Church Music... why are denominations nearly are stereotypical in music style - Hymns, to modern, to tradtiona

Question

As a Catholic, I personally like traditional Catholic music. I sometimes feel sad when music is turned into a modern style, just to attract more people. After being at a recent wedding, the Methodist church we were at had old traditional hymns, but are different from the musical books many Traditional Catholics use.

Likewise, many of the newer non-denom churches use new music.

It's hard to say what is right or wrong, I'm not asking that question... but the root of music for Church, can anyone help me with that? Or ...Thanks!

Answer 1

Gregorian choirs are very very old.. but yet are very modern compared to the age of Christianity.. now what is modern and what is traditional?

I bet there is no church in the world which has the same music as the very first churches in Israel 2000 years ago, let alone anyone who actually knows what the music was supposed to sound like.

Traditions always change, keep up or get old. It is sad though that old traditions become obsolete.

Answer 2

I´m still a fan of the organ.

Organ music is almost 3 dimensional with each tone resounding differently on the pews. Different emotions can be reinforced by each tone, and the entire Church can start to resonate. But when the music stops, it means silence is more powerful than even the organ. Then it´s time for people to think in silence. This isn´t like rock music - when it stops, people usually scream for more.

According to the pope, the organ is like the church - all members have to work together and respect each other, from the greatest to the smallest, just like all organ pipes do. When one pipe goes out of tune, the whole piece of music suffers.

Answer 3

Yes, I agree. The Catholic Mass has taken alot of pot shots for their music but, sung right and with all the pomp that is meant to be it is so uplifting.

I went to a huge Mass once at a conference with several guest speakers and it was just a huge affair and there were a large amount of "The Knights of Columbus" there and a gigantic orchestra and the knights lined the isle all the way down to the steps leading to the alter and they were all dressed with their formal outfits on with the Ostrich feathers on their hats and everything and the Orchestra started and the choir started singing the entrance hymn and just nonstop priests started coming in behind a ton of alter boys and I thought to myself...Yes, this must be kind of like the court in Heaven and that is just exactly what the music is for --- it is to represent the Heavenly court's music. When it is done right, it brings tears to your eyes and you are so proud to be a Catholic

Answer 4

Not all do and play everything from Classical to Urbam Gospel...There is one Catholic Priest that rocks to Gospel Fr Micheal Pfleger and you should check out Dennis Leonard, from Colorado!

Kirie eleison! To you too..Ressuret sit cit cut dixit! The Modal Music and Gregorian Chants of the old days was changed by the Catholic Church..The Renaissance made other changes to what was sacred music. It's still evolving!

Answer 5

Music was not part of the Church, at the start. It was a gimic to get more people to attend, and children as well. It gave people a way to participate in the service. Monks were the first to sing (chant) since they were under a vowel of silence. But, I suppose it really all started with the Jews, remember, Jesus and all the apostles were Jewish.
Being inslaved in Egypt the acient Jews had hyms they would sing as a form of encouragement, much like the American Slaves did, it was a teporary escape from their bondage.

As far as different churches using differnt styles, who cares, it's what works for their members. Some churches stick to a basic panio, while others have a full on band.

Answer 6

I think the music is a symptom, not the wedge. When a group of us got together in a "praise team" and sang all hymns, the young people didn't sing. When the youth sing praise songs, the old people don't sing. We still have a big mix in our church (partly due to seasonal retirees that come here every winter). I said the music difference is not the wedge. The wedge is everything in our society that separates the youth from the older people. Going to school with their peers (as opposed to homeschooling, where they associate with all ages instead of just their peers), parents who don't know how to make the youth part of their lives, and many other things. Starting with daycare, children are separated from their parents. By the time they're teens, they don't have anything in common with them anymore. Which is why I'm staying home and raising my children myself. They're going to love the good ol' hymns!

Answer 7

our church uses a lot of old hymns mixed with new music, to me new music is like Davids psalms songs of the spirit and heart to worship a God you love

Answer 8

Tune preference is a matter of taste but lyrics for hymns should be theologically,liturgically and biblically proper. I prefer chant(Gregorian,Anglican,Galician,Gelineau,etc) and time-tried classics,but I can appreciate any genre of tune.
So many "Hymns" are vapid,heretical,ego-centric or ridiculous in their lyrics

Answer 9

AS a Roman Catholic you are lost any way