Post intelligent and civil comments. Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the NLM
I don't understand the whole concept of a litugy committee. Why do some parishes give them so much power over what the liturgy is each week? A priest spends years learning how to properly and spiritually lead a parish. Why turn an important part of this duty over to lay people who have no training? I don't think we can expect real reform until liturgy is planned strictly by those who have the training to do it right. This would include the priests, deacons, and music directors (the training of music directors is a whole separate topic.)
On another note: is it possible (and appropriate) to introduce chant done in Latin into a RR-OF Mass that is celebrated in English?
This is a pretty good summary of the general situation in parishes. A good place for such a Pastor to start would be the acquisition of a solidly trained and educated Organist/ Director with experience in actual Sacred Music and choral conducting. The bad news is, such persons are hard to find and can be quite expensive when you can find them. Several years back, I wrote a piece for Adoremus on the "supply and demand" effect as regards Organists. If there were high-paying positions readily available for Organists with the proper training, I am convinced that within a short time, there would be a greater number of well-trained Organist/ Directors graduating from our nations music schools. The wretched condition of Catholic liturgical music can be entirely attributed to the "amateurization" of Music Director positions in our parishes, and will not reverse until these positions are once again filled by competent and serious musicians.
I agree completely with everything you said, Jeffrey. I especially like your points at the end about a "gravitational pull" on the rest of the liturgy. My boss has been considering starting to celebrate Mass ad orientem, and one thought that occurred to me is "How can someone whip out a guitar and strum when they see the liturgy celebrated like that?" Imagine an ornate chanted "Ite, Missa est." Then the closing song is "Sing to the Mountains". Nearly anyone can see what's wrong with that and any musician with a conscience would simply put away his guitar! Now I know that most folk/contempo musicians wouldn't get the idea, but the congregation would probably get the hint and see the incongruity.
And I'd add that priests shouldn't feel stuck with a bad musician. A priest has every right to make requests of them, and if the musician is not competent to fulfill them, the priest must offer training. If a musician doesn't accept any of that, I'd say the priest is in the right to dismiss the musician (the emphasis is on making sure your employees are trained and not saying "oh, you're useless at chant - bye bye!") And finding a new musician isn't hard, so long as a priest will PAY WELL! That is, living wage. Any real organist, Catholic or protestant, would be thrilled to work at a Catholic parish that does Catholic music. It's just a matter of the priest WANTING it.
You are right about the unifying quality of music. Last night at SJC, the progression from the sung English Novus Ordo into the Latin Solemn Vespers was so smooth one could have hardly noticed the liturgical differences - the chant kept the mystery intense throughout the two hours of both services....
Our new associate pastor (we're very lucky, he's a trained musician who sings with a early music ensemble in his spare time) has begun singing the mass, and it has made an incredible difference.
The difficulty now is that none of our volunteer music group leaders (the music of each mass is essentially run by the music group leader -- none of whom are trained musicians) all really like father's singing of the mass, but can't seem to understand that their Glory & Praise favorites are an incredibly jarring contrast.
Our church was built only ten years ago, so there's no organ to dust off, and since we're already outgrowing the new church (3000 registered families and counting) there's a lot of pressure not to add new paid positions (like music director) while we pay off capital campaign stuff.
What's a "living wage"? $25-35k? Obviously it depends on where you live, whether you have a family, how you want to live, etc. Surely the AGO has stats.
I agree that the best way to improve our Sunday liturgical experience is for the priest to chant the Mass with the congregation. Last week for the first time in a long time the pastor began to chant the opening prayer. My spirits immediately picked up and guess what? The congregation chanted back strongly and beautifully. And like Jeffrey said, it didn't cost a dime. Tom
ps dumping Glory and Praise would also be a tremendous improvement!
What not follow what what many non-English speaking countries do with the true acclamations of the Mass (including the Memorial Acclamation and Great Amen)? They use the Missal melodies which are chant-like, and so simple that people won't get tired of them. In any case, the melodies for the true acclamations (and not Mass settings) must be approved by the Bishops' Conference before being published.
