{"id":10610,"date":"2011-07-20T20:47:46","date_gmt":"2011-07-21T01:47:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/praytellblog.com\/?p=10610"},"modified":"2011-07-21T05:43:53","modified_gmt":"2011-07-21T10:43:53","slug":"a-few-days-at-npm","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/praytellblog.com\/index.php\/2011\/07\/20\/a-few-days-at-npm\/","title":{"rendered":"A Few Days at NPM"},"content":{"rendered":"

NPM convention in Lousiville opened Monday with a stellar, switched-on address by Msgr. Ray East, “Give Me Jesus.”
\n\"Msgr<\/a>Preach it, brother! <\/em>At one point Msgr. East led us through all of the \u201cAve Maria\u201d chant in Latin. I estimate that roughly\u00a01\/4 or 1\/3\u00a0of the convention hall joined in by heart. (I was near the front \u2013 tell me if you have another report from farther back.) Msgr. East also led everyone through a stanza of a lovely contemporary strophic hymn (which I admit I didn\u2019t know).<\/p>\n

* \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0* \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0* \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0* \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0*<\/p>\n

Just what do they sing at NPM convention liturgies and gatherings?<\/p>\n

This doesn\u2019t claim to be scientific, OK? But for what it\u2019s worth, I did a rough tally of how many lines or systems of music appear in the convention booklet in each of the categories below. I already know that the categories aren\u2019t comparable because some are about text, some about music, and so forth. Of course and like always, the categories blur into each other. Some things were hard to assign \u2013 much of the \u201cCatholic contemporary in parts\u201d could have been listed, because of traditional influence on the voice-leading,\u00a0under \u201cCatholic recent in classical style in parts.”<\/p>\n

American secular folks song in parts: 9
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 (\u201cMy Old Kentucky Home\u201d \u2013 we\u2019re in Louisville)
\nCatholic contemporary in parts: 99
\nEnglish plainsong: 50\u00bd
\nCatholic recent in classical style in parts: 44
\nHandel \u201cAlleluia Chorus\u201d: 32
\nMultilingual metered in unison: 16
\nNew ecumenical hymn in classical style in parts: 14
\nPostconciliar unison antiphon: 12
\nMultilingual metered in parts: 11
\nCatholic contemporary in unison: 8
\nTraditional ecumenical hymn in parts: 6
\nAnglican chant in parts: 6
\nSpanish plainsong: 3\u00bd
\nShaker in unison: 3
\nSpanish contemporary in parts: 2
\nNew metered in Latin: 2<\/p>\n

NPM fully claims that their convention liturgies are not meant to be a model, or statement, or anything else but a way for this particular group in this time and place to pray together. And for that, the musical selections always work admirably.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m sure you\u2019ll be disappointed if I don\u2019t have something<\/em> opinionated to say. Just for your sake, then, I\u2019ll throw this out: Where\u2019s the Latin chant in this? Hello?!? Not even a little line somewhere?<\/p>\n

And this: where did the traditional \u201cecumenical\u201d hymns go?!? Could we please sing LOBET DEN HERREN or WESTMINSTER ABBEY or WONDROUS LOVE in parts?<\/p>\n

* \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0* \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0* \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0* \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0*<\/p>\n

The NPM council has about three dozen individuals representing all segments of NPM, including our Episcopal Moderator, Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo. The council met Tuesday to elect new members to the NPM board of Directors. The Board of Directors has five members along with NPM President Mike McMahon. Newly elected to the NPM board are:<\/p>\n