Guitars

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organist
Posts: 574
Joined: Mon Jan 26, 2004 11:39 pm
Parish / Diocese: Westminster cathedral
Location: London
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Guitars

Post by organist »

Many thanks to Paul Wellicome for M and L article this June. Recently attended 2 masses with folk groups guitars only.Both suffered because we did not know when to start. Bars of strumming are no help at all. Grandson's first communion at Pentecost began with This is the day. The communion hymn was basically a solo. The mass leaflet was very unhelpful to non Catholics. Several texts were omitted notably the creed. Gloria was said although the leaflet had the clapping Gloria. No sequence.
The funeral mass had only one item we knew Crimond and no sense of the words carrying over to the next line. Sanctus was Farrell no text given. Lamb of God car too jolly Israeli tune? So basically a concert. No Kyries. I had offered to play the organ but we had silence beforehand. At the cremation Star Wars used as a farewell.I do think it is a shame when one cannot honour a friend by playing.
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VML
Posts: 727
Joined: Thu Feb 12, 2004 12:57 am
Parish / Diocese: Clifton Diocese
Location: Glos

Re: Guitars

Post by VML »

Ouch!!!

Clearly there are guitars and guitars, and players of same.
Our other guitar Mass leader also introduces songs with strummed chords, on a 12 string, sometimes 8 bars, and we are still none the wiser as to what is going to be sung, and this is not helped by the fact that the OHP operators often post the first verse just as the singing should start. I have asked for the first verse to be put up earlier, but to no avail.

I have read Paul's article, and have to agree to differ on the matter of the classical guitar. Our church is not large. When I am playing a nylon strung guitar, it is usually with a flute or recorder, and violin. This has worked well for 20+ years. I am finger picking, and never use just a strummed intro. If it is a guitar intro it is a recognisable one. I use a thumb pick to enhance the lower strings.

But I didn't learn guitar just for Mass. Having grown up singing at Mass before Vatican II, I moved on to folk and guitar and learned from singers and recordings with proper clear intros and accompaniments.

In folk singing it used to be me and Jake Thackeray who used only classical. We lost him far too young. :(
alan29
Posts: 1239
Joined: Fri May 27, 2005 8:04 pm
Location: Wirral

Re: Guitars

Post by alan29 »

Went to Taize about 20 years ago.
4000 people singing the chants to the accompaniment of a single classical guitar sympathetically miked up.
It was deeply moving.
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