I like that version...very envious of the organ. Back in olden times at my church we used to often sing all the verses of the hymns. Then a new priest came along who valued efficiency, and we were limited to two verses for the entrance and recessional. Then came Covid, and things have never quite recovered. As organist I need to push harder for more verses when that makes liturgical sense. There is a sort of cumulative musical power as things build to a majestic final verse, to say nothing of the beautiful text that otherwise goes unsung.
John, I feel for you. Efficiency in such situations is not just false economy but outright robbery. I usually choose the music we share for the hymn of the week, and I am particularly fond of fine congregational singing accompanied by organ, well played. For "efficiency" I suppose we could say "Our Father ... thine is the glory foreverm" to save time .. but something would be irreparably lost in such a contracted prayer. Each (traditional) hymn is a meditation in verse, set to music which enhances the words. While we may on occasion shorten a hymn, doing so short-changes everyone in the church, by robbing them of the chance to sing prayer and praise to God and to meditate on the liturgy in the particular way that beautiful hymns direct us to do. Your new priest is cheating the congregation and is evidently not aware himself of the great value of hymnody in worship. And he's not aware, likely, of how blessed he is to have an organist who can play and select appropriate music for each Mass. What a shame. Music at church is a particular mission of mine, and helping our autistic son fulfill his vocation as an organist. God bless you in your ministry of sacred music.
We just need to keep doing what we can. Priests are facing their own challenges, and I don't necessarily envy them. Like I said to someone yesterday in a different context, "celebrate the occasional wins and don't get too down about the rest of it."
You know, I do not understand such priests. How can you sing only 2 verses of a Trinitarian hymn? It's incoherent. It's like going to look at the Mona Lisa but covering over the right-hand third or half of the painting. It's like listening to a fugue by Bach and cutting it short right in the middle of a movement. Makes no sense.
I love this one, thank you!
Isn't the organist at this church fabulous? What a beautiful hymn, beautifully played.
I like that version...very envious of the organ. Back in olden times at my church we used to often sing all the verses of the hymns. Then a new priest came along who valued efficiency, and we were limited to two verses for the entrance and recessional. Then came Covid, and things have never quite recovered. As organist I need to push harder for more verses when that makes liturgical sense. There is a sort of cumulative musical power as things build to a majestic final verse, to say nothing of the beautiful text that otherwise goes unsung.
John, I feel for you. Efficiency in such situations is not just false economy but outright robbery. I usually choose the music we share for the hymn of the week, and I am particularly fond of fine congregational singing accompanied by organ, well played. For "efficiency" I suppose we could say "Our Father ... thine is the glory foreverm" to save time .. but something would be irreparably lost in such a contracted prayer. Each (traditional) hymn is a meditation in verse, set to music which enhances the words. While we may on occasion shorten a hymn, doing so short-changes everyone in the church, by robbing them of the chance to sing prayer and praise to God and to meditate on the liturgy in the particular way that beautiful hymns direct us to do. Your new priest is cheating the congregation and is evidently not aware himself of the great value of hymnody in worship. And he's not aware, likely, of how blessed he is to have an organist who can play and select appropriate music for each Mass. What a shame. Music at church is a particular mission of mine, and helping our autistic son fulfill his vocation as an organist. God bless you in your ministry of sacred music.
We just need to keep doing what we can. Priests are facing their own challenges, and I don't necessarily envy them. Like I said to someone yesterday in a different context, "celebrate the occasional wins and don't get too down about the rest of it."
You know, I do not understand such priests. How can you sing only 2 verses of a Trinitarian hymn? It's incoherent. It's like going to look at the Mona Lisa but covering over the right-hand third or half of the painting. It's like listening to a fugue by Bach and cutting it short right in the middle of a movement. Makes no sense.