Dear all,
I'm putting together a shortish module on presiding for some of our students - principally for their diaconal year, but I'll be taking the opportunity to look ahead at their liturgical celebration as priests too. I have the documentation and my own ideas and draft outline, of course, but I just wondered what people would like to say on this one....
This is your chance to think aloud on this question!
Pirate
This is your chance!!
Moderators: Dom Perignon, Casimir
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contrabordun
- Posts: 514
- Joined: Sun May 23, 2004 4:20 pm
At first sight I read the thread title as "This is your CHANCEL!" (which could just about be the course name, I suppose, in the C of E).
Thanks for the chance.. my thoughts, in no particular order, not very profound and (inevitably) very much a musician's point of view. I hope its the sort of thing you're looking for.
Please please please make the effort to sing (especially the Eucharistic responses, and the Doxology - there's something rather odd about a said Doxology followed by a sung Amen). The faithful take their cue from the presider, and if he sings they assume it must be important , and join in. (Now it's quite a tough thing to ask a guy in his mid twenties who may not play an instrument or have sung much before to 'get up and sing' in front a church full of people - do they have singing lessons, and - especially - coaching with nerves?)
The key thing to remember in dealing with amateur musicians - even quite good ones - is this: we have a much lower ability to cope with departures from the previously prepared tramlines. This is because we haven't spent four years doing nothing all day every day except becoming competent in our instruments, and it has two consequences:
First, obviously, we have a lower level of technical skill. This needn't be a problem, because given enough warning of what is going to be required, we can prepare to an adequate standard. It doesn't much matter, for playing hymns, whether you're FRCO or Grade 5 piano. In the latter case, if you've practised it and play it rhythmically and musically and with sensitivity to the words and the needs of the congregation, chances are, nobody can tell the difference.
Second, and much more importantly, in general we have far less ability to keep going and fake it, no matter what is happening. (e.g., if the Grade 5 pianist's hymnbook falls off the music desk, the hymn will stop while the book is retrieved. The FRCO will quite happily carry on as if nothing had happened.
The consequence of this is that as soon as you depart from whatever has been planned and prepared - either in the service or prior to it, two things happen. First, the chances of some kind of crunch rise. Second, the stress level amongst the musicians rises - first because they know they're going towards the edge of their comfort zone and know that this increases their chances of public embarassment, and second because they don't know how much further you're going to take them. Increasing their stress doesn't do anything for their chances of coping with the change, and you have a vicious circle.
The reason for all this detail is that I'm trying to avoid giving the impression that musicians like everything planned like clockwork just so they can look good. It's much more fundamental than that; it's because the alternative is very stressful and can lead to them feeling very embarassed in front of a couple of hundred people. Which does NOT help one's recruitment and retention efforts.
The big "DO" from all this is, DO plan, well in advance and then stick to the plan even if you feel it could be improved by modification. Sacrifice the last 10% of perfection in the short term for a situation that your musicians can handle in the long one.
Don't be tempted to improvise or add - even if something is quite well known (to you!): if the musicians aren't expecting it they won't be ready and can't back you up. Especially if it's in Latin. (Sounds silly, but I have that T-shirt - end of a big Mass, planned to the last detail, gone like clockwork, the presider launched into one of those long blessings, in Latin. All the words were in the hymnbooks - which were however open at a different page for the last hymn. No way out of that. We could do nothing but sit in silence, feeling unhelpful and thinking 'he must think we're doing it deliberately').
A further consequence of the first disadvantage is that new or difficult items may represent many hours of recent and painful work. Never underestimate the amount of preparation that goes into playing instruments in church - a few people can 'turn up and play anything', but many can't (and feel embarassed because they think - wrongly - that they should be able to). However good the reason, if you have to cancel, either before, or even during, the service, something that people have been working on for months, they're going to feel upset - it's a natural human reaction. Be aware of that and go 'hug' them. Make it clear that you value their efforts, that you're sorry for the change and see how quickly you can reschedule. This is one of those times when good people management may need to be considered alongside good liturgy (I'll take flak for that comment - but humans are human. They have to be motivated, encouraged and their efforts valued. Otherwise they don't come back.)
