Religious Threadjacks

[Suranis]

Pink.jpg (160.1 KiB) Viewed 874 times

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laetare_Sunday

Laetare Sunday is the fourth Sunday in the season of Lent, in the Western Christian liturgical calendar. Traditionally, this Sunday has been a day of celebration within the austere period of Lent. This Sunday gets its name from the first few words of the traditional Latin entrance verse for the Mass of the day. "Laetare Jerusalem" is Latin from Isaiah 66:10.

...

In Roman Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran and Old Catholic churches flowers may appear on the high altar and the organ may be played as a solo instrument. Priests are given the option to wear rose-colored vestments at Mass held on this day in place of the violet vestments normally worn during Lent.[10] The term "rose" is used to describe this lighter shade of the color violet in the Roman Rite.[11]

Screw that, its Pink.

[RTH10260]

Obviously cross-dressers

[northland10]

We don't have a rose (I am a liturgy geek so it is rose, not pink*) set of vestments as they are pricey and would only be used for Laetare and Gaudete (3rd Sunday if Advent in December). Our priest would not look like a cross-dresser in a pink dress because she is female.

We normally do have flowers for Laetare but not the rest of lent. We don't follow the Roman rule of no organ solo music (and neither do all RC places however it is a rule), though at my place, I do not play a postlude during Lent. It is more about the sense of absence, not a rule. It also gives me some more time to practice Easter stuff (side benefit).

[Rolodex]

We don't have a rose (I am a liturgy geek so it is rose, not pink*) set of vestments as they are pricey and would only be used for Laetare and Gaudete (3rd Sunday if Advent in December). Our priest would not look like a cross-dresser in a pink dress because she is female.

We normally do have flowers for Laetare but not the rest of lent. We don't follow the Roman rule of no organ solo music (and neither do all RC places however it is a rule), though at my place, I do not play a postlude during Lent. It is more about the sense of absence, not a rule. It also gives me some more time to practice Easter stuff (side benefit).

Do y'all do a major Tenebrae service? Basic black of course, but it's a big service at my church.

[northland10]

Do y'all do a major Tenebrae service? Basic black of course, but it's a big service at my church.

No. We are not that big and it is hard enough pulling off the rest of Holy Week in a smaller parish. They are wonderful.

I have done them elsewhere (such as at seminary) and we had a partner parish do one from time to time.

During Lent, I have dropped the organist surplice (the white thing that goes over the cassock, but without sleaves) and go with just a black cassock, so I get my basic black in.

The organist suprlice is the white thing (not me)


Or from the back (might be me)

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[Rolodex]

We just got new cassocks for the choir and organist and bell ringers (me!). Our new choir director really wanted to change from our old choir robes to this more "high church" version. The folks were not accustomed to this combo and voted against the surplice (they thought it looked like our acolytes who are kids). I think now that we have the black cassocks and how bare they look, we may go on and get the surplice. I hope so. Since 2 big churches disaffiliated, we're now the largest United Methodist Church in our area and have a strong "traditional" service congregation. We've had a major Tenebrae (and Maundy Thursday) service for a while. Easter is big, but most stuff is "throw down" music, even if we do add horns or strings. Always gotta be fancy for the CEO* attendees!

*Christmas and Easter Only

[Rolodex]

We just got new cassocks for the choir and organist and bell ringers (me!). Our new choir director really wanted to change from our old choir robes to this more "high church" version. The folks were not accustomed to this combo and voted against the surplice (they thought it looked like our acolytes who are kids). I think now that we have the black cassocks and how bare they look, we may go on and get the surplice. I hope so. Since 2 big churches disaffiliated, we're now the largest United Methodist Church in our area and have a strong "traditional" service congregation. We've had a major Tenebrae (and Maundy Thursday) service for a while. Easter is big, but most stuff is "throw down" music, even if we do add horns or strings. Always gotta be fancy for the CEO* attendees!

