an article over a beer

Sep 14, 2011

Over a beer this afternoon I read the article below.

Many of you have heard me speak about the beauty of Gregorian Chant. I much prefer jazz or classical music when I go to a concert. But Liturgical music is different. 

In Liturgy the purpose of music is not to entertain. Gregorian Chant is THE music of the liturgy of the church. I have struggled to explain this to parishioners. At Our Lady of Victories we have certainly tasted the beauty of this prayer.

And then I found this article. You might like to set aside 15 minutes to ponder the content. You might think as you begin that it is a bit beyond you. But this is not true. If you are able to follow a cooking recipe, understand a car manual, or make sense of the ingredient list on a supermarket product, (none of which I can do) you are certainly up to understanding and appreciating this piece.

Jonah Lynch presents the most robust, comprehensive and relevant appreciation of the contemporary music listening experience that I have ever heard or read.

And you will appreciate immediately the nature of Liturgical music as a live experience rather than a recorded objective perfection.

Let me know what you think.

http://www.communio-icr.com/articles/PDF/lynch36-4.pdf

0 Comments

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Latest Posts

so simple

so simple

So simple that children who naturally and naively live with open eyes and ears get it, when we adults too often miss the point.

mountains & roofs

mountains & roofs

. The prevailing sense in the Old Testament was that God lived in the heavens (above). Therefore mountain-tops (where heaven and earth seem to intersect) were a logical place of encounter with the divine. We see this in Moses, the holy Old Testament leader of people,...

opportunity knocks

opportunity knocks

I find it very helpful to hear Jesus speaking directly to me, not as a fearsome threat but as an invitation to not miss the divine presence in the midst of the routines and demands, the ups and downs of my daily life.

the gardener

the gardener

The question surprised me and the look in the young boy’s eyes let me know that he wanted more than a religious-cliche-response. I took a moment to think, pray, and think again and was surprised at the answer that came to me.

in the field

in the field

Such wise people have reflected on their life experience enough to know that while a peaceful and perfect day is welcome, we are most connected with others and therefore with God (we could also say most connected with God and therefore with others), when we live a struggle together.