...this morning, I heard the sound of a strumming guitar and young voices singing next door. It was not, to be frank, very good guitar-strumming. One found oneself vaguely allowing it to float into the brain...and I suddenly realised I was hearing the words "Christ is risen..Christ will come again..." and that the girl next door and some friends were practising something for Mass.
I'm not a fan of guitar-music in church - it doesn't work well, kills off the possibility of good congregational singing, usually has tunes that are trite and often words that are pretty soppy too (though these have marginally improved since the '70s). I would perhaps have been happier if I had heard young voices raised in a simple but beautiful Kyrie, a glorious rendition of the Credo, or just a fine old hymn with a good tune...but for all that...somehow...there is something mildly heart-lifting about teenagers singing about God in a suburban garden on a September morning.
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13 comments:
i think it's good to accept that their are different gifts & styles..& i'm trying not to be judgemental,afterall Youth 2000 & the like involves thousands of young people..
If young -- or old -- musicians want to use instruments like guitars to praise God, more power to them. But they should perform in the undercroft, not the church.
I plagiarised a kyrie from the andante of Mahler's 6th for a mass many moons ago and the people loved it - will get my old keyboard out and send you the music...really easy to learn but it sounds like a kyrie should.
"on the ten stringed harp shall I praise him, with the murmuring sound of lyre".
This prejudice against stringed instruments was not shared by the Psalmist.
People who use guitar and the like in the liturgy, are not keeping with good liturgical practise, especially when vatican II says clearly that Gregorian Chant is the music of the Church.
I think Youth 2000 does a lot of good in the Church, but their guitar styled liturgy are not in keeping with the real Vatican II spirit.
There is a place for guitar music, but its not in the liturgy.
Here here Malcolm McLean... I confess I was in a Folk Group that sang at Mass as a teenager. I had no idea at the time although I had a vague feeling that there has got to be something better than "Let it Be" (I had no idea it was a drug song), or "Little Road and a stone to roll". I wish I had learned Gregorian chant or the other types of music that you suggest. Dear Lord, please let them drop the Carey Landry music. 30 or more years is enough.
I'm not a big fan of guitar music at Mass, but let's not forget either that "Silent Night" was originally played in church on a guitar -- the organ wasn't working.
I like the organ or piano much better, but *sometimes* very occasionally if the arrangement is simple and not "rockish" a guitar can be okay. Not preferred by me, but not "what is this world coming to" either. :-D
My husband and son play guitars in church, with a friend on saxophone, and a singer to lead. Their repertoire includes many traditional hymns which to my ear sound better with them than with a dirge like organ which slows down and drowns out the singing especially with a small congregation
Auntie say's...
There is something....MILDLY uplifting about teenagers singing about God.
Excuse me Auntie, but there is something absolutely wonderful about teenagers singing about God on a September morning!!!
Thank Goodness for them and their praise.
Auntie may not like the guitar, but remember they were singing to God ..not you!
There appears to be a bit of subjectivism going on here, almost well if it directed towards to God, then we can sing to Him how we want..I dont think it works like that for us as Catholics..Speaking of the apostles Christ said "He who listens to you listens to me". The bishops of Vatican II have told us what has the highest place of musical expression in the Church-Gregorian Chant, using guitars in the liturgy IS being disobedient to God.
Irrespective of their good work Youth 2000 should set an example of obedience to the Church in this area.
With prayers for the vital and great work of Youth 2000!
Using a guitar to praise the Lord is not being disobedient to God.
Legalism is stupid.
I'll tell you what is disobedient to God...
Grown men molesting little boys!
The "catholics" should get their priorities straight.
the liberals have used the 'legalist' tag for ages, it a pretty boring one now.. I suppose saying abortion is always wrong is being a legalist too?
Molesting boys is wrong, it all stems from disobedience...
btw, just to clarify...about using the guitar, as I said before using the guitar to praise in the LITURGY is being disobdient, outside the liturgy, groups certainly have freedom to use the guitar.
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