Choir and Piano in Different Locations
  • PaxMelodious
    Posts: 426
    If you are the director, the pianist should have no authority


    Is the role of music director actually established in Canon Law anywhere? I know it is recommended in various bishop's documents - but do the latter actually confer authority? Furthermore, is the person who is leading an ensemble, but is not responsible for other music in the parish, actually a director?

    TBH, if I was a pastor, I would take the recommendation of an experienced accompanist who is used to playing for parishes, in preference to the well-intentioned but inexperienced youngster.
    Thanked by 1Richard Mix
  • Chris Garton-Zavesky
    Posts: 6,902
    If I were a pastor (which, thanks be to God, will never happen: I'm a married layman with children), I would appoint a person to have the authority, and not get in his way while he did.
    Thanked by 1ClergetKubisz
  • ClergetKubiszClergetKubisz
    Posts: 1,912
    @CGZ, that's because you've had the opposite experience.
  • Chris Garton-Zavesky
    Posts: 6,902
    Clerget,

    I had a wonderful pastor years ago, whom I still remember fondly. He gave me instructions to "put the parish through detox", and then let me do the job.


    On the other hand,

    I have also had superiors (not priests, or pastors) who created an environment around them such that no one could know based on statements, but only on previous behavior, and then not reliably, what course of action might be pursued at any juncture.

    I've also had a pastor (may he rest in peace) who listened to the wrong voices in the parish, and did two contradictory things: he hired me to direct the music, and then he brought in a flashy guest to co-ordinate for a flashy Christmas program, and then required that I take part and utter no criticism of the program.

    I've also been an employee in an environment in which my superior had no disciplinary authority over all the subordinates. That was, in a word, awkward, because we underlings didn't discover her lack of authority in this regard until too late to do us any good.
    Thanked by 1eft94530
  • melofluentmelofluent
    Posts: 4,160
    This has taken an intriguing turn: the more "Marian" of the two "Servant songs" is the McCargill rather than the Gillard. But both tunes have, ahem, issues.
    In any case,
    I despise that song,
    ...live by de gustibus, die by de gustibus.
  • Liam
    Posts: 4,945
    "The Servant Song" is by Richard Gillard, sometime referred to by musicians emphatically as THE Servant Song, to distinguish it from (lower volume of voice, increase speed to slur the words) "Servant Song" by Donna Marie McCargill.
    Thanked by 1melofluent
  • CarsonHaupt
    Posts: 46
    To clarify: I (incorrectly) thought she was referring to the Gillard somg, when in actuality, she was referring to the McGargill.

    I am not thrilled about singing the McGargill, but it is at least better than the Gillard.

    When explaining my position, I never used my own taste as justification for opposing the song. I understand the wisdom of your de gustibus comment, but luckily it doesn't apply here.
    Thanked by 1ClergetKubisz
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