No slights intended toward trombonists. I was actually visualizing a large soprano, but as I said, let's not go there.

i like the crummy horns

I just got an email from OCP advertising the latest Dan Schutte CD. Here is the gist of what was said:

New from Dan Schutte
Table of Plenty
Anthology 1985-2000
The second in Dan Schutte's Anthology series, this CD gathers his most popular songs from 1985 to 2000, during which Dan expanded his gifts as a solo composer.

While I do not agree with the OCP content, I have to hand it to them on their marketing skills. I don't know if any one has read the article "The Hidden Hand behind Bad Catholic Music", but, I think the author is blaringly accurate in his portrayal of the publshing house.

"We don't know for sure if instruments played with voices in the 16th century, but there are some maddeningly cryptic notes in cathedral archives about it."

Cryptic like: "Oh no. It's those guys from the Sackbutt group again....don't they realize they are an anachronism of the 1650's protest movements and don't have a place here?"

BenedictGal, the author of the article is....

After years of playing and listening to cornetts and sackbuts, my taste runs there. I do conduct a university brass choir now, so I at least get to coach them on Renaissance style. I admire that Chicago/Cleveland recording but the style is all wrong IMO. Give those recordings a chance. I think you will be convert once you understand that power is not goal in that music (except for some moments).

I'm playing the Bruckner 'Virge Jesse' (trombone quartet) at a wedding in a few weeks. What beauty.

He's missed the bus again....the liturgies were planned centuries before the guitar capo became commercially available in a mass-produced form....

Please, Frogman!

I don't need any further reasons for excessive drinking!

Let's not forget the primary model of the musician in Catholic churches - the DJ. "I'm paying you, so you're going to play whatever I want!" Actually that's the only model of church music I've ever run into...

Gavin,

You've hit the nail on the head, once again. You're very perceptive despite your youth.

I've often felt that the music program directs me, rather than the other way around. "We pay you; you'll play what we want!"

I've decided, despite my hobby study of British history leading up to WWII, to try appeasement. Of course, I also have to keep in mind Winston Churchill's great quote about appeasement: An appeaser feeds a crocodile in the hopes that it will eat him last.

Or, another great quote (which I've modified for the circumstances): Trying to maintain good relations with the contemporary music crowd is like woowing a crocodile. You do not know whether to tickle it under its chin or beat it over the head. When it opens its mouth, you cannot tell whether it's trying to smile or preparing to eat you up.

A priest's work is that of a steward, to carry out the work of the larger church.

I am very new directing schola. I'd like to ask opinions from more experienced musicians. When I informed our priest that the children will sing the Kyrie, Sanctus and Agnus Dei on this Friday mass, he wasn't too happy, because I informed him, instead of asking for his permission to do it. So, I sincerely apologised. I thought he would be happy that the children can sing the simple ordinary parts in Latin as Holy Church encourages us to do. Then I thought about it whether I was being disrespectful when we are actually supposed to sing those parts, but we didn't sing them because we didn't know how. If singing those parts are normal thing to do, why do we need a permission to do that? The mass is in Latin and the vernacular is permitted, but now we have to get a permission to use Latin? Do music directors usually ask for a permission if you want to have Ordinary parts in Latin chants? Since when? It sounds really strange and confusing for me. Our priest says they worry about the congregaation participation on those parts, so I offer a humble suggestion to introduce simple Latin ordinary parts on Sunday masses, instead of avoiding them for the fear of ignorance of the congregation. I feel that this ignorance is caused by not exposing our Church's tradition to the parish people. I do schola as a volunteer, I'm not getting paid. But I don't want to oppose my priests. I don't think they feel comfortible with Latin, because they are not trained in that. I wonder maybe I should stop what I'm doing, because there are so many things I'd like to say, but I cannot say, and I do not want to confront my priests in these matters. I feel that no matter how politely I say it, it will sound like lecturing them, which I feel wrong thing to do. Did anyone have similar experience? Any advice?

Mia, Yes, it's always best to make seem like it was his idea.

Now I should temper Noel's remarks to say that the priest is NOT necessarily the "Bad Guy".* I've worked with a priest who has a reputation as being orthodox and well-versed in music. And I will defend him on that to my last breath, and it's a source of great pride to have worked for him. But there were so many times (maybe even half the time I talked to him) where I've planned to do something like Latin or an ordinary and he's said "no". I would argue, and he'd still say no and I'd say "well you're making a mistake, but I will respect your authority and carry out your orders." I could say that because I KNEW he wanted to take the church in the same direction I did, but he also was the guy the complaints went to. He was fighting them all the time, just because I wasn't using Glory & Praise. And it's HIS job to know when a congregation has had "enough" and you're risking turning this 150 year old congregation into a three family parish. He has the pastoral perspective I so often lack and so I deferred to his judgment. It's important to know whom you're dealing with; if it's a priest who is sympathetic but cautious, debate and push, but stick to his rules. If it's one who just won't do it no way, no how, run.

*Not that I think Noel was saying that, but just clarifying in case anyone gets that impression.

Mia, I can see several reasons why a Priest might hesitate when being told how his Mass is going to run. He might simply be surprised - no judgment, positive or negative. He might see connections with other things he's doing - perhaps the Latin music would suggest that he do other parts in Latin as well. Perhaps he expects to get some questions about "why did it change?"

If he feels responsible for Mass, and parishioners believe he's responsible for it, then he'll feel better when he knows what's happening. Since 99% of what happens is the same as last week, or last year, there's usually no concerns raised. But if something isn't the same, then the Priest usually feels that a discussion is in order so that, at minimum, he can feel that he's been heard.

The same thing is true of any manager in a business environment. They don't necessarily have to make every little decision, but they want to at least know about anything surprising or unusual.