Are hymns boring?
  • Blaise
    Posts: 439
    Charles in CA,

    Agreed. "Gather Us In," in particular, is one song that just needs to go.
  • noel jones, aagonoel jones, aago
    Posts: 6,611
    "Gather Us Not."
  • GavinGavin
    Posts: 2,799
    Given that the hymn discussion has obviously taken its course and then some, what of my other points? Can "avant garde" techniques be used with church music composition (presumably not for the congregation, of course!)
  • noel jones, aagonoel jones, aago
    Posts: 6,611
    I think that they should be and the lack of true contemporary music is sad.

    The gift of improvisation, so prominent in Holland, Belgium and France, should be a skill in use by every Catholic Organist worth his or her shoes. And this is often the best way to bring the Contemporary into the church.
  • CharlesW
    Posts: 11,978
    I am not sure improvisation is taught in many places these days. AGO had a series in their magazine that ran for some time on how to improvise in 15 minutes a day. I don't know if they ever published that in booklet form. it would be something good to have. I never find any occasion to improvise, since it seems I am always finishing up one thing and getting ready to move to the next item in the mass. I haven't improvised in so long it would be dangerous to try it spontaneously.

    As for hymns being boring, good hymns are not just as good chant is not boring. Poor quality hymns and chants are boring, or even worse, tedious.
  • GavinGavin
    Posts: 2,799
    Agreed on improvisation being the best route. I try to push the tonal limits of whatever organ I'm improvising on, while simultaneously having it sound musical.
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