Looking for good tunes & new texts

[nazard]

You are omitting a very important point. Not only is the Anderson Gloria very popular amongst certain catholics, but it is also very unpopular amongst others. It is the only gloria during which I have seen members of the congregation get up and leave the building. It is, I suspect, the most divisive Gloria ever.

The point about it being sixties pop idiom is certainly valid, perhaps early sixties would be better? It is certainly showing its age now. Children and teenagers seem embarrassed to clap to it. In our parish they call it "The Grannies' Clapping Gloria," because they have noticed who does join in the clapping.

[Eastern Promise]

I'd be very grateful if someone who has a greater grasp of musical analysis and group psychology than myself to explain the phenomenon of this piece's popularity. Seriously, why is it so popular?
(Anyone remember LB's comment about a song in a similar style, a few decades ago now? .....a song by Sister M. Somethingorother - "I don't know what the M stands for but it's certainly not Mozart".)

Regrettably, I have little grasp of musical analysis and group psychology - but here is my 5 cents.

I agree with JQ, who on a previous thread stated that 'Catholics like cheesy' - and this as cheesy as you are going to get. I personally rather like the 60's pop idiom it is written in - it is rather like Mike D'Abo's theme song to The Likely Lads. (Could we commission Mike D'Abo to write a Gloria?)

Its popularity may be down to the fact that people have taken ownership of it, often at an early age. I suspect that it is probably the ONLY sung Gloria that many English RC's have actually heard.

Surely it is streets ahead of these awful quasi-plainsong settings on right-wing 'Catholic' web sites.

RESPECT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Peter Jones]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8okACq1TowQ

As the name has been mentioned - is this typical of Redman's output? I regret it didn't engage me for the full four and a half minutes. I became a little bored after a minute and a half..... not something I would have experienced, possibly, had it been more akin to the Taizé idiom.

[Peter Jones]

Children and teenagers seem embarrassed to clap to it. In our parish they call it "The Grannies' Clapping Gloria," because they have noticed who does join in the clapping.

Compare the ages of those who attend Catholic Charismatic Renewal events these days......

[Peter Jones]

But if they don't, they might as well not be there!

The songs or the Bishops?

[docmattc]

Its popularity may be down to the fact that people have taken ownership of it, often at an early age. I suspect that it is probably the ONLY sung Gloria that many English RC's have actually heard.

Surely it is streets ahead of these awful quasi-plainsong settings on right-wing 'Catholic' web sites.

Can, or should, popularity be equated with or substituted by, quality? Are either indicators of the ability of the music to aid the praying of the text by the person in the pew?

There is awful, and good music across the whole spectrum from right wing to left wing, not that those labels are useful. Furthermore, two people will define awful, and good, music completely differently. The regretable thing is that many pieces are defined as awful, or good, not on the basis of the piece itself, but on the identiy of the composer and/or which side of centre he is perceived to be located.

[nazard]

Compare the ages of those who attend Catholic Charismatic Renewal events these days......

My life is much the poorer for never having attended a CCR event. Would you lighten my darkness by expounding a little on their typical demograph?

[alan29]

Anderson - catchy, memorable, direct, guitar-friendly, and carries the text in a natural manner. In other words its congregation friendly, and people can praise through it without it getting in the way. And I refuse to get all superior about it.

[Southern Comfort]

2) The Methodist tradition is to spell out the message of the Gospel in a hymn sung after the Gospel or after the Sermon/Homily. This is not Catholic tradition. However, given that we remember the whole world and its needs (as well as those of the Church) at the Prayers of the Faithful, then the possibility exists of giving the Offertory Song the role of reflecting on the Liturgy of the Word (scripture, homily, prayers) before or as we move on to the Eucharist. Both GIRM and Celebrating the Mass encourage a broader scope for the Offertory Song than expressing the Preparation of the Gifts, even though it may accompany the procession of same.

Not just the Methodist tradition. The use of a Song reflecting on the Liturgy of the Word while "the table is being laid" is a well-established part of French Catholic tradition, having been heavily promoted over the past 40 years by Gelineau and other French liturgist/musicians.

[Nick Baty]

And it's the third procession of the liturgy.
I think of it as being almost a second gathering song – as we gathered for the Word, now we gather at the table. As the ministers processed up the central aisle earlier, now the people echo that as they present the gifts.

[keitha]

Anderson Gloria - a paraphrase, so not usable as the Gloria at Mass. I have to confess that I used at at mass once several years ago. Many hated it. Didn't use it again, and now never will.

[Peter Jones]

Anderson Gloria - a paraphrase, so not usable as the Gloria at Mass.

School Masses? (See Directory on Masses with Children) Possibly at a parish First Communion Mass? (ibid) Depends on the degree of flexibility of interpretation of that Directory.

My life is much the poorer for never having attended a CCR event. Would you lighten my darkness by expounding a little on their typical demograph?

People I know who attend such events now tend to be older than me. How much of a younger following there is now, I'm not sure.

[Peter Jones]

1) The Entrance Song is to celebrate our gathering together and to prepare us for the day, the season (if there is one) or simply to hear God's Word and eucharistize. It should NOT (IMHO) be a pre-digested summary of (any of) the readings: let us wait for God to speak to us in his own words in their proper place in the Liturgy of the Word.

The use of a Song reflecting on the Liturgy of the Word while "the table is being laid" is a well-established part of French Catholic tradition, having been heavily promoted over the past 40 years by Gelineau and other French liturgist/musicians.

Reads as if we are getting somewhere

SC - what are the French guidelines for the Entrance Chant?

[HallamPhil]

Sorry Peter ... been rather busy in schools the last few days. But can now get back to you. Decani Music published Music & Mission, a compilation of the talks delivered at one of the early NNPMs. There you will find a fabulous article by Kathryn Hughes in which she makes the aforementioned point about 'Do this is memory of me'.

[Peter Jones]

Decani Music published Music & Mission, a compilation of the talks delivered at one of the early NNPMs. There you will find a fabulous article by Kathryn Hughes...

Thank you Phil. I will dig out my copy.