What We Have Lost (And Maybe Getting Back): Decent Music
I have no musical training. My friend Father Justin once said I have a "good natural instrument," but I think he was just trying to be nice. Nevertheless, I make a point to sing all of the songs in Church--active participation in the Liturgy and all that. So, I feel qualified to pass judgment on the music that is the staple of most Catholic Masses. And the judgment is simple--it's mostly terrible. I am certainly not the first person to complain about the music, but this is my blog so I will vent. The music is terrible for two reasons. First, much of it is bizarrely hard to sing. Take for example the "old" standard "On Eagle's Wings." Now, I have a soft spot in my heart for this song, but it is very tough for men to sing, since so much of it is in the high registers. Don't believe me? Listen to this rendition, focusing on the ends of the verses. Now, these guys are exactly Andrea Bocelli, but there are giving it t...