Society of Saint Gregory

Not justifying Merbecke - I was an organist in an Anglican Church for years, that setting is a trully uninspired bit of hackwork. I seem to remember a similar(ish) early C20th one that seemed to be modelled on it. Can't for the life of me remember the title or composer, though - they say that memory...

I seem to remember that Merbecke compose stuff in parts and that his communion setting was rushed out as just an example of how English chant was possible. Two years later Mary Tudor came to the throne, and all development stopped - rather a pity, really.
Alan

I despair. But times change and I must accept that. My parish priest – 11 months older than I – said recently: "We must get used to the idea that we're the sad old gits now". And we sit back and watch the youngsters with their Graduals and Libers and birettas and incense and lace. And we ...

The Anglican Use Gradual is available as a free pdf. Had a look and picked 6 places at random. It strikes me as the product of misguided love. The proper plainsongs are not feasable in most parishes (and if they are to be done at all, best do them properly in Latin), and the simple chant-based repla...

Don't knock "Colours of Day."
I have it on the list for when I am cremated. The chorus is particularly apt (even proper.)
Alan

I have a Roland piano with all the bells and whisles.
It has a brilliant helicopter sound which surely has a place on Aug 15th.

Alan

VML wrote:Broadcast the real thing!
Producers should be persuaded to treat religious services with the same reverence they save for live snooker and football.

They could get John Motson to do the commentaries.
Alan

More seriously, does what was an error become correct by the simple force of frequent usage? Does this mean I have to abandon my crusade against "CONtribute" and "DIStribute" instead of "conTRIBute and "disTRIBute" just because they are so prevalent on the BBC and...

Probably best to assume that the majority of teachers in catholic schools are at the best lapsed catholics.
Alan

Just to put another spin on it. The context is an English hymn, not a Latin one. So perhaps English pronunciation should be used. I know from my wife who learned her Latin at a very posh public school, that English Latin is a long way from Italian (or German or French) Latin.
Alan

Whereas I would go for exchelsees, and Eye-oh.
Alan

Another symptom of how music is seen as a background thing, to be talked over, chopped up and shopped to.
Time to move on, I feel.
Alan

There is another issue here. Why is the school involved with Sunday Mass at all? Surely it is for the parents to take their children to church. How optional is it for the children or staff? I am *beep* sure that if my head expected teachers to dragoon children to Sunday Mass, he would get some very ...

The main problem I have found is the vast majority of the congregation are not church-goers, so they don't have a scooby-doo and don't sing along anyway. So such "celebrations" are reduced to the sound of Father Baritune and his housekeeper, the Widow Tenoroon, warbling in exact unison, ju...

For some reason I don't think that singing "We'll cling to the priest" would evoke the right sort of mental images in these sad times.
Alan