Last week at my parish of St. Ann's we had our 2nd annual Christmas Sing-Along. The church was filled, the lights were low, the candles (lots!) were lit and we sang our hearts out. It was beautiful! Piano, trumpet, flute, and 1000 voices filled the night with carols, songs, and hymns.
Maybe that's what inspired me to lead the Psalm on Sunday with no instrumentation! I had planned on writing a new setting for “Lord, Come and Save Us,” but with so much going on...concerts, NFCYM in New Orleans...I never got around to it. I had a nice simple melody for the refrain, but nothing for the verses. So, I decided to chant it from the ambo! I could almost hear everyone’s eyebrows raise as I got up from the piano and walked up the steps to lead the Psalm. They all probably thought I was going to fix the microphone or something. Instead, I just started singing–and everyone immediately followed. It was perfectly natural. No piano; no band...just voices.
That was a stretch for me. I am used to the security of being seated at the piano– not standing at the ambo with a light focused on me and nothing to do with my hands! But I have to say, it was pretty cool. It was a nice change from what we normally would do at that contemporary mass. It was good for the assembly, good for the band, and good for me, too.
And it sounded great...!!!
Good to hear. I love instruments, but the stark change occasionally to pure vocals is a refreshing change. We have been celebrating recently at the Ukrainian Catholic parish in our city and there are no instruments at all! Pure vocal chants and harmonies...and I am starting to really like it.
ReplyDeleteGood on you for having the courage to "get off the bench" and let 'er rip!
I will confirm that it sounded awesome. It was very cool to hear the purity of voices lifted in praise.
ReplyDeleteAnd I also hear that "whhfftt!" of eyebrows popping up.
Maybe we shouldn't even publish song sheets anymore? ;)