Thanks for the chance.. my thoughts, in no particular order, not very profound and (inevitably) very much a musician's point of view. I hope its the sort of thing you're looking for.
Please please please make the effort to sing (especially the Eucharistic responses, and the Doxology - there's something rather odd about a said Doxology followed by a sung Amen). The faithful take their cue from the presider, and if he sings they assume it must be important , and join in. (Now it's quite a tough thing to ask a guy in his mid twenties who may not play an instrument or have sung much before to 'get up and sing' in front a church full of people - do they have singing lessons, and - especially - coaching with nerves?)
The key thing to remember in dealing with amateur musicians - even quite good ones - is this: we have a much lower ability to cope with departures from the previously prepared tramlines. This is because we haven't spent four years doing nothing all day every day except becoming competent in our instruments, and it has two consequences:
First, obviously, we have a lower level of technical skill. This needn't be a problem, because given enough warning of what is going to be required, we can prepare to an adequate standard. It doesn't much matter, for playing hymns, whether you're FRCO or Grade 5 piano. In the latter case, if you've practised it and play it rhythmically and musically and with sensitivity to the words and the needs of the congregation, chances are, nobody can tell the difference.
Second, and much more importantly, in general we have far less ability to keep going and fake it, no matter what is happening. (e.g., if the Grade 5 pianist's hymnbook falls off the music desk, the hymn will stop while the book is retrieved. The FRCO will quite happily carry on as if nothing had happened.
The consequence of this is that as soon as you depart from whatever has been planned and prepared - either in the service or prior to it, two things happen. First, the chances of some kind of crunch rise. Second, the stress level amongst the musicians rises - first because they know they're going towards the edge of their comfort zone and know that this increases their chances of public embarassment, and second because they don't know how much further you're going to take them. Increasing their stress doesn't do anything for their chances of coping with the change, and you have a vicious circle.
The reason for all this detail is that I'm trying to avoid giving the impression that musicians like everything planned like clockwork just so they can look good. It's much more fundamental than that; it's because the alternative is very stressful and can lead to them feeling very embarassed in front of a couple of hundred people. Which does NOT help one's recruitment and retention efforts.
The big "DO" from all this is, DO plan, well in advance and then stick to the plan even if you feel it could be improved by modification. Sacrifice the last 10% of perfection in the short term for a situation that your musicians can handle in the long one.
Don't be tempted to improvise or add - even if something is quite well known (to you!): if the musicians aren't expecting it they won't be ready and can't back you up. Especially if it's in Latin. (Sounds silly, but I have that T-shirt - end of a big Mass, planned to the last detail, gone like clockwork, the presider launched into one of those long blessings, in Latin. All the words were in the hymnbooks - which were however open at a different page for the last hymn. No way out of that. We could do nothing but sit in silence, feeling unhelpful and thinking 'he must think we're doing it deliberately').
A further consequence of the first disadvantage is that new or difficult items may represent many hours of recent and painful work. Never underestimate the amount of preparation that goes into playing instruments in church - a few people can 'turn up and play anything', but many can't (and feel embarassed because they think - wrongly - that they should be able to). However good the reason, if you have to cancel, either before, or even during, the service, something that people have been working on for months, they're going to feel upset - it's a natural human reaction. Be aware of that and go 'hug' them. Make it clear that you value their efforts, that you're sorry for the change and see how quickly you can reschedule. This is one of those times when good people management may need to be considered alongside good liturgy (I'll take flak for that comment - but humans are human. They have to be motivated, encouraged and their efforts valued. Otherwise they don't come back.)
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Tsume Tsuyu
- Posts: 191
- Joined: Mon Dec 29, 2003 9:40 am
- Location: UK
contrabordun wrote:The faithful take their cue from the presider, and if he sings they assume it must be important , and join in.
