Actually, the only time I refused to do as the associate pastor asked, was when he tried to convince me that the "Alleluia" song was indeed appropriate as the anthem for offertory. He's since retired. PTL.
"Wind beneath my wings" MACW, doubtless. Glad to be of assistance with your now insidious earworm! "DID YOU EVER KNOW THAT YOU'RE MY HEEEEEE----ROOOOOOOOOO?" Whilst I'm waxing on about really stupid stuff, has anybody ever wondered why so many bridezillas or Godzillamoms request Brightman/Bocelli/Groban "Il Sogno?" for their dagnabit wedding? God forbid they should hear anything Latin outside of Schubert, but Italian's, so, ....so, oh romantic? I'm making a vow. Next time I'm asked, I'll counter with "Not while I'm around" from Sweeney Todd. Why not? I own an antique straight razor....
A very close and dear friend of mine actually witnessed a bride singing "I Don't Know How To Love Him" at the wedding ceremony in church in the 1980s. "...I've had so many men before...he's just one more..."
Don't any of you remember the huge stir that was a burp among the fascination with the SLJ's and the Dameans, John Michael Talbot's MASS OF THE LORD'S SUPPER. If there was a truly revolutionary moment that had beauty and a sort of authentic ethos of the period, that was it.
Some people have SOME of the right idea when requesting beautiful classical music... but often they ask for things like Pie Jesu or Miserere Mei Deus... I then ask them to confirm if it is a nuptial or a requiem they are after...
I recently attended a wedding where Pie Jesu was the processional of the bride. I thought to myself "poor girl, I guess she's being forced into this and has resigned herself to a death in this marriage!!!!" As DM, I have a list of hymns that I will play for weddings and a sheet explaining why these hymns were chosen. If a bride is insistent because "Aunt Sally has been singing this song at all the family weddings", then I lead her to having Aunt Sally sing it at the reception. I simply won't play it.
"I'm sorry- I just don't think this will sound good on the Pipe Organ." "This looks really hard. I don't know if I can do it justice." "Yeah, I think I know it- it goes like this, right?" [play it in a sprightly Renaissance style]
Went to a Communion service this a.m. where a medley of On a Clear Day, Tenessee Waltz and Old Rugged Cross accompnied the distribution of the Body and Blood of our Lord.
Thanks, G! Somehow I now have the Dowland AND the unfortunate medley churning around in my head. It's difficult to handle this while drinking a hot toddy. God bless you for suffering through it all during prayer.
To participate in the discussions on Catholic church music, sign in or register as a forum member, The forum is a project of the Church Music Association of America.