Wednesday, August 2, 2006

WHY OCP AND GIA WORRY ME

In response to the two comments on this post (one being my own reply):

Brother Andrew had mentioned that in addition to the CMAA being represented to aid the BCL on revising two important BCL documents, Music in Catholic Worship and Liturgical Music Today, GIA and OCP will be there as well. Now, I haven't seen anything about the documents as of late on the GIA site, nor the "common repertoire" ideas, but OCP has been working on their "common repertoire", with about as much GIA stuff listed as their own.

Nineteen of the twenty musicians surveyed (hand picked, I'm sure) are unknown to me, so I will refrain from saying anything about the nineteen. There is one remaining on the panel, I will not mention the name, who I still remember to this day putting up the biggest hissy-fit on NPM's message boards for my choice to receive Holy Communion from the ordained only. But I digress and will return us back to the topic at hand. Let's explore the lists some, shall we?

The first list begins with a list of Processional Chants for Advent (Entrance Songs) - their wording. Good: the category wasn't Gathering Songs. However, look at the first two titles:
Advent Gathering Rite (Daigle)
Advent Gathering Song (Chepponis)

Now, let me remind the readers that there is NO SUCH THING as a "gathering rite". Going through the rest of the category, you'll see that only TWO titles of the twenty have hymn tunes. Those are O Come, O Come, Emmanuel and Wake, O Wake, and Sleep No Longer (which is also known by an earlier translation Wake, Awake, for Night is Flying). Best bets on that category are those two, and even better: Psalm 25 (different settings), as that Psalm covers the Introit (and Offertory) for Advent I.

One look under the Psalm Settings for Advent leads to Lectionary Psalms, as well as those Lectionary antiphons with Grail verses (as you would see in Worship III). But then you see those non-Lectionary Psalms that would serve better as Communion responsories or even music during the Offertory. One example is the song Hold Me in Life, based in part on Psalm 25. Hold Me in Life is better than most in the line of contemporary pieces, in my opinion, but is a paraphrase at best of the Psalm and does not fit the bill as a Responsorial Psalm, as prescribed by the General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM). I would have no problem using it at Communion, however.

Now, on the fourth list, you'll see all the music listed for funerals. Despite the categories they're placed under, much of it is nothing but the "greatest hits" collections of two of the "big three" publishers. Go a little further and you find this for Holy Thursday:
Chants to Accompany the Blessed Sacrament to the Altar of Repose
I Am the Bread of Life/Yo Soy el Pan de Vida (Toolan)
In the words of Jeff Foxworthy - here's your sign!

Something in these lists tell me, "Be afraid! Be very afraid!"

Peace,
BMP

5 comments:

Argent said...

Aaaaaahhhhhhhrrrggghhh! I see names that make my blood run cold.

Thanks, I really needed to get depressed today.

Dad29 said...

There's one name on that list (ex-St Chas Borromeo Sem) which may be reliable.

The Bishops' Committee released its list of members, and I recall that one (female) on that list appeared to have a solid education; checked with a friend and was told she's VERY good (i.e., knows that church music began before VatII.)

Other than that...

Jason Pennington said...

To be sure, the two from CMAA are going to put up a good fight -- and bring common sense, logic, and an informed opinion to the meetings. One thing we have on our side, I would say, is the documents of the Church. It very well might be a David and Goliath situation. OCP and GIA have the numbers, but the CMAA has the brains. Two experts can run circles, so to speak, around a room of idiots. The intercession of Our Lady as St. Cecilia will help as well.

JP

Jason Pennington said...

TYPO: my final sentence should have read "The intercession of Our Lady as well as St. Cecilia will help also."

sorry, folks....I lost my syntax in my typing zeal...

JP

PhiMuAlpha2681 said...

dad29,

Do you know where the BCL's list is printed?

~nb