Catholic Sensibility

Exemplary choices in contemporary liturgical music My initial caveat is that some composers, even some worthy ones, dominate the music publishing businesses of Catholic, Anglican, and reformed churches. If my parish knows four of Proulx or six of Haugen and we need a setting of Psalm 62, I'm probably not going to go back to the same well. One internet friend has suggested that though there is a lot of good music out there these days, it is draining to try to sort through all the new bad music to find it. Perhaps that is why liturgical musicians are so eager to return to David Haas, Natalie Sleeth, or others who publish about a piece a day. (If my group likes ten St Louis Jesuit songs, then eighty should be better.) In his early career, Bruce Springsteen would bring about twenty to thirty songs to an album recording session. He and the E Street Band would whittle that to the best of what could be pressed on two sides of a vinyl disk. In contrast, GIA policy (when I spoke with them about publishing and recording my music in the early 90's) was to do this for the first debut recording. They wanted another six outstanding songs to go with my pieces they liked. Once established, I could gradually add older songs that didn't make the first cut. That was a disappointing experience, more for the philosophy than for the rejection of 90% of my work. I see in the output of some published composers nothing to suggest a significant upgrade in quality is happening. More liturgical composers need to have Bruce's 70's approach in mind when they go to the publisher. Here then are my examples of contemporary liturgical songs that deserve a second look (or a first one, if they've been passed over). Some of these I have found to stand the test of several years use in a parish. Others I hope would someday get a wider listen. "Day Is Done," text by James Quinn set to the Welsh tune Ar Hyd Y Nos. The melody is strong enough to be done without accompaniment. But the tune also works extremely well with organ, piano, or ensemble. It should be a staple of a parish's evening prayer repertoire. "Now The Silence," text by Jaroslav Vajda and music by Carl Schalk. This one also adapts well to organ or contemporary instrumentation. And one of its best features: no need to trim verses; there is only one. "I Sing A Maid" might be one of the best Marian songs composed in the 20th century. It adapts well to just about any instrument or ensemble. "I Am The Bread Of Life" by Suzanne Toolan. I used to dislike this song, but I've learned to appreciate its possibilities, plus that people identify enough with it to sing the octave plus fifth range. "Pescador de Hombres," by Cesareo Gabarain "The Servant Song," by Richard Gillard "In the Breaking of the Bread," by Bob Hurd "Where Charity and Love Prevail," text by Westendorf, music by Paul Benoit "Behold the Lamb," by Martin Willett ... to name a few If you were to press me as to the best of the publishers' darlings: "Now We Remain" by David Haas, a very good twenty-year-old song he has yet to surpass, Joncas' masterful setting of Psalm 139, Foley's "One Bread One Body" is a worthy chestnut, Haugen's "Gather Us In" is with us, like it or not. In considering some well-published composers, I think they have written things more musically interesting, even some of the moratorium subjects above. But church musicians don't have the luxury of leaning on their own personal tastes in selecting music to learn and use in worship. For example, I find Bob Hurd's gospel-inflected music far more challenging than the song I mentioned above, but my preferences must be informed in large part by the Catholics I serve. I like Willett's "Dulcimer Carol" more than "Behold the Lamb," but most of my parishes don't have time for new Christmas songs. And again, I will put in the strong suggestion that only positive comments are welcome if you have alternate preferences. A good Christian rule of thumb is to say three good things about something before the criticism is trotted out. A hard discipline, I know, but an important one. Good liturgical music is not programmed by a process of elimination, but by a prayerful discernment with readings, liturgical text, and the human needs of the people at prayer in the parish. If you want the absolute best in music, program a concert, not the Mass. Then you can sell tickets (or give away refreshments) and see how your numbers match up with Sunday Mass.