Wednesday, May 9, 2007

WHY THE %^(& AM I NOT SURPRISED?

This was found in the website of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis (Red Sox cap tip to Argent).

In the next two years, the way that many people experience liturgy in the archdiocese and across the United States will undergo significant changes.
A new text for the Mass will be implemented, and a new Directory for Music and the Liturgy will guide bishops in their review of texts for songs used in the liturgy.
Included in the directory will be a list of standard hymns and songs that will be required to be in all future hymnals and missalettes.


The next few paragraphs go to tell about the infamous "what makes you sing" surveys and such, then goes on to the awards that will be given:

Father J. Michael Joncas, a liturgical music composer and a faculty member at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minn., will receive the NPM’s Jubilate Deo Award, which is given annually to a person who has made a significant contribution to the development of pastoral liturgy or music on the national or international level.
The NPM’s Pastoral Musician of the Year will be awarded to well-known liturgical composer Marty Haugen, also of Minnesota.


Sure - the composer of that lush love song Eagle's Wings and the one single solitary non-Catholic composer who has done more damage to liturgical music programs with his pen than any of the Catholic composers (though a few of them come damn close)! Oh wait - these awards are coming from NaPalM. Why should I be surprised?

(Note: Fr. Joncas does have a good share of very good, but underrated and underexposed, pieces - namely Lord, You Have the Words and As the Watchman, but has instead gained his reputation as a composer with the highly overrated and overplayed Eagle's Wings.)

Peace,
BMP

2 comments:

Argent said...

Yeah, maybe we should picket! The balloting was fixed...there are hanging chads! I want a recount.

Dad29 said...

You mean NAPA(L)M passed on a posthumous to Mgr "Bugsy" Bugnini?