Examples of such countries: France, Norway, Sweden, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland...
Pes, the AGO has put out salary chart for musicians, and has also asked individual chapters to make adjustments to that chart based on the cost of living in a general area.
The chart currently in use in San Francisco suggests that an organist with a bachelor's degree in Music that works full time should be paid a maximum of $40k per year.
That's not too shabby, but what Catholic parish sees the need to hire a full time music director?!? I've barely been able to get a few hours a week other places where I've worked. A 1/2 time organist's recommended salary here is only $20k per year. That won't even pay rent.
*correction: A full time organist's recommended salary in San Francisco is $46k, and a half-time salary is $21k. Marginally better.
Pes, for me I would consider a living wage to be under $20K. Then again, I live alone. I would expect that if I had a wife, three kids and a house, a church would pay me a salary which is enough to provide for all of those. My mother raised three children on $60K, so that must be about reasonable.
My advice for churches would be to advertise "pay within AGO guidelines". I find those guidelines to be fair. Although it must also be kept into account that there's something decidedly unChristian about a parish which keeps its employees starving.
Dear TJM,
In the archdiocese in which I live, it's hard to even find a Glory and Praise songbook. Instead, we're treated to the likes of "Journeysongs" and "Gather."
One Saturday evening, I went to Mass at the parish up the road from me. The hymnboard revealed "Gather Us In" as the opening hymn (Oh, dear, I'm sorry...I mean, "the gathering song"...please don't call the liturgy gestapo...) That and the ceaseless chit-chat before Mass inspired me to leave. So, I went to a church in another part of town.
My experience there reminded me of an old commercial, where the kid comes back in the house, announcing, "Larry's mom had liver, too." You guessed it! "Gather Us In" opened the Mass. But I stayed.
And, of course, the ubiquitous "Mass of Creation" was the Mass setting.
I can go to 9 of 10 parishes in my local community, and this is what I will find.
Does this sound familiar to anyone here?
That organist salary chart sounds like it needs to be adapted. I would think 46K should be the minimum in San Francisco.
I think that a good music director who can play the organ and direct a choir is a priority for any parish of decent size. After the parish secretary, the music director should be the next full-time employee.
Bob,
That's pretty standard in many parts of the country.
But keep looking, there are more and more parishes popping up with young priests and young music directors who are interested in classical sacred music.
Adveniat Regnum Tuum!
When I started as a transitional deacon a few months ago, I began chanting those parts the deacon says at Sunday Mass--largely because long ago I read Musicam Sacram and I had a sense that if there was singing going on in other parts of Mass, then the Kyrie, the Gospel dialogue and the dismissal, at least, should also be chanted.
I quickly realized that the impact was profound. The parishioners loved it, and a number of them told me how it reminded them of going to Mass in their childhood. Now, my parish's Masses are all versus populum, in English, and by and large no different from the average suburban parish in our area. But the fact that some of the Mass was being chanted immediately gave these people a sense of continuity with our liturgical tradition.
And as pointed out here, it doesn't cost a bit.
Jeffery,
Have you been to my parish? I thought you might have since you described it to a T. but sadly I don't have a budget for a real church musician or a organ. I am encouraged nonetheless. Is there another workshop being planned?
What about priests who cannot sing or even chant?
First, it would seem that by our very visit to Mr.Tucker's blogsite, we are in agreement as to the current status and the desire for change. Sad that we all seem to wonder, "When did you visit my parish"?
I for one would LOVE to see some sort of "beginners" seminar developed and well advertised regionally. I have wanted to reintroduce at least the chanting of the responses etc. for some time, yet don't even no where to look for direction.
JV
The question of what happens when a priest can't chant is a valid one. The gentlemen can have all the right desire, but if he is truly tone-deaf it can be a problem. Most bad singers, however, can be trained. The good Father simply has to make his weekly voice lesson a priority for the good of the parish.
