tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-558461285642691762.post7082099912664295808..comments2023-10-02T03:39:59.884-05:00Comments on Jeff Meyers: Free Liturgical Advice #1 - Background MusicJeff Meyershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16934932107746619375noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-558461285642691762.post-53959088049946169092008-10-20T14:33:00.000-05:002008-10-20T14:33:00.000-05:00Thanks. This entry made me laugh. I'm looking fo...Thanks. This entry made me laugh. I'm looking forward to future additions to this series.Chrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16473205766458271456noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-558461285642691762.post-88937658054348506512008-10-19T21:56:00.000-05:002008-10-19T21:56:00.000-05:00Amen! The worst is the offering! The music keeps g...Amen! The worst is the offering! The music keeps going on and on after the offering is done! Or when the music during communion sounds like a funeral durge! Good thoughts Jeff!<BR/>CPCatholicPresbyterianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16156408264156133333noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-558461285642691762.post-3302220305960608782008-10-13T17:24:00.000-05:002008-10-13T17:24:00.000-05:00Too funny. My housemate, who is new to the area, t...Too funny. My housemate, who is new to the area, thought she'd found a church she liked 'til the first Sunday of the month rolled around and they played muzak during communion. (And served grape juice.) Eventually I will wear her down and she'll join my church!Valerie (Kyriosity)https://www.blogger.com/profile/07389879363642577194noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-558461285642691762.post-89389886392524434412008-10-12T22:08:00.000-05:002008-10-12T22:08:00.000-05:00True enough. I think those who do this just think...True enough. I think those who do this just think it's helpful background music. It puts people "in the mood" and helps them concentrate on "spiritual things." Something like that. But unless the pastor is chanting the prayer, you're right, it may become a competing language.<BR/><BR/>As for "background music," I'm not sure what place it has in the service at all. Music, of course, can prepare us for and adorn our worship. But simply to play something in the "background" while some other liturgical act is going on is questionable.Jeff Meyershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16934932107746619375noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-558461285642691762.post-1815852216229261922008-10-12T21:55:00.000-05:002008-10-12T21:55:00.000-05:00The practical worship difficulty that I have with ...The practical worship difficulty that I have with this practice is that music is like a competing language to what is being said. It is like another person speaking. I can't concentrate on both an English prayer and someone plunking music at the same time. It is one or the other, so in addition to schmaltz, which it is, it is invariably distracting schmaltz.<BR/><BR/>What utility do you think those who practice this effect think it has?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-558461285642691762.post-49519607104906567512008-10-12T10:15:00.000-05:002008-10-12T10:15:00.000-05:00Yeah, it is muzak. Thanks. I'm working on the vis...Yeah, it is muzak. Thanks. I'm working on the visit. I've got way too much going on this month.Jeff Meyershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16934932107746619375noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-558461285642691762.post-37340140971868866522008-10-12T06:13:00.000-05:002008-10-12T06:13:00.000-05:00I believe it's spelled "muzak." Yeah, I'm an exper...I believe it's spelled "muzak." Yeah, I'm an expert.<BR/><BR/>How 'bout that visit, btw?shookfoilhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16116953566488663802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-558461285642691762.post-3954774482968004082008-10-11T19:47:00.000-05:002008-10-11T19:47:00.000-05:00I subbed at a little country church one Sunday and...I subbed at a little country church one Sunday and the organist started in with that sort of thing under the "pastoral prayer." (The church had a Hammond B-3 with the Leslie effect, which lent a whole ball park/skating rink feel to the whole business.) It was all I could do to keep from thinking about "Elron" MacKenzie's "Don't Kill Bugs" sermon from the "Great White North" album.JATBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08570676490610473755noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-558461285642691762.post-73775088766211535842008-10-11T18:02:00.000-05:002008-10-11T18:02:00.000-05:00Would you also consider it cheese to use synthesiz...Would you also consider it cheese to use synthesizers to evoke any range of "imagined" destinations?<BR/><BR/>(i.e. - the organist who isn't content to keep it sounding like pipes, but feels the need to use the midi unit to give it some wind, bagpipes and scottish drums...or maybe a harp and flute duet, all from the confines of that console sitting up behind the communion table while we're waiting for the invocation or passing the offering basket.)<BR/><BR/>Maybe the above examples are too specific to be helpful, but I'd be interested to read your discussion of the use of background music and whether it always falls into some category of impropriety.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01450926800408192533noreply@blogger.com