ICEL chants "Monotonous"
  • aquinasadmirer
    Posts: 102
    Hi All,

    After mass this morning my pastor and I were talking a bit. The new translations came up. He joked about "consubstantial."

    He mentioned that he'd be making a recording for priests to learn the new translations. I mentioned that there are YouTube videos for the ICEL chant settings for the mass.

    He mentioned that the melodies are all so similar that they would be monotonous to sing for mass. To be fair, he said that some think that singing slower makes it more holy. Chant should be "a timeless end rather than an endless time."

    I saw this priest give a copy of Sing to the Lord to the principal at the parish(es) school. I looked up what STTL has to say about singing the parts of the mass.

    Paragraph 19 concludes by laying out how singing the dialogs is important


    The importance of the priest’s participation in the Liturgy, especially by singing,
    cannot be overemphasized. The priest sings the presidential prayers and dialogues of the Liturgy
    according to his capabilities,33 and he encourages sung participation in the Liturgy by his own
    example, joining in the congregational song. “If, however. . . the priest or minister does not
    possess a voice suitable for the proper execution of the singing, he can render without singing
    one or more of the more difficult parts which concern him, reciting them in a loud and distinct
    voice. However, this must not be done merely for the convenience of the priest or minister.”34


    I'm guessing that he simply will never do them. I think he just doesn't want to. Does anyone have any advice how to encourage him to look at this topic with fresh eyes. Father has a capable voice. He even acknowledged that singing doesn't noticeably lengthen the mass.

    I want to encourage him to revisit this. If he leads by example as described above, I'm convinced it would make a big change for the better.

    Any advice how I might proceed? Or, do I just drop it, and have it simply as a kickoff for Lent.

    -Mark
  • Adam WoodAdam Wood
    Posts: 6,482
    "I saw you give a copy of Sing to the Lord to so-and-so. I was just wondering what you thought about paragraph 19 here...."
  • aquinasadmirer
    Posts: 102
    Adam,

    Good advice. Start with the obvious.

    Do I have a copy in hand, and give it to him to read at his convenience? Or, do I do it another way?

    -Mark
  • noel jones, aagonoel jones, aago
    Posts: 6,611
    By going to him he might feel pushed into doing something he does not want to do - or feels incapable of doing.

    Why not make CD's of these sample chants of the priest and people's parts and start giving them away in the parish, putting them out there like bingo cards on bingo night. And also arrange to go to the KOC meeting and do a presentation to them on the new responses and teach them to sing them, passing out more CDs.

    Tell Father that you are doing this along with others across the US to make the singing at Mass as universal as possible. Give him a CD.

    Do not tell him or ask him to sing at all.

    People will get excited and be ready to sing the responses.

    Then let the Holy Spirit work...your pastor may feel moved to sing once he hears others do it and he gets confident.
  • aquinasadmirer
    Posts: 102
    Thanks FNJ,

    The KOC meeting is only about 8 guys.

    Maybe CDs could be laying around at the parish breakfast, and the Lenten fish fry dinners. Do you have a source of recommended recordings?

    I have some misgivings about doing this without the pastor's permission. Do you think I need his permission first. Reading your statement above:

    Tell Father that you are doing this along with others across the US to make the singing at Mass as universal as possible. Give him a CD.

    I can't tell if you were thinking I'd get permission first. If I annoy him by doing this without permission, this would/could likely backfire.

    Do you recommend permission to distribute CD's first?

    -M
  • Charles in CenCA
    Posts: 2,416
    If you have the means, get Dr. Paul Ford to present on MR3 and the priestly orations.
  • aquinasadmirer
    Posts: 102
    # Charles in CenCA

    Is this the Paul Ford you're talking about ?

    -M
  • noel jones, aagonoel jones, aago
    Posts: 6,611
    Those 8 may be influential in the parish, I'd go after them.

    I assumed, without thinking that you were the DM of the parish - if you are you could spread them among the choir members without permission.

    But, I would avoid at all times saying anything at all about Father singing his parts. The more you leave that subject alone, the better the chances it can happen on its own.

    If you are "just a member of the parish", then you would definitely need his permission. And include all his chants on the CDs but stay far away from the subject of him singing.

    There are audio and video files linked here, as I recall...
  • Charles in CenCA
    Posts: 2,416
    Yes, M, and he frequents this forum now and then.
  • francis
    Posts: 10,825
    FNJ

    I want to make CD's but where do you get audio filea to so so?
  • mahrt
    Posts: 517
    Tell him that when the priest sings his parts, the parts of the choir and congregation are integrated into the liturgy. His singing of his parts makes those of the congregation be a more integral part of the liturgy.
  • aquinasadmirer
    Posts: 102
    Thank you mahrt,

    I just learned last night that the other priest in our cluster (from India) was "a choir director (or something)" from my wife. He is likely more receptive to this kind of question/conversation.

    Thanks for the ideas about how to broach the subject.

    -Mark
  • miacoyne
    Posts: 1,805
    On a side note. At one of the daily Mass my children's schola sing, the celebrant 'accidentally' chanted 'mysterium fidei,' which we didn't plan to sing since it's a new parish for us to sing (brick by brick). We just COULD NOT not sing "mortem tuam.' It was truly a learning experience for all of us on how effective the priest's chanting is.
  • noel jones, aagonoel jones, aago
    Posts: 6,611
    I realize now that all the sample chants are in videos not audio....anyone have a source?
  • BachLover2BachLover2
    Posts: 330
    we need to get to the point where it is the "in" thing to do ... to sing
  • francis
    Posts: 10,825
    I have requested the mp3s from Watershed but have not yet received a response. JO... are you able to help in this regard?
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