| Author | |
cornomama4
Forum Pro
Joined: June 20 2007
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 189
|
| Posted: Sept 05 2007 at 10:32pm | IP Logged
|
 |
|
I have a concern about something that seems so trivial, yet affects me each time I go to Mass on Sunday. We have a very good choir at our parish with a couple of trained vocalists who act as cantors and "beef up" the choir even more. The problem is, one of the female singers regularly takes a counter melody above the rest of the voices, I suppose to add musical interest, but her voice is so loud and overbalanced that it's hard to stay on the "regular" melody. I have seen some people actually jolt and look back when she gets all fired up. I would not mind this if it were reserved for only the hymns, but she goes on her tangets during the Agnus Dei and the Holy, Holy, Holy. I don't know if she holds a paid position or not (that could make a difference).
I always want to feel that the idea of the congregation singing is to be in one voice, like the reciting of the prayers together. Sometimes someone will say the Creed really fast, ahead of the congregation and priest, like it's a race or something. That bothers me, because I really like the sound of all the voices working together, finding a pace and organic rhythm, the whole becoming greater than the sum of it's parts.
I think my main question isn't really about the appropriatness of the loud singing/fast reciting/bad trumpet playing/etc., but about what to do as a parishoner. I remember reading in C.S.Lewis (I think it was in the Screwtape Letters) about using the little annoyances to offer up to God and to try and love your neighbor, even if that neighbor is workin' your last good nerve...something about squeaky boots. On the other hand, I wonder if a tactful (and anonymous) note to the music director might be helpful. I tried going to another Mass time, but there she was. I would never try to judge her motives for "standing out", (i.e. she's just showing off) but regardless of that, it's just too loud!
I'd love input on the general question (disruptions/annoyances during Mass that could be avoided), and that may help me decide about this specific circumstance. Many of you ladies have so much more experience with years of Masses attended, and so much more wisdom from having lived the Faith all your lives (or good chunks of them!) As a fairly recent convert (3 years) I know the "old Adam" in me is still a pretty recent companion, and I just don't trust my own instincts so readily anymore.
Boy that took a tangent! TIA
Pax,
cm4
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Red Cardigan
Forum Pro
Joined: June 16 2007
Location: N/A
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 470
|
| Posted: Sept 06 2007 at 1:49am | IP Logged
|
|
|
cm4, I know what you mean about knowing when to say something and when not to. Small, occasional disruptions in the liturgy do happen, and when they do it can be better to offer them up, esp. if there are more serious/more regular issues to focus on.
That said, I sing with my parish choir, and what you describe is a bit unusual. Those "counter melodies" or descants are meant, generally speaking, to be sung by more than one voice, so it's odd if only the one person is singing them--unless others are singing too, but the one person tends to drown them all out. If that's the case, the choir director probably should be told. I know our director strives for balance, and as much as he encourages the soprano section (I'm one of them  ) to sing those descants audibly and with fervor he definitely wouldn't like it if only one of us could be heard! Frankly, neither would we! But sometimes the acoustics from the choir loft/platform/area don't really let you hear your own voice, so if you're being too loud or too emphatic sometimes you're the last to know.  So this is where feedback from parishioners can be really helpful.
Just one more thing--the descants you describe, for the Agnus Dei, Sanctus et. al. are usually written in the hymn book the parish uses, so if this person is actually making up her own descants it would be very odd indeed. Now, our director has taken the liberty of altering the descant for the "Amen" at the end of the Canon which we're currently using, but it's not all that unusual for the choir director to tweak those things to suit the voices he has available to him. But for a singer herself to create these harmonies would be a bit much, I think, even if she's in a professional/paid position.
Hope this helps!
__________________
http://www.redcardigan.blogspot.com
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
folklaur
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 07 2005
Location: N/A
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2816
|
| Posted: Sept 06 2007 at 10:26am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Would I say something about the singer?.....Maybe  . But that is because at our parish my DH runs the sound board, so I am always giving my opinion to how it should sound .
But, if you do decide to talk to the Music Director, I don't think it should be anonymous. I would think he would appreciate feedback, and I am sure if it is really sounding off, you aren't the only one who is noticing it. But if you do feel it is worth mentioning, then you should. If you feel you need to do it anonymously, then...well, I don't know. I know doing it anonymously is easier, but, I don't know, I just don't know if that is the right way to go about it?
Maybe it would be better to approach him and ask why it sounds that way (non-confrontationally, of course, just curiously) - what effect are they trying for, etc? Then you may be able to better tell if he is telling her to do that, or she just is doing her own thing.
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
cornomama4
Forum Pro
Joined: June 20 2007
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 189
|
| Posted: Sept 06 2007 at 11:18pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Thanks for the advice so far!
Red Cardigan, I really can only hear her and the lines make sense and at least she is in tune, but it probably is a matter of projection or placement in the loft.
Cactus Mouse, my main reason for wanting to be anonymous is that she is in our home schooling group. I don't know her well enough to comment on this. I have met the music dirctor, she's the organist, but I maybe if I get to know her better I will be able to tell if she would be discreet.
The other issue, I guess, which I have with other music events in the church, is that I'm a professional musician and everyone I work with is mainly an amatuer..even though many are extremely good! I don't want people to get the feeling that I think I'm a "know it all". When the choir people I've met or the Easter brass folks find out I'm in the Symphony here, they always seem to be made nervous about what I thought about their performances. I've been asked to play as an added feature sometimes, so the last thing I want is to make anyone feel like I'm "too good" for them.
I'll probably sit on this for a while, obviously it's not a crisis. I think God is giving me this "problem" to help me slow down and really think before I speak, not doing so being one of my worst faults. I'll be going to the 9:00 Mass now that CCD has started, so maybe the choir will be off..they can't do EVERY Mass!!
cm4
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
|
|
4Real Forums : Domestic Church
Topic: Tactful complaining??
