Hare wrote: It is important to remember that the Communion hymn (or whatever) is supposed to BE the community's prayer after receiving communion - to see it as an interruption is rather missing the point.
That may be the case. The point I was making is that the timing of it is important if the community is going to join in. There's no point begininng it concurrently with reception because no one will join in, and then it gets COMPLETELY lost.
Hare wrote: It is important to remember that the Communion hymn (or whatever) is supposed to BE the community's prayer after receiving communion - to see it as an interruption is rather missing the point.
That may be the case. The point I was making is that the timing of it is important if the community is going to join in. There's no point begininng it concurrently with reception because no one will join in, and then it gets COMPLETELY lost.
I think the experience of some here would tend to contradict this. Many Communion songs and psalms from the past 30 years have refrains for the people, and they do join in (though it takes a significant period of time and encouragement for this to happen), even when processing to receive. The Taizé Eat this Bread is almost guaranteed to get people going. Communion strophic hymns, on the other hand, often do not work because people don't want to go to Communion with a book in their hand.
londonchurchman wrote: That may be the case. The point I was making is that the timing of it is important if the community is going to join in. There's no point begininng it concurrently with reception because no one will join in, and then it gets COMPLETELY lost.
I think the experience of some here would tend to contradict this. Many Communion songs and psalms from the past 30 years have refrains for the people, and they do join in (though it takes a significant period of time and encouragement for this to happen), even when processing to receive. The Taizé Eat this Bread is almost guaranteed to get people going. Communion strophic hymns, on the other hand, often do not work because people don't want to go to Communion with a book in their hand.
If you read my original post, you'll see that I differentiate between a chant - which I agree does work - and a hymn which doesnt unless it's sung at the end of communion.
In many places, the placing of the Communion Hymn makes it neither a Communion Hymn nor a Thanksgiving Hymn - ie too late to be the first, too soon to be the second. there is always going to be something of a compromise. If started when the rubrics dictate, how are choir and musicians supposed to receive communion? I put the rubrics first and do not receive Communion so I can commence instrumental music straight away to avoid an awkward shuffling silence.
Hare I think you should rethink this. Receiving communion with the gathered assembly IS important. You don't take a full part in a meal and then refuse the food do you? I am all for a reverent silence and then music can start. Taize can work or a simple wellknown refrain. Or organ music and then a post communion hymn. On some occasions the Lamb of God has been extended and worked well. The worst I ever heard was in Ireland when the organist stopped 2 bars from the end of Mozart Ave verum. Why? Because communion had been brought to the choir gallery I presume! It was liking slashing the Mona Lisa!
I don't normally receive at a Sunday Mass either - keeping the music running. I take the view that if I'm serving the community God's happy enough. A hundred years ago, the question wouldn't have arisen.
organist wrote:Hare I think you should rethink this. Receiving communion with the gathered assembly IS important. You don't take a full part in a meal and then refuse the food do you? I am all for a reverent silence and then music can start. Taize can work or a simple wellknown refrain. Or organ music and then a post communion hymn. On some occasions the Lamb of God has been extended and worked well. The worst I ever heard was in Ireland when the organist stopped 2 bars from the end of Mozart Ave verum. Why? Because communion had been brought to the choir gallery I presume! It was liking slashing the Mona Lisa!
Small church, narrow aisle, choir and organ in west gallery. Congregation pile into the queue behind the choir; by the time choir have received, then me, and fought our way back down the (only) aisle there would be no time for any music.
Nick Baty wrote:Use a simple communion song with a refrain for the assembly. Then doesn't matter where the choir is as everyone is singing. That's what we do.
Nick, who sings the non-refrain part of the song and who accompanies and when do they receive Communion without disrupting the music and without it being felt as an interruption to the music?
One cantor and one accompanist – they then receive right at the end. Sometimes we swap cantors in the middle so only the accompanist has to receive at the end.
I was planning to to Manor House this weekend but a friend of mine who lives nearby has recetly been to both morning masses there and told me that congregational singing is not very good. Somebody else suggested St Mary in Hampstead which is near me and it was a great delight to finally be among a Catholic congregation where about half were singing the hymns! Just thought I would share this.
Sort of, except I will continue to strive to find somewhere where almost everyone sings if I possibly can. I hope 50% is not the best that can be achieved - but it's much better than the 2% in the other Catholic churches I have visited.
