If anyone ever asks you this question . . .
  • RagueneauRagueneau
    Posts: 2,592
    Friends,

    If anyone ever asks you "What are the Chabanel Psalms?" please send them to this brand new page, launched March 18, 2009.

    If our guest contributors keep contributing to this page, we will DEFINITELY have the market on this Psalm (27 Sunday Ordinary time, Year B).

    THANKS!
  • noel jones, aagonoel jones, aago
    Posts: 6,605
    What are they?

    They are part of a movement to lower the expectations of music in the church, insult the musical intelligence of trained musicians, cause the disbanding of choirs and the compulsory installation of microphones and mandatory training in synchronized arm-waving by singers imploring people to sing with them.

    [synchronized arm-waving by cantors is not, I repeat, not planned for the upcoming Olympics at the Vatican, for fear of them being befuddled by the only Latin ATM in the world....]

    The funding for this insidious and nefarious project comes from the underarm deodorant manufacturer's association, interested in claiming this challenging niche market with the motto: "Never Cantor Without It!" DeCantOderant, The Official Underarm Deodorant used at major church music training sessions nationwide.

    However, it is unfortunate that some find the...odor...a mark of competence within the field and avoid the use of deodorant....forgive me for this....religiously. The motto of these miscreants is: "A cantor who inspires the active participation of Vatican II through vigorous arm waving stands alone after Mass."

    Rumors (well, truths) of music directors heaving hymnbooks at people at Charles W's parish being due to incompetence may instead have been through an attempt to drive a miscreant of this type away....

    Oh. CHABANEL....oops. No, no, the wrong psalms. Never mind.
  • RagueneauRagueneau
    Posts: 2,592
    My arm hurts just reading that post, Noel !
  • Bruce E. Ford
    Posts: 429
    Noel:

    I don't understand what you are trying to say.

    You appear to be referring to the Chabanel psalms; but then you deny that you are. If you are not referring to the Chabanel psalms, to what collection of responsorial psalms are you referring? Or, do you simply dislike responsorial psalmody?

    In what way do the psalms to which you refer (Chabanel or others) insult the intelligence of trained musicians and encourage the replacement of choirs with arm-raising cantors?

    The Chabanel site contains psalms set in many different styles by many different people. Do you think that they are all unsatisfactory (or, at least, uninspired)?

    Please clarify your stand.
  • RagueneauRagueneau
    Posts: 2,592
    I am assuming Noel is being facetious, because he, himself, is a Chabanel guest composer.

    (but I agree that clarification might avoid anyone from misunderstanding!)

    :-)
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,157
    I think he wants to pitch the Chabanel site to unsuspecting church musicians as something familiar, easy, and compatible with their existing practices. Improving the music will be a step forward, even if the cantors keep waving up front. :-)
  • GavinGavin
    Posts: 2,799
    Noel is probably referring to a common Roman practice at the time, which is to use a r. psalm in the form of refrain/verse of pop-style music, as opposed to a dignified refrain with psalm tone. Such is the work of Haugen and Haas (and actually I'd count it musically as some of their less objectionable stuff).
  • noel jones, aagonoel jones, aago
    Posts: 6,605
    Yes, I definitely forgot to add the ;
  • janetgorbitzjanetgorbitz
    Posts: 964
    Over the years as a cantor, I can remember several instances when I was ordered by the DoM to do the hand-waving thing to let the (apparently really stupid) people know when they were to start singing. Was this some sort of required course at an NPM conference in years past? Done in the preferred manner, one can indeed work up quite a sweat. I never fully complied... couldn't force myself into the touchdown position. I tried for an inconspicuous single hand motion that would comply with the letter of the law, but not the spirit. (heh)
  • noel jones, aagonoel jones, aago
    Posts: 6,605
    There's a training video somewhere, YouTube?

    Either that or a book for cantors in which every person is pictured in the upsweep....
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