Wednesday, September 30, 2009

10 4 at CTK CC TX

Is that a big 10-4 buddy?

Sorry, but I can't let St. Francis' Day go by without acknowledging the much loved saint and patron of our beloved adored and idolized pets..... even though the Temple piece is sort of trite, it's pretty enough and as we all know, people love it. Dealing with the fact that the poor saint probably never wrote a prayer like that is as tough to deal with as finding out from Holy Mother the Church that St. Christopher probably never existed. BUT I LIKED THE STORY ANYWAY!!!

So this week we begin singing the new Communion hymn - AT THE OFFERTORY... does this prove I'm a gnut case (g is silent).... or that I'm a flaming liberal????

Processional: For the Beauty of the Earth - Dix
Offertory: Deck Thyself, My Soul, With Gladness - Schmuecke Dich, o meine Seele
Recessional: Prayer of St. Francis - Temple

Other stuff is the typical: Tone II for the Introit and Communio
Psalm chanted antiphonally, to tone II
Kyrie, Gloria (Angeles), Sanctus, Mortem, Agnus - Jubilate Deo collection.

And our kids love the Latin chants.... go figure. (Is it because they're rebellious or just because they know God loves it, too?)

SteveO

How Many More Hours must they suffer?

Last evening we had the pta... under a different set of initials, but basically the same thing.... all the school kids were required to be present - and their teachers, as well. This after having been in school since at least 7.45 in the morning.... so, after school, kids and teachers got a brief reprieve, but had to be back on property. The meeting was at 6.30. And I had to be there, too.... this stuff sucks and you'll soon know why:

The first hour was spent with adults gabbing about the upcoming fall festival (actually a fund raiser, but using God and the saints as the reason for dressing up in nasty outfits....I don't understand)... Then the kids FINALLY got to do their thing: AT 7 FREAKING THIRTY IN THE EVENING. Most of these kids are usually in bed by 8pm.... but Father wants...... (he doesn't have kids, doesn't spend hours with them in the classroom each day and doesn't have to feed a family and get them to and from....etc. - the problem?)

The kids were a delight, although extremely tired. Even my 4-6 graders who were present were exhausted.

So the older kids sang the weather report and information about pesky mosquitoes, to tone II. Then they educated the adults about fun use of Tone VIII, by invoking two lines from Supercalifragi.... Then, we played the game "Are you smarter than Mr. O's music students?" The kids won.

1. Who composed Mozart's 42nd Symphonie?
2. Why was Beethoven deaf?
3. What are the main parts of a hymn?
4. What is metre
5. How many syllables in LM?

answers:
1. WAM composed 41 symphonies.
2. Because he couldn't hear
3. text and tune
4. #syllables in a phrase/verse
5. 8888

Then the kids and I tore off property as quickly as possible..... except for my brief talk with two parents regarding the detention their 1st grader got for fighting in class.

Another fun day in the parochial school......

Monday, September 28, 2009

Angels, Therese and MORE angels!!!

So I stayed home this Monday morning - distress in the lower tract, they used to call it..... (remember the old tv commercials - the people standing at the bus stop in the rain - and a guy with an umbrella comes into view of the camera and he says, "I'd like to talk to you about diarrhea" - out pops the bottle of pink stuff....) but I digress..... made it to classes and then headed home, missing, thereby, the faculty meeting.... only to return to church for a choir rehearsal - with one other person managing to attend.....

Anyway, the list of music for our dailies is listed here (nothing for Wednesday, because that's my hallowed day off - and even though I've chosen music for it in the past, it seems that what I've chosen is summarily dismissed... so why spend - or waste - time on that day, then?)

Tuesday - St. Michael et al
Hymn - Angels and Ministers - Slane (from Hymnal 1940)
Introit and Communion to Tone II
Organ - Voluntary on Slane - Paul Manz

Thursday - St. Therese of the Child Jesus
Hymn - Glorious Things of Thee are Spoken - Austria
Introit and Communion to Tone II
Organ - Prelude to the little fugue in a - attr. to J. S. Bach

Friday - Guardian Angels (School Mass)
Hymns
1. Ye Watchers and Ye Holy Ones - Lasst uns Erfreuen
2. Glorious Things of Thee are Spoken - Austria
3. Angels and Ministers - Slane
Organ - Praise to the Lord, the Almighty - Craig Phillips

Sunday, September 27, 2009

A NEW WAY TO GET A GOOD NIGHT'S SLEEP...

...and change your outlook on liturgy for good!



It's the amazing SNARK-O-PEDIC!