My parish has a pastor who says that "whenever something arrives from Rome, we close our eyes." I actually heard him say this. Our choir has two directors, neither of whom are trained in church music, very pop-folk oriented, and very social. Consequently, we are really into the Haugen-Haas stuff, and because of the directors' limitations, have been into it for all the years I've been organist (21 and counting). I think we have a long way to go before there's even a feeble attempt at change. Last night, for example, we rehearsed a song (NOT a huymn, by any means) which featured a reasonably singable refrain, but whose verses were incredibly convoluted. I mentioned (half-jokingly) that chant is a lot simpler, which brought a glare from the director. This situation has been the norm for all the years I've lived in the parish. This year, I decided enough was enough, and seized the opportunity to hand in my retirement notice, effective soon. As for salary, I earned more just for playing at a wedding in one of our sister churches than I'm paid for a month at our parish. (My salary is $100/month -- it hasn't changed in 21 years.) FOr playing at the wedding, I received $160. Obviously, my pastor has never heard of San Francisco's guidelines, or those of the AGO, or the Canadian College of Organists. In all honesty, I'm mostly self-taught, though had very good role models, and the piano is my first instrument. However, it has become very uncomfortable for me as a classically trained musician to keep on with the job, so I'm leaving. Now they're wondering where they're going to find a replacement. They should realize that people won't work for nothing!
Not to make this all about me, BUT
I am a 31 year old recently retired organist who gave it all up to work at Starbucks. I have a MMus in Church Music/Organ and am most likely, in all honest humility, one of the better organists in the city of Chicago.
I am a devout Roman Catholic and searched endlessly for a job with a living wage (remember friends, that to really have a complete education as a church musician, you do need an advanced degree--and I left graduate school with over $30,000 in student loans and nearly $10,000 in credit card debt) and at the very least a decent pipe organ--but I could entertain you with endless stories of being turned away by priest after priest from tiny parish to mighty cathedral. I remember in one recent cathedral interview, the committee looked at me cross-eyed as I described my desire to implement some of the Graduale Simplex into their liturgy.
I ended up being mainly employed by Episcopal churches since 1) they required fine music 2) they sang more Roman Catholic liturgical music than the majority of Roman Catholics--my last choir chanted many of the Proper Introits throughout the year, not to mention Vittoria Mass settings and the like 3) a fair and just wage complete with outstanding benefits. BUT something was missing and I soon realized that my constant unhappiness was a result of not being able to serve my own religion---it wasn't enough to have fine music and solemn liturgy.
So, Sunday morning now means sitting in a pew and not at the organ bench.
I posted this after I read that all these priests at the seminar this week are complaining about their "musicians." I live down the street from St. John Cantius (I attended the 4:00 Mass yesterday afternoon -- maybe I should have stood outside with copies of my resume.) You mention that many of them are assistants---with good intentions. I might suggest that once they become pastors, they may have quite a struggle to implement these changes. Parochial life, especially outside of the city, is a daunting challenge.
Most of all, the laity and, God forgive me, the clergy need education. Even some of my Catholic musician colleagues (with advanced degrees from prestigious academic warehouses) set their limits only as far as the newest GIA catalog. My humble suggestion is that the Diocese and cathedral musicians need to take on responsibility to teach and demonstrate what the Holy Father is asking from each of us.
And as a gentle reminder for all of us CMAA types, let's not have wars over Baroque vs. Gothic vestments, the merits of Palestrina over Vittoria, the precise interpretation of a single neum in the Dies Irae, or holding a ruler out to measure the priests' proper orans position. Most Catholics are in the dark about their tradition and heritage---all which they should proudly love and own as they love Christ and his Church. Jesus was given to us a light to nations---not a burning laser beam of criticism or elitism. (Read the las
Sorry to be so long typ-ed. To continue: Read my last bit with all tenderness and charity--without one bit of finger pointing.
And that's enough for now---I'm off to make a latte.
SS. John and Isaac, pray for us.
E
Eric, I was at that Mass, and felt the same way -- should I have been holding a sign, "Will Chant for Benefits"?
I actually HAVE a job at a Catholic parish. I have to swallow my gorge sometimes.
