Upon reading this
post speculating on the ten worst hymns of all time, I have some mixed feelings.
I'm a practicing, active Catholic, and, therein, I suppose, church musician (however modestly so). I've sung in my church's choir for six years (and just had a very emotional final Sunday with them). While I'm quite liberal and ecumenical in my applications and interpretations of Catholic theology, my approach to liturgical music - its purposes, and the varying roles of the choir and the congregation - is perhaps a little stricter than most (and, paradoxically, more relaxed when it comes to quick tempos, percussion, and clapping. I was, after all, raised Protestant!).
After the Second Vatican Council, there was a huge movement to make the people active participants in the mass; responding, participating to the Word of God and the Eucharist. That movement has, I would argue, ceased to be a movement and rather become the cultural air that Catholics breathe. I do find that a thing of beauty - it creates community.
Outside of national anthems at varying gatherings, church services are one of the only places left of public, communal singing. Therefore, it is necessary that it include the people. But since it's one of the last strongholds of music education, I think it's also an exciting opportunity for musical education, exploration, and improvement.
Many of the hymns on the list are staples of my former church's musical repertoire. The songs are easy to sing, and can usually be learned (at least, I find) from one hearing. I'll admit that I like many of the songs and composers on the list. Haugen's Mass of Creation is stunning, "City of God," brings tears to my eyes, and "I am the Bread of Life" is one of my all-time favourite hymns. Many of the simple songs are beautiful in, and because of, their simplicity.
But when songs such as these - easily learned, frequently sung - are all that is sung...I think there's a problem there. Because, in truth, I think the people we're trying to include by being simple and easy to follow, are actually bored of the repeated repertoire, the same thing week after week.
And these songs, while beautiful, only represent the last fifty years of liturgical music. It does seem foolish to ignore the hundreds upon hundreds of other years (during which were created some of the most glorious compositions in existence). And (my personal complaint) there's no Latin! Cutting out the linguistic and musical history of a celebration that, otherwise, hasn't really changed in two thousand years seems, to me, to distance post-Vatican II Catholics from their roots; their origins.
I'm not saying there should be a return to Latin polyphony as the mainstay of liturgical music - I'm a decent singer with a fair amount of education, and I'm doubtful of my ability to hack Latin polyphony at 9AM on a Sunday morning. But I think there is something to be said for stretching ourselves - in doing something a little more demanding, in singing, as Wesley put it, "lustily, and with good courage" a little higher or lower than we think we can.
This music is, after all, for God. And God deserves the best attempts we're able to give.
