Volunteer Choir leaders needing guidance
  • dranzal
    Posts: 1
    I have been in my parish choir for 23 years, and other choirs for years before that. I have been the leader for the last 3 years and the music I choose is more "traditional/neo-traditional" than any of the other choirs I've been in.
    That said, a "trained" liturgist suggested to me this morning that most of what parishes do, musically, is NOT liturgical and incorrect.

    1. I agree that most parishes (ALL parishes I've been to) do not know the propers/antiphons and, instead, do hymns of varying quality. How much of a problems is this "four hymn sandwich" type of planning. That's literally all I've ever experienced, even in the most conservative parish I've visited. This is all I experience at any nearby parish and even the Cathedral I visited in Idaho and the traditional Catholic college my daughter graduated from.

    2. Is it appropriate at all for a choir to sing a choral piece, such as "This is My Word" by Pepper Choplin or "Surely the Presence" during or after Communion? I've seen some better choirs do this, but the liturgist I saw today very much frowned upon it, even if the words of the piece are explicitly Scriptural.

    3. I saw mention of "Three Days" in another thread. The only one I know (recently learned) is Thaxted. I agree that the theology is a little soft, so I wrote an additional, theologically meaty, verse. Is this the one that everyone dislikes?

    Sorry for the randomness. I'm new.
    Thanked by 1probe
  • Don9of11Don9of11
    Posts: 860
    @dranzal, welcome to the forum. After nearly 50 years as choir member I dedicated myself to doing a hymnological study of my parish of St. Mary's, it's called A Parish Inheritance

    It contains a definition of Catholic hymn in the Church’s own language and presents the hymns we sang past and present in my Parish, and how the repertoire changed overtime. I established a four fold classification C1-C4: liturgical, devotional, Protestant origin, and not suitable. Along with other resources that can help pastors, pastoral council, musicians, choir members, determine and identify if hymns are appropriate for Mass. I think this can help you as it covers some of your concerns.
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
  • probe
    Posts: 195
    Welcome to the forum, from a recent member thinking about the same things.
    I look forward to the replies from the experienced members.
  • a_f_hawkins
    Posts: 3,693
    Your 'trained' liturgist is probably largely correct, but the authoritative source is the GIRM for your country [eg (for USA) :- https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccdds/documents/rc_con_ccdds_doc_20030317_ordinamento-messale_en.html ]
    Read through that and you will see that there is a great deal of flexibility. Most of those on this forum, and most 'liturgists' would prefer the texts officially proposed by the Church, as would I, but in practice most places hardly use them.
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