"My humble suggestion is that the Diocese and cathedral musicians need to take on responsibility to teach and demonstrate "
That might work in a diocese where the Cathedral musicians have a clue. My bishop's favorite song is "Send Down the Fire" and the cathedral musicians oblige. Nothing indicates that they know any better.
I posted this earlier, but I agree with Michael above. Most people (and that includes priests!) are capable of singing. In fact, the number of people who cannot produce a musical sound is microscopically low. I'd advocate that men who posses such defects ought to be barred from becoming priests, but that's another topic... As Michael said, a priest need only spend time with his music director learning and rehearsing the chants of the Mass. I consider it my job to make sure the priest chants everything just so at my parish, and when I work with him, it pays off. He's a superb singer to begin with, but even a bit of work for a couple weeks can make a noticeable difference. It's ultimately a matter of priorities: either the Mass is important enough that you'll learn to sing it or it isn't.
Eric,
I'm really sorry to hear your story - particularly since I may be looking for a church job at some point in the near future - and I was thinking Chicago would be a better place than most to find one. And, like you, I do want to serve the Catholic Church, and not work for an Episcopal parish. Perhaps parishes could pay organists better if they slashed their music budgets by not buying so much music from OCP, GIA, etc. You can go a long way with free music - chant and what you can find on CPDL, etc. - without spending all that money on the newer music.
I just returned home from the event at SJC in Chicago. It was excellent, and my hat is off to CMAA and to our hosts - the Canons Regular of St. John Cantius - who were most gracious. We must never forget the Scripture "it is better to light one candle than to curse the darkness." Thank you to CMAA for lighting this candle.
As to the inability to sing, it has always been my firm belief that anyone who can speak can sing. Singing is simply extended speech. Stop saying a word in the middle of a vowel and just sustain the vowel sound and what do you hear? A musical note. Anyone who can make that sound can make more such sounds at other pitches. The rest is a matter of refinement and focus. It takes much practice, yes, but it is not impossible.
I am not sure I agree at all with the premise that there is a problem with priests who "cannot sing."
For a short time a very young priest from Mexico was assigned to our parish.
He had a relatively heavy accent in English, and never sang or said a word in Latin that I can recall.
But he did two things that in my observation profoundly affected the demeanor of everyone at his English-language Masses.
The first was that he NEVER passed byt the Blessed Sacrament in his preparations for Mass without, not just a simple gneuflection, but slowly falling to both knees and remaining there silently, in obvious prayer for quite a while. (He also, I knew from making odd hour, un-announced forays into the music closet, spent a good portion of that "free time" that priests have so much of :-P, on his knees before the tabernacle.)
The other thing he did was to chant large sections of the Mass, the preface dialogue, the Eucharistic prayer, you name it.
Mind you: He was totally and utterly tone deaf.
He did these chants in the same vague "shape" as the sacramentary chants, but a half step and a perfect 4th were all one to him, he went up and down in a mode unknown to man, a scale, perhaps an entire musical system all his own.
The first time (the Sign of the Cross at the beginning of Mass) it was distracting and disconcerting, and God forgive me, ugly, but it was also riveting and by the time of the Liturgy of the Eucharist, everyone in the congregation had somehow decided to listen intently and make the remply mono-tone on whatever his last pitch had been.
He did this slowly, in a sufficiently loud voice for it to seem like "proclaiming" rather than singing, and with no self-consciousness whatsoever. He was not performing (only a performer needs to worry that he can't sing,) he was praying to the Living God.
It was profoundly moving, extraordinarily solemn, and ultimately, very beautiful.
(Let me tell you, it made the acclamations with which we sometimes answered him, from the Mass of Creation sound very cheap indeed.)
Any who read this, please say a prayer for Fr Eduardo Malagon and family.
(Save the Liturgy, Save the World)
Great to see someone promoting the sung Mass. I always sing it on Sunday when it seems appropriate. Thanks for the great imput. I made a website for priests who want to learn how to sing the second canon, and a music file of priest singing it. I hope to put a preface and other stuff on it, but it is all I have for now.
Find it at:
http://www.geocities.com/
frkevin...ingthemass.html
6 Visitors Online
Commenting by HaloScan
