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Epic New Mass Setting


dells_of_bittersweet

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dells_of_bittersweet

I am very interested in people's opinions on this music written by Matt Maher for the new translation of the Mass. It a combination of chant and acustic guitar with some piano. It contains elements of both chant and praise and worship. Check it out and comment! [url="http://www.worshiptogether.com/partners/index.aspx?iid=1892296"]http://www.worshiptogether.com/partners/index.aspx?iid=1892296[/url]

btw the explanation of the whole thing is very simplistic since it is on a Protty website.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Understand that I have been to many Latin Masses, I love the new translation of the Mass. I love the site. Thank yo so much about posting it.

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Speaking of mass settings, I have noticed that Catholic music producers seem to cling to very outdated distribution and liscensing schemes which are preventing the widespread adoption of good liturgical music. Almost every parish I have been to is keeping all their old, crummy hymnals because it's all they can afford. New, better, more theologically sound music can come along, but parishes can't afford to be equipped with hymnals or song sheets because of extremely strict liscensing.

In light of the new translation, many parishes have been faced not only with the problem of training everyone again, but paying for new hymnals. This is because places that make hymnals will own the rights to all the songs in them, and require you to buy the whole thing at a time. Many of the artists who originally wrote the songs are not being paid royalties, because the publishing houses will often simply change the words or instrumentation slightly and then retain copyright on the new version. But there is a new solution being used in the independent music world which could protect the rights of artists without having to resort to forbidding photocopying and making it impossible for parishes to afford new music.

It's called Creative Commons Liscencing, and I think it could really change the way new liturgical settings and hymns make their way from the pens of artists to the pews on Sunday. I can't tell if this is what Mr. Maher is doing here, since his website doesn't seem to list the terms of liscensing clearly. I probably just missed it. But a CC-liscensed online music database for liturgical music could be a huge thing to remove any obstacles for parishes to adopt new, theologically sound hymns and mass parts.

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Oh, and speaking of modifying a hymn and keeping copyright to it-

What is up with publishing houses changing old classics that are in the public domain? Oh yeah, they want to retain copyright, so they mash up the originals and then it's theirs. Hrmph. A CC-Licensed database ought to contain the original, public domain hymns too.

I know I'm getting way off topic here. I should probably give Mr. Maher's work a listen, and then contribute something on-topic. Heheh.

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Basilisa Marie

I don't mind Matt Maher...except the one time he gave a concert at a local parish he was a bit of a jerk to us afterward. But maybe he was just tired. :)

Tangent: I really, [i]really [/i]don't like the new chant settings for the new translation. It's the most depressing "Holy Holy" and "Gloria" I have ever heard. I can't remember which ones they specifically are. But I think they're based on the old tune for the "Mortem Tuum..."

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Really? They play at my parish guitar at noon and they clap. I can not stand it anymore.

Edited by elizabeth09
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eagle_eye222001

It seems that the organ is the most proper instrument for the Mass since because of it's reverent tone that lifts music to heaven.

I'm not big on the guitar as it tends to add a "campground" atmosphere to divine worship.


That being said, I'm not opposed to guitar music outside of the Mass.

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Basilisa Marie

[quote name='eagle_eye222001' timestamp='1329790486' post='2390390']
It seems that the organ is the most proper instrument for the Mass since because of it's reverent tone that lifts music to heaven.

I'm not big on the guitar as it tends to add a "campground" atmosphere to divine worship.


That being said, I'm not opposed to guitar music outside of the Mass.
[/quote]

Yeah, it's a bit of a paradox...the reason why the organ is still considered a "primary" instrument is because of its rich history being used with sacred music...so we keep using it because we've been using it...lol.

I've heard some musicians play acoustic guitar quite wonderfully during mass. Not the icky "ka-chunk ka-chunk" style, but a really skilled musician playing excellent versions of hymns during the reception of communion. Lots of fingerpicking and whatnot.

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filius_angelorum

I think it's great that Catholic musicians want to write sacred music that is based on the texts of the Mass...Vivaldi did, as did Beethoven, Verdi, etc. However, in many cases, as in the case of this setting of the Mass, those beautiful compositions were not considered appropriate for the liturgy itself.

This setting is not appropriate for mass for a few reasons. First, it uses instrumentation which is widely viewed as secular. Second, it places emphasis on the instrumentation rather than the human voice. Third, it represents an attempt to imitate Protestant worship.

As to the organ...There are very objective reasons why the organ is preferred other than the fact that it always has been preferred. We need to keep in mind that the organ was chosen as appropriate for sacred music while other options were available. There were folk instruments in the Middle Ages just as there are today. Why was the organ preferred over these? I think the primary reason was that the organ is capable of imitating the sonorous quality of the human voice and does not elevate rhythm above melody, as many instruments (such as the guitar) do. Instruments that were specifically approved by various popes seem to share this quality, such as flutes, violins, etc.

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