What's the deal with the Brass/Tympani fetish among cathedral musicians? I mean, it can be impressive when used sparingly, but frankly, it's over used.

Standard Us Cathedral Music Program: XIX Sunday of OT

Processional Hymn: Old Hundredth - Vaughan Williams - with Brass/Tymp.
Mass Setting: Community Mass - Proulx - with Brass/Tymp.
Psalm - Gelineau
Alleluia - Celtic - with Brass/Tymp.
Offertory Hymn: Praise to the Lord - with Brass/Tymp.
Communion Anthem: Ubi Caritas - Durufle
Recessional Hymn: All my hope on God is founded - Howells - with Brass/Tymp.

I would offer that such use requires contextual analysis. I'm mildly uncomfortable with Chris' rationale as it demands a DM to orient the repertoire to the instruments, rather than the voice and the liturgical action. The other contextual problem is the (for me) automatic association of brass/tympany with princely courts of western European city-states from the ars nova through to the classical period. Granted the overlap in Tudor England has created an ideal ethos in that style, and other unique compositional styles evolved that are distinctly French, Venetian, "German," etc., all enjoyable as music. But, as per the discussions of late, is the ideal of sacred worship rooted in "noble simplicity" or " audacious excess?"

Should only be used on Good Friday. Instead of organ.

I take the brass/timpani bombasticism to be an unwelcome remnant of the (overall positive) legacy of Richard Proulx.

This program is equally suited to both the old bishop's funeral and the new bishop's installation.

Yes, brass and timp for mass are too much. Stick to the organ and choir... nonetheless, I might enter the competition anyway since I could use the money. Money is a terrible thing when it blurs the lines of music in liturgy... hmmmm... might as well write an orchestral Mass to go along with it.

Perhaps I would put a note on the score that "this piece should never be used for an actual liturgy." ;{

I always used brass on very rare occasions.

Actually, I had a brass player every week for five years in my last position, and it was wonderful. However, if the church had to PAY him to do it, it would have never happened as it would have been cost prohibitive. Then again, it wasn't an ensemble, just a single trumpet, flugel horn and piccolo, and it was a very beautiful accent to the music.

I just can't see having a brass ensemble every week. For very special occasions, such as mentioned above, but the timpani... well, dad, on second thought, I had a timpani for Christmas and Easter celebrations and that was also wonderful. I purchased a Ludwig symphonic for a few K.

So maybe I should recant. It is nice on SPECIAL occassions, a few times a year.

I always used brass on very rare occasions.

87% of the time, he uses it every time.

Since my bass section has weakened over the years, I wouldn't mind having a serpent or two to fill in.

When I go to ordinations, Chrism Masses, etc., I can't really relax and pray through the Eucharistic prayer because I'm cringing, knowing that the timpani is coming.

Or, for counterpoint, only for the humble amens.

pation

oboe for Rite of Election, [...] cello for Good Friday.
Am I a bad pastoral musician for using these? Not that I'm aware of.

Have you taken a peek at GIRM § 313 lately?

Hint: "In Lent the playing of the organ and musical instruments is allowed only to support the singing."

I did a wedding a few years back that included a string quartet and two trumpeters: The trumpets played on the Processional (Handel Minuet for the French Horn, playing the horn part transposed); Mozart's Kyrie in d minor K. 341, and the Gloria from K. 49; and the recessional: "Hallelujah" form Messiah. I found it just enough trumpet, that it wasn't overbearing. There are times when I feel that brass (specifically trumpet) and tympani should be used still more in the classical school (I-V): they make a big impression, but are out of the picture enough to make their entrances important. (I say this as a low brass player--trombone & tuba, though the trombones play colla voce anyway, lol.)

Percussion can be used to great musical effect when composers realize that "less is more". Goods examples of this are Bruckner (all his works, sacred and secular that have percussion, especially the d-minor Mass and the 7th Symphony, where the percussion almost don't play anything),

I trust, Zac, that you realize that your defense of the tympany use at Mass actually argues against itself? If the judicious employment of Bruckner means that essentially "the percussion almost don't play anything," then why go to any expense to own, rent or pay for a tympanist's services in the first place? Following the logic with "less is more," doesn't that conceivably apply that the least is best?
This next comment is not directed at you, Zac, you're a professional with loads of cathedral experience. But sometimes I feel when the forum spins into digression or tangential qualifications for why something's OK in this context, but NOT OK in another, we often come off sounding like the gang that couldn't shoot straight.

Marc,

Considering that musical instruments are only allowed for the purpose of supporting singing, and solo oboe and cello are ornamental than supportive, any use at all looks like it's against the rubrics for the season.

http://forum.musicasacra.com/forum/discussion/279/how-to-choose-music-for-the-triduum/p1

One of the two is correct, either it is silent or that it is for supporting singing. Still, a cello seems out of bounds.

I heard the organ used to give the reciting tone for the Passion in the older form (the organist played the title tone...). Really bizarre, and I am sure I was not the only annoyed person.

A former participant in this list used a cello to good effect to support voices in the Triduum. It's not the choice I personally would make; if your schola can't keep pitch, fix the Schola, or let the congregation suffer along with Jesus. But I'm not prepared to say that, in every situation, it's a bad choice.

Well, I guess it depends on how you define support, and we seem to disagree on that definition.

If I might chime in a bit.. Like ZacPB I am a lower brass player, as well as a string player.
My father was a professor of Music and Specialized in Lower Brass, younger brother trumpet, and old brother percussion. So you might imagine I have opinions about music within the liturgical setting. While I can relate the simplistic purity of vocal music in its most basic forms... to the grandness of Polyphony. Its all wonderful. There are as Zac pointed out some technical difficulties with brass instruments. Indeed the same thing occurs with woodwinds given the circumstances. I played more Holy Masses within the church and out in the open air .. more than I can count. From a personal perspective I don't find the use of brass and percussion any more bombastic than the organ.. infact I would ask you to consider the idea that most DM's have an instrumental proclivity not to think of the Organ in that manner, precisely because it is their instrument of choice. The DM at our parish does not even know HOW to play the organ and plays an electric piano and feigns anything else.. Brass has its place, woodwinds , recorders, strings etc.. all have their place in the liturgy IF, used appropriately. The average pew sitter, does not know, nor do they care of the history of the use of these instruments in liturgy, they want to hear music that lifts their souls to Heaven.. and nearly ALL instruments can do that including the acapella voice..
If any of you have ever heard shape-note music compositions, you might be amazed at how orchestral those pieces can sound.. ( getting off the box).. Thanks for letting me chime.. Peace. .