I Lost My Voice at the Way of the Cross...
  • PurpleSquirrelPurpleSquirrel
    Posts: 165
    Seriously. Our priest asks that the choir sing between stations, all the way, without stopping. The route is outdoors, throughout the town, in cold, dry weather. (There is still snow on the ground here. Lot's of it...) I tried it for a few years, but the choir would simply peter out before the third station and no one else will sing along. The choir outright refuses now. They don't even attend because they're afraid Father will make them sing.

    Any suggestions?
  • Jeffrey Quick
    Posts: 2,086
    You need a band to accompany you and give you a break. Also lots of fluids. Some can be stronger than water. Does the priest sing all the way? If he can do it, one could understand where he's coming from; if he can't/won't, maybe it needs to be pointed out that your poor volunteer choir is not technically equipped to do the Ring cycle in the wilds of Canada.
    Thanked by 1PurpleSquirrel
  • PurpleSquirrelPurpleSquirrel
    Posts: 165
    Recruit Ukelele Fury, provide flasked fluids. Got it. Thanks. One other suggestion was to ride along side in the car...
  • Liam
    Posts: 5,092
    Tell him the choirs of angels sing when you're in your intervals. He should take that on faith. He is welcome to lead the angels in song during those times.
    Thanked by 2Gavin PurpleSquirrel
  • marajoymarajoy
    Posts: 783
    Yikes.
    Thanked by 1PurpleSquirrel
  • matthewjmatthewj
    Posts: 2,700
    After someone is terribly injured trying to load choir risers into the back of a pickup truck or someone is electrocuted by rain falling on the electric piano with the two mile extension cord going back to the church, then he'll learn his lesson.
    Thanked by 1PurpleSquirrel
  • PurpleSquirrelPurpleSquirrel
    Posts: 165
    I am SO glad you guys understand.
    Now, maybe this is how they do it in Nigeria. But in the heat. I don't know. And there may even be something spiritually cleansing about suffering on the Way of the Cross?
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
  • Maureen
    Posts: 678
    When we did Corpus Christi processions, I noticed that the really old guys were the ones who knew all the words, sang and walked all the way without panting, and looked better at the end than at the beginning. So maybe they really did train 'em up differently back in the day.

    I didn't lose my voice (nice weather) but it surely tired me out for the rest of the day.
    Thanked by 2CHGiffen PurpleSquirrel
  • Liam
    Posts: 5,092
    It occurs to me that a drum corps would be the ticket....
  • Maureen
    Posts: 678
    Pipe and drum!

    But seriously... the Corpus Christi procession at Old St Patrick's in Columbus OH has a small marching band between stations as well as singing. So that alternation probably makes a difference (plus doing stations to get a rest).
  • PurpleSquirrelPurpleSquirrel
    Posts: 165
    Wow.
    My husband was inspired after reading some of these comments, and suggested we rent a horse-drawn wagon, fill it with hay and warm blankets, and pass around the flask. So I brought the idea to Ukelele Fury. Those poor, devoted sheep honestly thought I was serious...

    In the end, both choirs attended (sans moi), but refused to sing. By the time they got back to the Church for the service, they were cold, windblown, coughing, and their voices had shriveled up like so much dust that had surrounded them on the walk.
  • Maureen
    Posts: 678
    Ouch. Hope your choirs recovered in time for Easter.
    Thanked by 1PurpleSquirrel
  • PurpleSquirrelPurpleSquirrel
    Posts: 165
    They did maureen, thanks! Hope your Easter went well too. ;-)
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,215
    Here's what I witnessed at a procession during a Byzantine-rite service on Friday: the choir was near the head of the procession, and sang continually in unison. When the procession stepped out of the church or when they turned a corner, their sound disappeared completely to us further back.

    Even when they were within sight, if the distance was over 25 yards, the sound was unintelliglble, so that one couldn't tell what verse of a chant they were singing.

    So if you want the people to sing during the procession, you might try to spread the choir out through the procession: a pair here, a pair there, so that they can hear each other and sing together, and provide support to the people between the pairs, who will need a sheet with the hymn lyrics.
    Thanked by 1PurpleSquirrel
  • Charles in CenCA
    Posts: 2,416
    Richard, that is precisely how Dr. Latona organized the Basilica choir's involvement in the procession to repose this last Thursday. And though the male cantor at the (epistle) ambo oft was a tad out of sync (could have been television phasing) as the procession left the upper church the chant remained in sync, basically upstairs and downstairs.
    Well done.
    Not so much for St. John Lateran's.....sigh....
    Thanked by 1PurpleSquirrel
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