Hi, I was watching a Jesuit priestly ordination and listening to the Psalm: Go Out to All of The World and I tried my best to find the exact version of the psalm and had no luck. I also listened to the multilingual Lamb of God which was very nice. Again, couldn't find a version.
Ok., I've listened to it. I have no idea which of the stable composers wrote this psalm. If you turn off the picture (which I've effectively done by typing this comment) the music reminds me of all sorts of things, none of which is the worship of Almighty God. It's meant to sound like the era of Jesus Christ, Superstar.
Thank you for coming to this site looking for help in finding the music that you heard.
I'm not familiar with it, but I am sure that if you contact Steve Schaubel schaubel@comcast.net 509 313-7008 he will give you the information that you would like to have. He is in charge of the music ministry and I am sure that he will be welcoming and friendly to you.
It appears that CGZ above had a very negative reaction to the music that you heard. I am sure that you, like myself, are hopeful that he recovers and feels better soon.
A tip to regular forum users: if a new user posts a purely informational question and you have no relevant information on the subject, please be patient and let others respond first.
I rather suspect that CGZ's reaction to the music was not at all different from what it deserved. I haven't listened to the music, nor shall I. But I rather suspect that CGZ is spot on in his commentary. I, for one, don't see that he needs to 'recover' from anything, and hope that his powers of discernment remain commendable and pelucid.
I listened to the psalm setting, and agreed with CGZ's assessment too, but that doesn't help vietpham find what he's looking for.
Handing out our opinions is a quite normal thing for people to do on the internet, but if they are not accompanied by the actual information the inquirer is looking for, that is unhelpful and it comes across as self-indulgent.
I will try to say exactly the same thing I said, but using different terms.
If I didn't know that it was being used at an ordination, I wouldn't associate this style of music with the worship of God. Many pieces of music are beautiful, but aren't designed for the worship of God, and should - therefore - not be used for such. It's not a comment on whether the music is nice or not, only on its suitability for the purpose for which it was being used.
I think it might be interesting to consider the cultural perspective... I've observed that what is banal and profane in one culture might be considered sacred in another.
Marc raises an interesting line of thought. True, if we understood the musical language(s) of other peoples we would indeed appreciate that what may sound strange to us is profound, amusing, out of place, or 'hicky' to them. I am deeply moved by Peking opera and classical Japanese music, though I have but a surface apprehension of the variety of moods and affects they convey. I think that I would really like genuine classical Viet-namese music. But one never hears it here in their liturgy. What one hears is really dreadfully debased and orientalised western music. Ditto much of the music in our own liturgy. It isn't genuine western music. It is dreadful popularised debasements of the western musical tradition. I rather think that what CGZ has described as a sort of 'Jesus Christ Super-star' idiom is on a par with the debased western music that one finds amongst many of the Viet-namese congregations. Neither is fit for liturgy. Neither has a remotely ecclesiastical aesthesis. (Nor, tellingly, are they intended to have.)
This is a Vietnamese Offertory Hymn: Hiến Lễ Tình Yêu (Offering of Love). M. Jackson Osborn, I think you would like to try and listen to this Vietnamese hymn. Đàn Tranh (a classic Vietnamese instrument) is played throughout the whole song. I hope you like it: http://thanhcavietnam.net/ThanhCaVN/#Play,3940 This is a Vietnamese Hymnal site and perhaps you might want to look through the songs. The hymn: Hiến Lễ Tình Yêu reflects the classic style of Vietnamese music.
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