*Christmas and Easter Only

Off Topic

Yesterday, my husband played an English Horn duet with the organist on an arrangement of What Wondrous Love that another friend had arranged for them. EH is a perfect instrument for that!

[northland10]

We just got new cassocks for the choir and organist and bell ringers (me!). Our new choir director really wanted to change from our old choir robes to this more "high church" version. The folks were not accustomed to this combo and voted against the surplice (they thought it looked like our acolytes who are kids). I think now that we have the black cassocks and how bare they look, we may go on and get the surplice. I hope so. Since 2 big churches disaffiliated, we're now the largest United Methodist Church in our area and have a strong "traditional" service congregation. We've had a major Tenebrae (and Maundy Thursday) service for a while. Easter is big, but most stuff is "throw down" music, even if we do add horns or strings. Always gotta be fancy for the CEO* attendees!

*Christmas and Easter Only

Ah, the protestant way of Mandy Thursday, which is part Tenebrae. In the Episcopal world up here, Maundy Thursday is already such a large service (foot washing, the commemoration of the last supper, Agape meal, stripping the altar, the watch at the altar of repose) most do not do a Tenebrae service (though I created one for online worship during the lockdown). In most places I have seen they do Tenebrae on Wednesday or possibly Friday evening (with a normal Good Friday service at noon).

Holy Week is simple and small in my world. Palm Sunday (with a procession starting outside and the passion gospel during the service), Maundy Thursday, Good Friday (sometimes with a second stations of the cross in the evening), Holy Saturday morning which is a simple spoken one, the Great Vigil of Easter on Saturday night (this is the big one), and then one or two service Easter morning.

[Rolodex]

Yeah, we've done some footwashing for Maundy Thursday. Good Friday has our Tenebrae which always very well attended and they also do a stations of the cross. We don't do anything Saturday; I think our local Episcopalians do one. I just like the contrast of darkness, stripping the altar Friday night and then everything bright and white on Easter Sunday. One tradition I wish we'd lose is postlude Halleluia Chorus. It's not my fave and I'm bored by it. For my money, give me LVB's Alleluia (of course LVB is superior in everything but that's another issue). Here's a nice version (I don't even know what state this is, but that choir is lifting above its weight, so kudos to them...but it shows you dont need a concert-size choir or full orchestra to be amazing).

[northland10]

Here's a nice version (I don't even know what state this is, but that choir is lifting above its weight, so kudos to them...but it shows you dont need a concert-size choir or full orchestra to be amazing).

Charlotte, NC.

Beethoven's is always good, though I don't have the numbers for it right now. Sadly, I have overused the Handel as well but we do what we can.

I have done the Randall Thompson on Easter from time to time. Not festive yet very popular.


Chancery and I thought about starting a "church music" thread though we thought it might be only the two of us. Maybe we can score three people now, though we may have some pass-by for the pretty tunes.

[Rolodex]

Yeah Thompson is lovely but more contemplative. But the rabble wants Handel. And most musicians can do it in their sleep, so there's no learning curve.

[northland10]

And most musicians can do it in their sleep, so there's no learning curve.

Bingo. That is probably a good reason why I have used it too often for Easter. I can also grab a few extra voices for just that. Sometimes, it has even included the Rector.

Some standards have advantages. I once talked supply clergy (UCC congregation) to join the choir at the last moment to sing Stainer's God So Loved the World when we were short in the sopranos. After a recent calendar oops that left us without a supply priest and caused me to come up with a sermon during the first 12 minutes of the service (while playing hymns), I don't feel so bad now.

[Rolodex]

Hoo boy! That Stainer God So Loved the World is pretty much a throwdown for our choir (we're not that great but they've done it a zillion times). Doesn't mean it's not a great piece!

For Handel Easter service ender, they always invite folks up to sing with the choir, with copies of the score available. I suspect it's a choir recruitment tool. We have a contemporary service as well, and while we're gaining new members a lot recently, they all go to that. We're getting into the "heavenly strain" territory with the current trad choir...average age is probably 68.

