But - check out this interview with Dr. Barbara Resch.
Side note: NONE of my kids (ages 21, 19, 13, and 9) support sacro pop at Mass. Do they like rock and roll? Sure, they do! But not at Mass. They know where the musical line is drawn.
Hat tip to Jeffrey Tucker at the NLM. Oh, Jeff - only one spot in your whole post where I beg to differ...
For adolescents who keep current with popular music trends, much contemporary Christian music has a dated sound with a greater appeal to the "fortysomething" generation.
Not this "fortysomething". At least not in church anyways. ;)
UPDATE 10 AM EST: The Curt Jester has a nice idea in light of the above -- how about Life Tridenteen? Its Mass, and its accompanying banner (gotta have one, I guess) looks kinda like this:
Photo courtesy of the Curt Jester.Peace,
BMP
11 comments:
Not this forty-something either:p
Ugh...not quite forty-something yet, but the CCM stuff definitely doesn't appeal to me either.
And when the "Disney Princess" (our description for a certain youthful vocal type, reminiscent of more recent Disney movies) gets a chance at some contemporary sounding solo at Mass, my 12 year old daughter's eyes roll back into her head. She'd much rather hear a decent rendition of "Panis Angelicus" over "I'm Forgiven" (or whatever the song's title might actually be).
I have to wonder if the liturgy folks actually talk to teens and young adults to see if it's really the contemporary music that gets their butts in the pews or if it's actually something else.
I know exactly what you mean by the "Disney Princess" type. That's the one who can take even the Schubert Ave Maria and make it sound more like "A Whole New World" from Aladdin. Had one of those types at a wedding just two weeks ago.
As for your last paragraph, Valerie, my guess is that they don't. They either speculate, or lie to push their agenda across.
Ahhhhhhh - forty years later, the dirt comes out! ;)
BMP
I'd like my masses solemn but not dour. I like to sing joyful music when appropriate. But no rock n' roll beat for me during mass even if its lyrics extol our God Most High. After listening to so much Christian music set to secular music beat, I'm dying for a little of the old melodies.
500 teenagers is an incredibly tiny sample. 5000 would have been better.
I think the quote meant CCM in general, not specifically at Mass or church service. I can see this. Here's why. CCM is based in Nashville, just like country music. Like country, CCM has an established pantheon of stars (Twila Paris, Amy Grant, Stephen Curtis Chapman, and others) who gained their fame during the high-water point in the late 80s and early 90s. They, like their audience are now in their 40s. In order for new artists to get into the business, many have to ape the older style (unless they are a band, then anything goes). So, even 20-somethings sound like their are recording in the 80s. I may be the only fan of this music on these forums and blogs! It's so attractive due its heavy use of major keys and anthemic writing. Some of it just rocks out too! Anyway, it has its place and that place is not the Mass.
moconnor
Mike, that is absolutely right - it does rock out. I've heard Phil Keaggy play, and he's one heck of a guitarist. I could very easily appreciate that, even at my age (42). But, I also agree with your very last sentence - it does have it's place. Holy Mass is NOT it. However, the problem lies when this kind of stuff is used at Mass, and I've seen it done, and even suggested. Check out OCP's "Today's Liturgy" rag and you'll find, in addition to the music issue's greatest hits, even some of Spirit and Song's greatest hits. There's your problem. Not the music itself, but its misuse of it.
Thanks for helping me shed that light.
Peace,
BMP
No entiendo el Ingles pero si alguien entiende el Español le diré que me alegro de encontrar un Blog catolico (aunque no lo entienda....)
Can someone translate the above comment for me please?
Thanks much.
BMP
Asked a friend. He does not speak English, but in case someone can read the Spanish he wants to say it's nice to find a Catholic Blog.
~nb
Thanks much Brother Snark!
BMP
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