Devotional Music and Bad Music
  • GavinGavin
    Posts: 2,799
    Charles from CA made an interesting comment on a thread about the 80's, essentially comparing the "Glory & Praise" music to the hymns of the "St. Gregory Hymnal", as both are substandard music which became introduced into the Mass first through popular devotion. (That may not have been his intent, and I'm not quoting him verbatim, so don't attribute those actual views to him) This is the history of so much bad music and bad liturgy. Suddenly, the answer was obvious:

    Promote quality devotions.

    I'll give a few examples: at my former church, many devout people prayed the Divine Mercy Chaplet along with a CD of a pop arrangement of the litany. How could they embrace good music in the liturgy when they listened to pop music in church for a very important devotion? If your church has a sizable number of people reciting the Chaplet, you might consider seeing if they'd be interested in chanting it.

    Although not devotional, I started a concert series at my current (Episcopal) church, and the fruits of respect for music by the congregation have been astounding. Hold concerts at your church. (If you have reservations about holding it in the church building, use a hall) Concerts of secular classical music will do wonders.

    Play or sing for Stations in Lent. Starting a Vespers would be beneficial too. Sung rosary. Follow "Bring Flowers of the Rarest" at the May Crowning with "Regina Coeli". Just a few suggestions, but promote quality musical and/or Latin devotions, and it will seep into the liturgy.

    And let me say that it would be spiritually toxic to do away with more "folksy" devotions. You aren't "fixing the music" at them, or giving them something "better", you're taking away their prayer life. I'm saying offer higher quality options as well.
  • JamJam
    Posts: 636
    Lex orandi, lex credendi. That means EVERY prayer--not just the Mass itself.

    I would also recommend getting people involved in the Liturgy of the Hours, and chanting that. That seems to be an oft-overlooked part of the liturgical cycle.
  • mjballoumjballou
    Posts: 993
    Oh no, I'm agreeing with Gavin again! There is a boatload of schlocky music associated with popular devotions and slowly replacing the sacro-pop can be done. Especially if you can get rid of the recorded music. I've worked in parishes where we did it with the Divine Mercy chaplet, as well as upgrading our May crowning procession with the Regina caeli. I'm probably the only person alive who doesn't like the standard Stabat Mater and I've never seen any alternative to it. Of course, now I have almost a year to look for one (and yes, I mean one that could be sung by all the people, not Pergolesi).
  • CharlesW
    Posts: 11,934
    I often agree with Gavin. I do in this instance, as well. :-)
  • G
    Posts: 1,397
    "I'm probably the only person alive who doesn't like the standard Stabat Mater and I've never seen any alternative to it."

    Actually, there is a version that embellishes one of the phrases from the standard chant setting, and changes another competely, published in some older hymnals, from around the '20s. (It is NOT an improvement.)

    Write one! (Not that I think you could ever get a congregation to sing it; anyway, I couldn't...)

    Save the Liturgy, Save the World
  • I think, reluctantly but realistically, that Gavin is right. It is difficult for us to realise that schmaltz is a meaningless term to people who know nothing else. This is sad - very sad - but, very unfortunately, true. And 'taking away their prayer life' is not a moral option. It seems that the poor in taste we will always have with us: when I started out it was common to think that if we could just get rid of all the 'old' hymns that people were addicted to and replace them with true hymnody we would have accomplished one of the things we were sent to accomplish. But, wouldn't you know it: along comes a new generation with its own horrible music, displacing not only the 'old' favourites but our good music as well. It never seems to stop. One thing is certain: the glory and praise people, the teen life people, etc., etc., are like the Paris mob - they can't accept the people's 'old' music nor our good music; all must perish while they build their own aedifice out of whole-cloth. We do not want to be like that.
  • eft94530eft94530
    Posts: 1,577
    www.vatican.va
    English
    Roman Curia
    Congregations
    Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments

    Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy
    2001-dec-17 (italian?)
    2002-may-13 (english)

    http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccdds/documents/rc_con_ccdds_doc_20020513_vers-direttorio_en.html