That's my basic objection, too - that it's tacky. I don't list it as one of the options, and try to talk brides out of it. But if they really insist, I'll hold my nose and do it.

It could be worse, e.g. "Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war."

Would you think the Toccata from the Widor 5th Organ Symphony appropriate?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvulxN8hY6o

http://www.canticanova.com/articles/feedback/arteg1.htm

I concur with Gary's article. It it is generally fading from popular memory. On the rare occasion it's requested, it's typically because the mother of the bride had it at her wedding. While I would certainly discourage it, I can't say that I could in good conscious refuse playing it when considering all the other non-liturgical music that has been permitted into the Liturgy in recent decades. The point is, most young couples haven't even heard of Wagner or Mendelssohn, and even if they have, they don't associate the music with the shows. I've talked many couples out of :"All I Ask of You" from Phantom, explaining how the text and the context of the show is not appropriate for Mass, and the typical response its, "I never thought of it that way, I just liked the pretty music."

So unless you're in a parish that actually always follows the rubrics and sings the propers and never plays secular music during, before or after Mass, it would be hard to justify banning these two pieces on moral grounds when most of the baggage that was associated with them in past generations is long forgotten.

Of course, by all means, suggest something else.

I didn't say the Widor Toccata is objectionable. But I did wonder how often it is used as a wedding recessional.

The Widor is entirely too long, and I have to cut it when I use it. I don't like to do that. Also, I play it so infrequently, I almost have to relearn it each time.

I have cut out the entire middle section to avoid playing to an empty building for 3 minutes. It depends. Once, I started past the soft section and only did the last part. No one noticed or seemed to care.

My church is only 1/2 block long. It doesn't take long to get a procession in, or the "general retreat" (recessional) out the door. Those large French works are better timed for massive French churches.

Only if they agree to pay you to play the Nocturne* outside their hotel room on their wedding night. Not that wedding nights are what they used to be for most.....

* Horn player here....

Marajoy: choir or vocal solo, plus organ (e.g. the Wagner, except it's been ruled out). Thanks.

I often offer the introit as an alternative to an organ processional, and often they like that. Occasionally, also, we sing a motet for both processional and recessional. This is for weddings for which my choir is singing a high Mass. Rarely do they ask for the Wagner, and when they do, I suggest alternatives. I play the Wagner with a dull registration, and then the alternatives with better registration for them to choose from. Only once did they stick to the Wagner "because it is traditional." It has never occurred to me to inform them of the text of the Wagner, which members of the congregational will know: "Here comes the bride, big, fat, and wide." One can also point out that both the Wagner and the Mendelssohn are drawn from dramatic contexts, in which they are a part of failed marriages.

Kill the wabbit...

With the Widor, I cut out the manuals.

(also, in college we used to play 'tea for two" in the pedals instead of the usual pedal part.)

What do you mean, francis? You just play the pedal part?

I do like the Widor, but as the composer intended it to be played, and in a concert setting. As for a recessional, everyone is headed for the door and any pretense at liturgy has ceased. It's over by then.

Actually, Widor played many his pieces at Mass.

and whether or not you want to be paid

I should have known better than to get my poor kids involved in this but thought we could make it work. Just this past Monday, a woman from our parish called to ask if my son could play the organ for her wedding tomorrow (some people aren't much into planning ahead). She also asked specifically that my daughter sing the "Ave Maria" since she had heard her sing that before and thought it so beautiful. For music she asked for "Here Comes the Bride" as the entrance. I told her that only sacred music is allowed for weddings in the church (this is our parish policy) so, while she was on the phone, I had my son play through several pieces from his wedding collection and she chose one for the entrance and one for the recessional. Tuesday we all went up to our parish 30 miles away so my children could practice. We also made special arrangements for my son's piano auditions on Saturday so he would have enough time to get home and turn around so we could go to the wedding.

The bride just called to say they wouldn't need us after all because her fiance insists they have "Here Comes the Bride" for the entrance. I think it may be they didn't want to pay the musicians' fees ($50 for my son, $25 for my daughter). Oh well, none of us were looking forward to it and will be glad to have our Saturday evening back. The last "last minute" wedding I agreed to, also "booked" less than a week in advance, lasted two hours and only my son was paid $50 even though I sang the "Ave Maria". I think I need to set some better policies and stick to them. "More than a week's notice" for starters.

Kathy

-.

After all my years in music, the Bossi is one I had never heard. A quick trip to IMSLP and I now have a copy to practice. It lists it as Entrée Pontificale by Enrico Bossi, so I thought it must be the same piece. There were multiple Bossi composers on the IMSLP listing.

I have played Widor during a funeral (Meditation in Eb in case you're wondering).

What's the problem?

Just because Charlie was perhaps more worldly than the likes of Cesar Franck doesn't mean his music can't be played at mass.

Best wishes,
Padster

The Symphonies were actually meant to be played in their entirety between the last of the low masses and the high mass of a Sunday morning. As the Aussies say: good on you mate!

Best wishes,
Padster