OME PEOPLE COMPLAIN when they get a bill from a specialist such as a doctor, surgeon, or lawyer. I don’t disagree that some professionals charge an immoral amount of money. At the same time, it’s important to remember one is “paying for expertise” … that is to say, one is compensating the expert’s training, his careful (not distracted) attention, and so forth. So what about the conscientious choirmaster? Whether we like it or not, musicians at Mass do perform. (That is to say, what we do undeniably involves a type of performance.) As a result, what we do involves stress. Performances are usually stressful.1
My New Job • Two days ago, I started a new job in Michigan. I’m the music director for a wonderful Catholic Church (Ordinary Form with an occasional Extraordinary Form). I already have two (2) funerals this week! Needless to say, I needed to produce a musical program—and I tried hard to “build upon” what they’ve been doing here before I arrived. (I’m sure I will make modifications as time goes on.) Although I do not claim it’s perfect, here’s the musical program I put together:
* PDF Download • CATHOLIC FUNERAL LIST (Music)
—This was used for Jeff’s first funeral in Michigan.
Assaults On Jeff • In the past, I’ve suggested that (someday) modifications will be made to the Ordinary Form. That’s because the post-conciliar reformers weren’t faithful to the explicit mandates of the Second Vatican Council. I have also suggested the REQUIEM MASS [Ordinary Form] in particular needs reform. For making this suggestion, I have been publicly slandered by some Catholics—even by Catholic priests! However, one of the principal reformers (viz. Professor Louis Bouyer) and Pope Saint Paul VI agree with me. So I suppose I’m in good company!
1 Stress can come when we are experiencing illness, when the pipe organ breaks down, when we are forced to work with musicians who are “difficult”—and so forth.
