This Bread", may be a modern hymn... we didn't sing it, it was instrumental and I did recognize it. Gregorian Chant, etc. a lot of those are still not going to be sung at the typical Latin Mass.
If I go to our "Novus Ordo" Mass, we'll have this one in the pews, they are all old songs. Yes, there are Masses with modern or contemporary songs but I don't think they are all that common of Masses out of say, 100 Catholic Churches, I don't think I'm going to see songs commonly use from 1972 or 1986. There may be a few churches like that but again, I think they are rare. All of the songs are usually dated. I don't really understand some statement like "Novus Ordo Music", examples? Maybe that "Eat This Bread" above is an example if it means songs written since Vatican II.
There are some contemporary songs that are quite beautiful but when it's 'all about the choir' it bothers me. Then again, maybe it's me. Maybe the choir really is glorifying God and I am in the wrong.
Our 'band' would often play modern music, for example, from Hillsong. Some of it really went through my soul.. but I'd still prefer the mystic often haunting but always inspirational gregorian style chant
That's great... but I think Gregorian Chant is mainly going to be heard in Convents and Monasteries at that, not in a typical TDM. I've grown up around Convents and yes, that is what one heard. Just my opinion. And for the record, I think a number of Convents still sing songs in Latin. I turn on some Carmelite Monastery in LA sometimes, on facebook, I think they will sing that.
True confessions. I used to play guitar and auto harp. I spent hours on it. But in Church it is so tinny and intrusive. Guitar music can be lovely but sadly not too often in the Masses I have attended. The hammered dulcimer is a lovely instrument with an eerie poignant sound.
This is what I tell myself too sparrow. They are doing this as prayer and offering and who am I to object? I think my original post came off as a music snob. The question was asked and I answered it. Sigh. EWTN has exquisite music in its Masses I think. They show what the novus ordo can and should be.
Agree. Beauty is beauty and always draws the soul upward to God. I never had a choice of churches without driving long distances.
Months ago, reading a biography about Saint Pius X, he, not surprisingly, was ONLY for Gregorian (IIRC) chant during Mass. I had a funny thought that, WOW, he would've HATED the electric guitar. I'm picky about music. And I don't like if a singer or singers (solo or trio, etc.) seems to be show-boating. In Protestant services, singers (I'm actually one myself) are often lavished with too much praise. It's often a Status Symbol. For that reason, I quit the church "band" I was in. I've also sang in choirs (school and church). I remember (childhood) one persnickety gal who'd click-click her way to the pulpit, curls bouncing, and go off on high-note shrieks and low-pitched grumbles trying to hit notes too far out of her range. And that's enough said.
Well I love Classical myself. Classical means generations of Catholics have loved it, which is a good start. I love Karl Jenkin's Mass for Peace: Especially the Benedictus.