[northland10]

Hoo boy! That Stainer God So Loved the World is pretty much a throwdown for our choir (we're not that great but they've done it a zillion times). Doesn't mean it's not a great piece!

For Handel Easter service ender, they always invite folks up to sing with the choir, with copies of the score available. I suspect it's a choir recruitment tool. We have a contemporary service as well, and while we're gaining new members a lot recently, they all go to that. We're getting into the "heavenly strain" territory with the current trad choir...average age is probably 68.

I got inspired and posted the Stainer on the Music Free-for-all thread and the Chilcott version. We just did the Stainer one yesterday, and were really short folks but they know it very well. We did the Chilcott version in March of 2020 and then were shut down for COVID.
https://thefogbow.com/forum/viewtopic.p ... 00#p250902

[Foggy]

Chancery and I thought about starting a "church music" thread though we thought it might be only the two of us.

But I would read it.

[Rolodex]

Chancery and I thought about starting a "church music" thread though we thought it might be only the two of us.

But I would read it.

I guess we kind of created one. LOL But I also want to complain about Christian Nationalists.

[Foggy]

Yeah, this is the thread for that. But you can criticize them anywhere, really.

[Sam the Centipede]

Yeah, this is the thread for that. But you can criticize them anywhere, really.

But when Rolodex composes a two hour long Lamentation on Christian Nationalism in the key of F-minus, orchestrated for pipe organ, shofar and bagpipes, that should be in the other thread, yes?

[RTH10260]

Shofars belong into the Bundy thread, the Malheur thread, the LaVoy thread. the ....

[Tiredretiredlawyer]

Yeah, this is the thread for that. But you can criticize them anywhere, really.

But when Rolodex composes a two hour long Lamentation on Christian Nationalism in the key of F-minus, orchestrated for pipe organ, shofar and bagpipes, that should be in the other thread, yes?

[Rolodex]

Shofars belong into the Bundy thread, the Malheur thread, the LaVoy thread. the ....

Ok I'll leave out the shofar. It'll be in the key of E# and none of the organ stops will be open. Along with the bagpipes will be a cajon and part for a 5th grader playing the French horn. But that will be in the music thread.

[northland10]

It'll be in the key of E#

Well, just F-off.

[Frater I*I]

Shofars belong into the Bundy thread, the Malheur thread, the LaVoy thread. the ....

Ok I'll leave out the shofar. It'll be in the key of E# and none of the organ stops will be open. Along with the bagpipes will be a cajon and part for a 5th grader playing the French horn. But that will be in the music thread.

What?? No kazoo???

[northland10]

Shofars belong into the Bundy thread, the Malheur thread, the LaVoy thread. the ....

Ok I'll leave out the shofar. It'll be in the key of E# and none of the organ stops will be open. Along with the bagpipes will be a cajon and part for a 5th grader playing the French horn. But that will be in the music thread.

What?? No kazoo???

Only when it is performed in Kalamazoo.

I once participated in a performance of a Bach fugue played on kazoos by 150 organists and friends in, of course, Kalamazoo. This is what organists do this for fun at a conference banquet, besides drinking wine. People from Kalamazoo are weird.

[Sam the Centipede]

Off Topic

I once participated in a performance of a Bach fugue played on kazoos by 150 organists and friends in, of course, Kalamazoo.

It might be a common thing, I dunno (I'm almost as musical as a paper towel) but I only heard of it once: professional classical players coming together as a full symphony orchestra but each playing a wholly unfamiliar instrument. So a trombonist scratching out a tune in a viola and a violinist whisting on a piccolo.

Strange sound, very unlike a bunch of unskilled musicians on their own instruments because the skilled pros were mentally in harmony with the music, the timing, the coordination of parts etc., but lacked the mechanical skills to realize that.