Listen to how this bed can help your inner nutcase. BTW, you'll hear a snippet of Salve Regina being chanted a cappella. See if you can guess which TWO BLOGGERS are chanting!
Peace,
BMP

Friday, September 25, 2009

School Mass at CTK CC TX

No prelude - not allowed..... (but I did play through the hymn tunes to remind the kids...)

Processional - O Praise Ye the Lord - Laudate Dominum (from TH1982, with the free accompt by Parry) - the kids were phenomenal! And on pitch, too. That part was really nice.....when we got to the line about "loud organ....deep tone" the kids really punched the volume up, and the reeds came on! Hoooooooweeeeee

Introit - Tone II
Psalm - chanted in its entirety, in unison, Tone II (excellent work by the kids yet again)
Alleluia - we've started doing one by Theodore Marier, who should be sainted for just about single handedly keeping decent music going in Boston archd.

Offertory - The Call - R. V. Williams (the kids love knowing that his 1st name was pronounciated Rafe...as in Rafael. They think they're so smart. It's really funny watching them on this stuff (they also loved the GUS in Holsts first name...being born in England)....

Communion - Tone II

Hymn later in Communion - Let All Mortal Flesh - Picardy (a favorite of theirs, which meant I got to do some free accompt. work with them again)

Recessional - God, My King - Stuttgart. I thought the kids were Anglicans the way they sang this (they had learned it early last year).

Postlude: O That I Had a Thousand Voices - Ernst Pepping

The K5 & 1st graders could be heard going to town on the Snow diddly of the Lord's Prayer. This was the first time this year, that they really let loose (they're allowed to open up, so long as they follow the rule: Bel Canto).... they were sitting on the stoop outside the school office a few minutes ago, waiting for their teach, who had to do something in the... and they were like "Mr. Ohmer! Did you hear us sing today? Did we do good? Better than last time? Better than in class yesterday?

It's moments like this that cause me to allow moments like yesterday afternoon to sort of become foggy and hazy.....

Finally have full speed internet - I've had a poor wireless signal here in the remote wilderness on property, but yesterday the cable got plugged into my cpu and linked me to the rest of the bots.... wow. It's faster. Gotta like that. Now if they'd just get the dagnabbed bathroom in!

SteveO

ps----sorry for all the cussin lately. As you can tell, I'm more than frustrated.......

Thursday, September 24, 2009

SHUT UP

So this week, for the first time in my teaching career and in music ministry, I told a class of 2/3 graders to SHUT UP. They had been quietly told by me, for a minimum of ten minutes, to get ready to sing, turn around, face the front of the room.

Now, a father is pisssed that I did this. The asst. principal thinks I was totally wrong and should NEVER under any circumstances do this, because after all, the kids don't understand... what the fuck don't they understand? Obedience? I'm not a kissy assy sort of person and it's difficult for me to understand when any educator or their bosses (in any area or level) are petrified of parents. Especially in a parochial school. Kids need to behave.

So the fireworks went off. I was confronted by this issue without warning...which is not a good thing for me, because my mind tends to not respond well to this sort of thing. I need time to quiet my sorry ass down, and think of a civil response..... should there be one.

Other students in the class readily knew they had crossed the line - actually all of them did, and you could see it by the look on their faces and the wide open mouths....which very quickly closed. Within a few seconds of my saying the forbidden words (I'm now not allowed to say such things - the first time I've ever been censored).... the kids were having a wonderful time getting on with the music class. And the did wonderfully. At the end of the class, I asked them how they thought things went after the final quiet down. They all agreed that the class was fun. And it was.

But now it doesn't really matter because I'm never supposed to have said those shut up words in the first place. It's not like I said for them to shut the f up....which I never would have done, but probably a lot of parents have said that to their kids (unfortunately).... And I was not supported in my actions, but reprimanded without being "written up"....

If a few parents would smack the snot out of their kids butts once in a while, teachers wouldn't have to put up with the stuff that usually comes out.... and mostly from people who keep their tongues very firmly stuck in those places... Do you think I'm a tad bit upset?????

The sad irony is that I absolutely adore these kids. And they truly love me. I treat them fairly. I love them and show them the respect they deserve as children of God; the know that they are special to me - but they also know that if they cross the forbidden lines, they will have to pay a price. But I'm not a mean ol' sombitchgrouch. Ask any kid. It's only adults who ... well, what I've already said is enough......

I cut out all the faldorah with the odler kids. You know what happened? Their behavior improved over night. Their attitude toward their music improved and went on to the next higher level...... and THEY STILL HAD A FUN TIME IN MUSIC CLASS.......

