CD 'accompaniment' at Mass

[Tsume Tsuyu]

One Saturday a month, our parish Mass is billed as a school Mass. This means that the children lead the singing, are the lectors and lead the prayers. Until very recently, the music was led by an accomplished musician with a sound liturgical knowledge. She has fought valiantly to prioritise the singing of the Eucharistic Acclamations and the Gospel Acclamation, to sing the psalm, and to choose hymns and songs appropriate for the week and known to both school and parish. It has not been an easy task and she has recently stepped down. At last evening's Mass, we were back to a four hymn sandwich, accompanied by CDs. I have never sung to a CD during Mass before. On the plus side, the songs were obviously well known to the children (though I'm not certain what the rationale was for singing I have seen the golden sunshine) and so they sang quite well, but we were mostly out of time with the CD. A teacher (with a lovely voice) attempted to lead us in, but she sang so quietly that only those stood very close to her could hear.

During the last hymn (This little light of mine) the headteacher jumped up and turned the CD player up (not sure why as the singing was quite good), and we realised we were about two lines behind the accompaniment. It all sort of fizzled out at that point.

Can singing with CDs ever work? I'd have preferred to have sung unaccompanied. I think I shall be avoiding that Mass in the foreseeable future.

[presbyter]

I'd have preferred to have sung unaccompanied..

As I make steady progress into a Meldrewesque dotage, I grow in my conviction that the best instrument to lead human song is a human voice. I am not long retired from this morning's Mass, whereat we sang Entrance Hymn, Kyrie, Psalm, Gospel Acclamation, Offertory Hymn, Eucharistic Acclamations, Lamb of God and a post-communion hymn - all unaccompanied. The assembly sang enthusiastically and - at one point - extremely loudly. Some Africans present even improvised some harmonies occasionally.

CD accompaniment? No thank you. Get a singer - or singers - to lead the assembly. Isn't this what the ministry of Cantor is for?

[HallamPhil]

... yes presbyter and TT, keep music live but if you want something to keep folk together try a drum (as long as the drummer can keep time!)

[Southern Comfort]

I am finding an increasing use of CDs at Mass to accompany school children singing, as opposed to being used only to help them to learn the music (which I have no problem with).

The reason given is that hearing other children singing on the CD gives the children confidence. I have asked teachers if they would use the analogous practice of playing a recording of the people's spoken responses to give the assembly confidence (and I'm sure someone's going to suggest this when the new translation comes in ), but they don't seem to get it. I've also pointed out the legal minefield of playing CDs at public worship, but to no avail.

As long as schools don't understand the role of the cantor (though their stance clearly indicates to me that they see the need for one, even without realising it), and continue not to employ music specialists but instead rely on the school's own RE personnel, we are going to have a lot of work to do.

[presbyter]

.......... and continue not to employ music specialists.......

Indeed. Are you saying, TT, that the school has nobody on the staff who can play either a piano or a guitar?

Is my parish primary school exceptional in having both a pianist and a guitarist? (Also a steel band specialist who is bought in - but the steel band plays at only a couple of Masses in the year)

For our First Communion Mass we will be treated to a whole battery of tuned and untuned percussion, steel band, piano, guitar, organ, recorders and most importantly, singers.

[Nick Baty]

Are you saying, TT, that the school has nobody on the staff who can play either a piano or a guitar?

Increasingly true. A certain Prime Minister – won't mention any names – hadn't achieved enough with snatching milk from schools – she went on to snatch music. Result, one generation later there are not enough qualified teachers who can play piano.

[alan29]

.......... and continue not to employ music specialists.......

Indeed. Are you saying, TT, that the school has nobody on the staff who can play either a piano or a guitar?

Is my parish primary school exceptional in having both a pianist and a guitarist? (Also a steel band specialist who is bought in - but the steel band plays at only a couple of Masses in the year)

For our First Communion Mass we will be treated to a whole battery of tuned and untuned percussion, steel band, piano, guitar, organ, recorders and most importantly, singers.

Simply superb. Psalm 150 has to be sung.

[Tsume Tsuyu]

Just to clarify, the CDs used were a musical accompaniment, rather than a sung version of the song. This made it more difficult to sing along to IMHO. It was almost too quiet to hear and, even when I strained and could hear, I wasn't sure where the intro ended until we were suddenly part way through the first verse. And we were caught out by some extra bars between the verses of some of the songs. I suppose a musical accompaniment by CD is better than simply using a sung recording, as SC has experienced, but it still needs a strong sung lead from someone who is confident enough to bring everyone in at the right time.

No, presbyer, there is no-one at the school who plays either guitar or piano as far as I know. I would say that your parish primary school is very lucky!

[presbyter]

No, presbyer, there is no-one at the school who plays either guitar or piano as far as I know......!

The word pathetic springs to mind.

[Nick Baty]

That's a tad unfair, Presbyter.
We are now reaping the rewards of the 1980s.
And the fault lies with those of us who allowed this to happen.

[presbyter]

That's a tad unfair, Presbyter.

I respectfully disagree

Look here:

http://curriculum.qcda.gov.uk/key-stages-1-and-2/subjects/music/keystage2/index.aspx

and here:

http://curriculum.qcda.gov.uk/key-stages-1-and-2/subjects/music/keystage1/index.aspx

Fair enough - you don't necessarily need a pianist or guitarist to present the National Curriculum but you do need a music specialist.

Manifestly the teacher mentioned by TT does not possess the required liturgical knowledge, pastoral understanding and musical skills to be involved in church music - and, imho, should not be involved in liturgical music-making at all until those skills have been acquired. (Would you expect a priest or deacon to exercise liturgical ministry without years of formation?)

May one ask what level the music-making in this school achieved in its most recent OFSTED assessment? Special measures for music?

I'm sticking with pathetic - and I'm wearing both presbyteral and school governor hat.

[Nick Baty]

In that case you might find many of the schools in my neck of the woods "pathetic". There are primary head teachers here who would kill for someone with any musical skills, however basic. And it's going to get worse. Music Services in several local authorities now have the axe hanging over them again.

[presbyter]

There are primary head teachers in my neck of the woods who would kill for someone with any musical skills however basic.

So how do they deliver the national curriculum?

I feel I must say that the parish primary school here in Elsewhere (see profile) is not in an affluent, middle class area - it's inner-city poverty and all the social problems that go with that. For more than half the children, English is their second language. A very high percentage of the total number of pupils receive free school meals.

The pupils' music-making and performing arts achievements are very high.

I am blessed with having a teaching staff of thirteen, thirteen of whom are practising Catholics. TT - is your teacher above a practising Catholic?

[Nick Baty]

They struggle. As do many other primary school because of the shortage of music specialists. I know of one school where the head breathed a sigh of relief when an old college friend agreed to come out of retirement for one afternoon a week. Another has someone who can play piano with one hand.

This was bound to happen as a result of economic policies of the 1980s. And, on the subject of the national curriculum, you will remember, dearest Presbyter, that music was included when this was introduced in the 80s – then dropped because it cost too much, then reintroduced.

St Elsewehere should count itself lucky – one of your neighbouring local authorities is considering axing its whole Music Service within the next 12 months.

[musicus]

'Music teaching in Catholic primary schools' would be an interesting topic for discussion, but it is taking us off-topic here. Schools without specialist musicians do use backing tracks in assemblies, and it is but a short step to doing so at school Masses. Is not the issue less about WHY they do it than whether they SHOULD be doing it?