This is so true. Our Priest has given up singing the Doxology, I think because he feels his voice is not really up to it any more, but I do so wish he'd join in with the sung parts of the Mass or the hymns because, on the rare occasions he does, it really lifts the congregational singing. I know (because he's told me) that he enjoys the music and is appreciative of what we do, but he says that he's often too busy "getting on with things" to join in. It's a great shame because I really believe it makes a difference.
TT
Thanks, Contrabordun, that's really well put. Working in a cathedral inevitably means being subject to the occasional last-minute veto, because the principal celebrant on big occasions comes late to the planning process. This can be quite difficult to take, for exactly the reasons you mention. Having a hard-working choir that gets good results makes it worse, because (I get the feeling sometimes) they're taken for granted to the point where it's assumed they can do it all effortlessly and at the last minute. One of my challenges is to find ways to stick up for Plan A, simply because so many people have already invested so much energy in it, long before the powers that be come up with Plan B.
To go back to Pirate's question, and to add my 2p worth, here are two things that spring to mind. Firstly, don't underestimate the power of sticking to the script, as it were. There's nothing more likely to undermine a carefully crafted atmosphere than some ill-judged ad libbing about yesterday's football results as part of the Introductory Rites or as a preamble to the Blessing and Dismissal. Secondly, paying attention to pace can make a difference to how well you communicate. When the celebrant treats every line he utters as if it was of equal importance, the result can be fairly flat; when the contours of the liturgical drama are highlighted by competent control of the tempo of the text, something extra can be brought out of it.
It feels awkward to spell it out like that! Somehow it seems OK for us musicians to dissect our craft, but perhaps there's something to be said for letting the presider, by and large, let it come direct from the heart, however it comes out?
M.
To go back to Pirate's question, and to add my 2p worth, here are two things that spring to mind. Firstly, don't underestimate the power of sticking to the script, as it were. There's nothing more likely to undermine a carefully crafted atmosphere than some ill-judged ad libbing about yesterday's football results as part of the Introductory Rites or as a preamble to the Blessing and Dismissal. Secondly, paying attention to pace can make a difference to how well you communicate. When the celebrant treats every line he utters as if it was of equal importance, the result can be fairly flat; when the contours of the liturgical drama are highlighted by competent control of the tempo of the text, something extra can be brought out of it.
It feels awkward to spell it out like that! Somehow it seems OK for us musicians to dissect our craft, but perhaps there's something to be said for letting the presider, by and large, let it come direct from the heart, however it comes out?
M.
This is your chance!!
contrabordun wrote: The FRCO will quite happily carry on as if nothing had happened.
Depends on the hymn CB!!!
I agree with mcb that ad libbing does not enhance the celebration. Explanation of / commentary on / what is happening doesn't fit in as part of the actual EP. It should be done some other way.
If this module is aimed at deacons on the way to priesthood: Remember that the action of the liturgy is more important at that point in time than the personality of the co-presider. There are parts of the Mass, such as the dismissal, that 'belong' to the deacon, but if the celebrant forgets this and says it himself, then the deacon should let it pass, and not insist on making grand gestures about it.
It should go without saying that moving with discreet dignity even when mistakes have to be rectified, sound system hitches overcome etc., is something that should have been learnt as a very new altar server.
A prima donna deacon is a tiresome distraction to worship.
Mind you, many of us could do with reminders to behave with quiet dignity during Mass, and at other times in the church.
If this module is aimed at deacons on the way to priesthood: Remember that the action of the liturgy is more important at that point in time than the personality of the co-presider. There are parts of the Mass, such as the dismissal, that 'belong' to the deacon, but if the celebrant forgets this and says it himself, then the deacon should let it pass, and not insist on making grand gestures about it.
It should go without saying that moving with discreet dignity even when mistakes have to be rectified, sound system hitches overcome etc., is something that should have been learnt as a very new altar server.
A prima donna deacon is a tiresome distraction to worship.
Mind you, many of us could do with reminders to behave with quiet dignity during Mass, and at other times in the church.