tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19918057.post114323668461716141..comments2024-02-16T04:44:50.172+00:00Comments on The Bookworm: Why don't Catholics sing?The Bookwormhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08139740404665123205noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19918057.post-1143488525816184002006-03-27T20:42:00.000+01:002006-03-27T20:42:00.000+01:00you should read 'why catholics can't sing'. my mem...you should read 'why catholics can't sing'. my memory's too bad to do it justice, but apart from reasons of history and culture (all that oppression and secrecy didn't really lend itself to loud and joyful singing), there are the modern impediments of one singer with a microphone giving the impression that it's not worth anyone else's while to try, and also the dire nature of both music and words in modern hymns...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19918057.post-1143339630313838702006-03-26T03:20:00.000+01:002006-03-26T03:20:00.000+01:00According to my Catholic friends, most of them pro...According to my Catholic friends, most of them professional musicians, the Notre Dame University choirs can't compare with those of the local, 900-student Mennonite college, because the Mennonites grew up from the cradle with four-part a capella singing. In fact, the largest, most upscale Mennonite church in town begins Sunday morning worship with half an hour of a capella singing.<BR/><BR/>We recently visited a Lutheran college famed for its choral music. When Beethoven's 9th Symphony was mentioned, the admissions counselor said they'd never do it with such young voices. We didn't have the heart to tell her that the previous month the Mennonite college choirs and orchestra and those of the local public high school (with a large Mennonite or Mennonite background student body) had given 2 performances of the last movement plus Orff's Carmina Burana in one day--and both were excellent. There were 200 or more kids singing and many of the high school kids sang one performance and played the other.<BR/><BR/>The Mennonites attribute the quality of their singing to the fact that they are still somewhat wary of musical instruments in church--unless people open their mouths and sing, there will be no music. Perhaps there's something to that; after all, "Silent Night" was written because an organ was broken.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19918057.post-1143298783628028432006-03-25T14:59:00.000+00:002006-03-25T14:59:00.000+00:00Shari, that reminds me of a Methodist chapel where...Shari, that reminds me of a Methodist chapel where my great-uncle was the minister. The organist had one speed, and the choir had another. Both were determined not to concede to the other's tempo. The congregation either gave up in despair or simply did their own thing. So maybe all Methodists sing, but not all Methodists sing well! <BR/><BR/>Celticmom ... perhaps our parishes should do a congregation exchange. I'll send you some non-singers, and you can send us some singers in return ;-).The Bookwormhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08139740404665123205noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19918057.post-1143298013801903392006-03-25T14:46:00.000+00:002006-03-25T14:46:00.000+00:00When our priest leads we sing, when the music dire...When our priest leads we sing, when the music director sings guests turn and stare (we are used to her loud and off-key voice)when left to our own devices our congregation mumbles.<BR/><BR/>ShariAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com