Matthew, if you want a completely unmoderated forum, you can always start one. You could even hire me to set it up and not moderate it.

Chonak

Can I watch?

while I respect your point of view, I think perhaps you UNDERESTIMATE the importance of the forum. I was one of those newbies seeking information.

I didn't read much after this, but FWIW, this forum has had, and continues to have a profound impact on my knowledge and direction of Sacred Music. I'm not sure my parish would have any involvement in the SACRED MUSIC REVOLUTION (in the Northeast, ed.) if I hadn't stumbled upon the incredible insight and information that is buried within the pages of this forum.

There has been discussion in the past of a WIKI, which would help to eliminate some of the rough treatment of those who arrive here and ask gth4 basic questions and, instead of getting answers, open sore wounds of those who have already fought the battle, once again.

Knowing how to engage in the 'battle' is just as important as the musical knowledge. If you don't know how to engage in (spiritual) battle, then you are in for the shock of your life when you enter the fray, and you might find yourself defenseless.

Therefore, anyone who enters here, I suggest would glean BOTH the musical knowledge and then put on the 'whole armor of God' as you wander among the saints and angels, demons and wolves; it's all part of the job!

I hate to say it, but I am occasionally in the position now of being the person who knows a lot about Chant in a room full of newbies, and I have told the newbies--in the presence of people I know who have written scalding posts here--that they should avoid this forum. As in, "Do NOT go to the Musica Sacra Forum."

A friend some years ago posted something he had written, and the first--FIRST--response was from someone quoting Nietsche or Wagner (someone who should not be quoted in this forum) about people who just put notes on paper and called it music. First response.

Same friend asked innocently how you read the vertical episma in a salicus and got--get this--a whole debate over old Solesmes and St. Gall/Laon running to 11,500 words.

I myself asked what the difference was between a Gradual and a Responsorial Psalm. The first response was, quite incorrectly, "they are two totally different things, aren't they?" OK, if that is true--and in the eyes of the legislation of the Church, it most emphatically is not--could you please tell me, politely, HOW?

I have in a couple of instances privately scolded people who had been dismissive of others.

It was specifically my disgust at the responses that I received to yet another innocent question that prompted the creation of the intermittent warning banners. I thanked the moderator for that, but I cannot say that it has done much.

Kenneth Killiany

Before someone takes my head off, in the GIRM, all Psalms with the form antiphon and verse are Responsorial Psalms. The Gradual and Lectionary Psalms are different instances. When people say that the "Gradual is superior," you have to ask if they are talking about the particular Scripture (as the Gradual and Lectionary have different cycles), the Chant music itself, or just a preference. If I didn't state that with punctilious correctness, I am sure I will hear about it.

Kyrie eleison, I went back and checked off all the PM history in my box, and Deo gratias there was nothing there with Kenneth!
I've been under the impression that there's a general consensus that this forum ought to remain as laissez faire as possible. Having been taken to task lotsa occasions for seemingly trying to censor or gum up the works in threads, I don't think that MSF should have any tiers of participation.
I defer to the common sense of dear Jeffrey Quick!

I agree. Some of the things labeled as being rude are not at all rude. Direct? Perhaps. I largely see no ad hominem attacks here. In fact, I never do.

And if I get my hands on that dang Hominem fellow, I am going to strangle the living dog doody out of him.

For the hundredth time, don't make me stop this car!

No posting while driving, Kathy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfiBkqV0nBo

We should give all new posters an award to enhance their self-esteem even if they are only putting notes on paper and calling it music. Those notes are chromatically challenged and can't help it.

I got the sense JQ is a minimalist.

Are we there yet?

Having been banned myself from a few things, I can appreciate the All Are Welcome sentiment.

On the other hand, there is such a thing as deliberately disrupting every. single. conversation. So if we're thinking about whom I'm thinking about, I vote

Yes, I'm familiar with your chaos theory. If it were interesting I would be all for it. It's not interesting. It's boring because it's obstruction for obstruction's sake. Say you were going 90 on the freeway uphill and every 5 miles there was a loaded RV that wouldn't move over and let everyone else just drive. That is not interesting.

I went to college at a Great Books school, which means a) every class demands hours of prep time, and b) the students learn from the books and from each other.

At the end of sophomore year, there was a process called "enabling." The faculty would have to choose to "enable" you to go on to junior and senior year.

Usually only a couple of people failed to be advanced, and most of them were told to come back and reapply for admission when they'd change. Which is great. I personally stood up for a bunch of kids who were being disciplined for out of class behavior or whatever and helped keep 5 kids that I know of from being expelled.

The one kid I was glad was not enabled was in like 3 of my classes sophomore year, and he would continually do this thing where, once a conversation really got going, he would pull some theater of the absurd crap that stalled everyone.

If that's what you want, I think Chonak offered to build an unmoderated blog where you could have fun with that.

"I got the sense JQ is a minimalist."
Well, not musically, certainly...more's the pity, as my stuff would be easier to sing.

But really, in any situation involving people and their widdle feewings, cut to the chase and ask how Jesus would have you handle this. Not that we all do that, in the heat of battle. But if we did, things would be simpler.

So in that sense, I am a minimalist. Don't sweat the little stuff.

Just a thought... this year at the Colloquium we have reserved meeting rooms on some evenings intended to be available for sectional rehearsals (completely optional and available for any group to use). One of those rooms could very easily be reserved for an informal meeting of this sort... Signups for those rooms will be at the book sale tables... Really looking forward to seeing you folks there in Indy.

By the way, I just checked our traffic stats: they're on a steady upward trend.

Forum usage is up over the past two years: about 50% more comments per month; and nearly twice as many page views.

Not bad, folks!