But heaven forbid that i should tell them to shut up. I might get fired.

God, please send your Church on earth, priests and administrators with balls of steel, and full of love and a total knowledge and understanding of the necessary balance between law and Gospel.... and the common sense to know when they should themselves just SHUT UP!

Shutting up for now....I remain faithfully in Christ, a loudmouthedsombitch...

SteveO

Sunday, September 20, 2009

A LOST PASTOR

My wife sent me this little ditty...

A little boy was waiting for his mother to come out of the grocery store. As he waited, he was approached by a man who asked, "Son, can you tell me where the Post Office is?"
The little boy replied, "Sure! Just go straight down this street a coupla blocks and turn to your right."
The man thanked the boy kindly and said, "I'm the new pastor in town. I'd like for you to come to church on Sunday. I'll show you how to get to Heaven."
The little boy replied with a chuckle. "Awww, come on... You don't even know the way to the Post Office."

Peace,
BMP

Saturday, September 19, 2009

A COUPLE OF BRIEF NOTES ON "BSHOBL"

First, this YouTube video (RSCT to Damian Thompson):



Second, on a poster I couldn't help but notice at the house of my last customer of my Schwan's route from last Wednesday:

One
Bad
Assed
Mistake,
America!

Peace,
BMP

Monday, September 14, 2009

MUSIC FOR HOLY MASS

Sunday XXV (Ordinary Form) - September 20, 2009
St. John the Baptist Church, Pawtucket, RI


In: "Lobe den Herren"...Praise to the Lord, the Almighty
Psalm (The Lord upholds my life) and Alleluia: Alstott...from Respond and Acclaim
$: Gillard...The servant song (Quite nice. Heard it done here once while Paul still was with us.)
Sanctus, Memorial (Christ has died), and Amen: Proulx...from A Community Mass
Agnus: Isele...from Holy Cross Mass (alternate tune)
+: "Bicentennial"...You satisfy the hungry heart
Out: "Azmon"...The Spirit sends us forth to serve (key of G)

NUMBER BOARD: 27 / 379 / 322 / 386

Peace,
BMP

Sunday, September 6, 2009

MUSIC FOR HOLY MASS

Sunday XXIV - September 13, 2009
St. John the Baptist Church, Pawtucket, RI


Note the change in Mass times for Saturdays, effective 9/12/09:
4:30 in English / 5:45 en Español

Numbers refer to the music issue (OCP)

HYMN 730: "Crucifer"...Lift high the cross
Psalm 116 (I will walk before the Lord) and Alleluia: Alstott...from Respond and Acclaim
HYMN 492: Temple...Make me a channel of your peace
Sanctus, Memorial Acclamation (Christ has died), and Amen: Proulx...from Community Mass
Agnus Dei: Isele...from Holy Cross Mass
HYMN 356: Foley...One bread, one body
HYMN 26: "St. Elizabeth"...Beautiful Savior

Peace,
BMP

Friday, September 4, 2009

MUSIC FOR HOLY MASS

Sunday XXIII (Ordinary Form) - September 6, 2009
St. John the Baptist Church - Pawtucket, RI


Back to St. John's again, where I'll be once again serving as interim organist for the two English Masses.

Entrance: HYMN 448 O God, our help in ages past..."St. Anne"
Psalm 146/Alleluia: from Respond and Acclaim
Offertory: HYMN 590 The cry of the poor...Foley
- (His best work known to the users of OCP materials, IMO)
Sanctus/Agnus: from People's Mass
Christ has died/Amen: Danish
Communion: Stewards of Earth..."Finlandia"
Recessional: HYMN 417 For the fruits of this creation..."Ar hyd y nos"

Peace,
BMP

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

OH WELL - I MISSED IT

The Ted Kennedy "funeral", that is. Well, la de da!

I was busy with other things. As a result, I don't have much to complain about, from my own observations. From reading other reliable bloggers' observations and a letter from the Catholic Action League (via Jeff), however, I really thought Cardinal O'Malley had more class than to let such a debacle happen. Praising the Senator for championing gay rights during the General Intercessions? Allowing family members to line up to go up there and proclaim these one at a time like a First Communion class? Allowing eulogy after eulogy after eulogy, including one from the pro-abortion President Barack Sadaam Hussein Obama Bin Laden (who was reportedly thanked by the Cardinal afterwards)? In a beautiful church such as the Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Help ("aka Mission Church")?

I really thought there'd be just a little more class. What the hell was I thinking?!
Peace,
BMP