Every so often....encouragement is great!
  • RagueneauRagueneau
    Posts: 2,592
    Our Schola sang last night. As always, we sang 100% chant and polyphony. We've recently been doing an AMAZING piece by an AMAZING composer (Kevin Allen).

    An usher who has been an usher at the Cathedral for years approached me and my wife after Mass this morning.

    He said, "HEY, I'm glad I ran into YOU."

    I thought, "Oh, brother. What's it going to be this time?" People in the past have yelled at me for various things. One time I changed the ALLELUIA at the Spanish Mass, to this melody from here, and after 5 weeks, someone came up and complained, because "that new Alleluia is so impossible for anybody to sing...so difficult and long" (what is it? eight notes?)

    He said, "Your group that sang last night? Do you guys sing anywhere else besides here?"

    I said, "Uh....no. We just sing here."

    He said, "Oh, shoot. I was hoping you sang at other Churches too. You guys sound so amazing when you sing. I was hoping to chase you around and hear you at whatever Church you sing at. I never, EVER want to miss another Mass you sing at."

    Did I feel good after hearing that? YES I DID !!!
  • Michael O'Connor
    Posts: 1,637
    Priceless.
  • miacoyne
    Posts: 1,805
    Our schola sings on Saurday morning in a parish where most music is contemporary. But when my boy was handing out the leaflet for the chants we sing, the lady told him that our schola's singing means so much to her. I was so happy to hear that. And after Mass there was another lady came and say thank you and ask me whether Palestrina music is sacred music. In another occasion, a man came to me and ask where he can buy the PBC, and he showed me his little tape recorder that he was using to record our singing during Mass. (I thought 'poor man, he could buy chant CD, instead') It's comforting to know that there are people out there wherever you are, who care about sacred music. I had some negative shouts at me at the beginning, but I hear 'thank you' more and more these days. It is good to hear it.
  • Michael O'Connor
    Posts: 1,637
    I recall, after our first and mostly successful attempt at traditional Vespers, a woman coming out of the church and telling me that the evening was "so Catholic" as if this had been missing for her for a long time. I remember this every Sunday evening when I head out for rehearsal.
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