tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7461698464806055180.post3413644822041072693..comments2021-06-03T13:58:52.783-07:00Comments on Fine Tuning: "Music's music!" (aarrrgghh)Phillip Magnesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17841725361772353858noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7461698464806055180.post-20917885972172922672012-12-03T12:20:34.210-08:002012-12-03T12:20:34.210-08:00I posted my comment in April and the forgot all ab...I posted my comment in April and the forgot all about it, and one shouldn't wake up zombies, but I will. Who knows, someone might discover this discussion thread at a later date. So here goes:<br /><br />I appreciate that you replied, Phillip, and I apologise that I didn't!<br /><br />The answer to your first question is 'yes', and it doesn't work terribly well a cappella. Our singing is better with the tracks than without, and they genuinely help rather than hinder. Part of the problem is that the congregation's hymn repertoire is so narrow that without instrumental support we could sing very many fewer hymns.<br /><br />As for the second question, the answer is 'Yes, my wife'. But she is also in charge of our four young children, and teaches Sunday school every other week. So at the moment it's not practical. My daughter plays the violin well enough to accompany, so soon that will be an option. But at her tender age I don't want to place that responsibility on her slender shoulders quite yet.<br /><br />I play, but accompanying the liturgy and leading it doesn't work terribly well... I do accompany hymns every now and then. Perhaps I should do that more.<br /><br />There are no other musicians of any description at all. With an average attendance of 15, we really are very limited.<br /><br />All this calls for more mission work amongst music students at the local universities!Tapani Simojokihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06050897388566829272noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7461698464806055180.post-3048799581216657172012-04-26T16:23:05.547-07:002012-04-26T16:23:05.547-07:00Hi Tapani,
Good to see you on here.
Have you ...Hi Tapani, <br /><br />Good to see you on here. <br /><br />Have you tried singing the service w/o the tapes? Not that we need to go back to ancient times w/ everything, but Christians did sing for centuries w/o aid of instruments. <br /><br />Do you have a flute player? I know one small congregation in Canada that moved away from TCO and is singing "better than ever" according to their pastor. They use the tapes to practice with a small, volunteer choir that learns the hymns in unison a couple of times a month at short practices. Then the leaders sit with the flute player who doubles the melody an octave higher (like the organ's 4' stop). <br /><br />There really are so many alternatives one might explore that can "keep the music going" w/o using tracks.Phillip Magnesshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17841725361772353858noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7461698464806055180.post-75473720669464931922012-04-19T04:39:07.091-07:002012-04-19T04:39:07.091-07:00You know, I whole-heartedly agree. And yet we use ...You know, I whole-heartedly agree. And yet we use the Concordia Organist CD set at my little English church. Why? Because it's the only way that we can realistically keep music going at all. Sometimes the CDs have us tearing our hair out (What is it with American organists and tempi? Don't you guys need to breathe?), and sometimes we manage in other ways.<br /><br />But without the CDs, we would have to have a mainly spoken service, while with them, we can have a sung Divine Service. And we do sing pretty much everything.<br /><br />The moment we can turn the machine off and replace it with a living alternative, we will! But in the absence of alternatives, it has been a genuine blessing.Tapani Simojokihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06050897388566829272noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7461698464806055180.post-39199070000548477972012-04-13T11:50:47.368-07:002012-04-13T11:50:47.368-07:00Thanks, Rod. I'm reminded of what Robert Pre...Thanks, Rod. I'm reminded of what Robert Preus reportedly said about the Divine Service: "It's not a Lutheran liturgy unless there is at least one mistake!" <br />(chuckle) <br /><br />Let's keep on keeping it real. ;) Cheers!Philliphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13715953453920138624noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7461698464806055180.post-33931713174153263922012-04-13T05:04:47.523-07:002012-04-13T05:04:47.523-07:00As a body at worship we are one Body, the Body of ...As a body at worship we are one Body, the Body of Christ. That Body is beautiful and talented and artistic and diverse, etc. But it is also a Body with faults; a Body that makes mistakes. Pastors make mistakes, organists occasionally hit a wrong note, choirs are not always on key and parishioners are all over the board with musical ability when singing hymns. Music within the service can be a wonderful reflection of that one Body. However, when live music by living, breathing musicians is replaced by "perfect" recordings, for whatever reason, something of this reflection is lost. Thank you for your post and keep fighting the fight to preserve the integrity of sacred music in the church from the onslaught of technology. Pr. Rod SchultzRev. Roderick Schultzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05934306464772840581noreply@blogger.com