Bernard Gui Posted January 25, 2022 Posted January 25, 2022 (edited) Quote Musical selections should be consistent with the worshipful spirit of the hymns. They should teach the gospel with power and clarity. Sacred music that is written or sung in culturally diverse musical styles may help unify congregations. Music coordinators and priesthood leaders may include a variety of appropriate musical styles that appeal to members of various backgrounds. Has your ward presented culturally diverse music styles in sacrament meetings? If so, please describe the performance. Edited January 25, 2022 by Bernard Gui 1
CV75 Posted January 25, 2022 Posted January 25, 2022 9 hours ago, Bernard Gui said: Has your ward presented culturally diverse music styles in sacrament meetings? If so, please describe the performance. It think there will be a problem with discerning "performance" from "worship" -- we've already seen it in years past with overly-produced Christmas/Easter "cantatas". Any hymn is best used when using the most culturally-sensitive expression of worship, which changes from place to place. I'm not a fan of pushing the envelope, showcasing talent, etc. in the pretense of worship. The unity within multi-cultural settings might benefit from brothers and sisters singing or playing in their own most culturally-sensitive expression of worship. 2
Robert F. Smith Posted January 25, 2022 Posted January 25, 2022 Has anyone ever done a survey of LDS music in various countries? What sort of worship music is normal in a Chinese LDS congregation? Tongan or Samoan? Nigerian? Ghanaian? Do they simply use the LDS American hymn book in translation? Or do they have local variations? 2
bluebell Posted January 25, 2022 Posted January 25, 2022 We hardly ever have musical numbers in church, and all but a handful (maybe 10 out of 250+ that attend) are white. So I don't think we are going to get any cultural diverse music in my ward any time soon. 2
LoudmouthMormon Posted January 25, 2022 Posted January 25, 2022 (edited) Here ya go. You must at least watch the bit starting at 1:50. Imma tell my kids this was just a normal pre-Covid General Conference. For an extra treat, look at 4:00. Seriously though, even though this is probably the most-easily-mockable thing in the world, I think it is truly, deeply beautiful, and a good contribution to this thread. Edited January 25, 2022 by LoudmouthMormon 1
strappinglad Posted January 25, 2022 Posted January 25, 2022 Probably the most fun the tabernacle choir has had in a long time ! 1
2BizE Posted January 25, 2022 Posted January 25, 2022 No, just standard hymns sung by white people with no cultural flair.
JLHPROF Posted January 25, 2022 Posted January 25, 2022 14 hours ago, Bernard Gui said: Has your ward presented culturally diverse music styles in sacrament meetings? If so, please describe the performance. Well we sang God Save The Queen when I was growing up in England, O Canada when I lived in Canada, and I've sung both The Star Spangled Banner and America the Beautiful in the US. Do those count as culturally diverse?
James 1 5 Posted January 25, 2022 Posted January 25, 2022 14 hours ago, Bernard Gui said: Has your ward presented culturally diverse music styles in sacrament meetings? If so, please describe the performance. If that includes various music styles from various parts of the world presented in one ward's sacrament meetings, yes, and in some wards I have lived in that happened often. I've heard and seen several YW groups singing Celtic style Christmas hymns, several one man performances with the man singing Italian opera style hymns, and many musical instrument only performances with various numbers of musical instruments. And many in English, which to some other parts of the world are foreign.
Bernard Gui Posted January 26, 2022 Author Posted January 26, 2022 (edited) On 1/25/2022 at 2:33 PM, JLHPROF said: Well we sang God Save The Queen when I was growing up in England, O Canada when I lived in Canada, and I've sung both The Star Spangled Banner and America the Beautiful in the US. Do those count as culturally diverse? Not in the context of the new handbook instructions, IMO. Edited January 26, 2022 by Bernard Gui
Bernard Gui Posted January 26, 2022 Author Posted January 26, 2022 (edited) On 1/25/2022 at 12:41 PM, LoudmouthMormon said: Here ya go. You must at least watch the bit starting at 1:50. Imma tell my kids this was just a normal pre-Covid General Conference. For an extra treat, look at 4:00. Seriously though, even though this is probably the most-easily-mockable thing in the world, I think it is truly, deeply beautiful, and a good contribution to this thread. Some might call this cultural appropriation? Much of music could be considered cultural appropriation. I have performed this piece twice in concert as an orchestra player, but not in sacrament meeting where it probably would not be kosher. During the most recent performance I wondered if there are African choirs that purposely copy the Tabernacle Choir in dress, diction, expression, movement, and demeanor. Who knows? Reminds me of a performance once with a Black gospel choir. My stand partner and I noticed a man in the tenor section who had an unusual appearance. In the rehearsal break he passed by us…a white man in blackface. It was odd. 🙂 Edited January 26, 2022 by Bernard Gui
Bernard Gui Posted January 26, 2022 Author Posted January 26, 2022 On 1/25/2022 at 1:52 PM, 2BizE said: No, just standard hymns sung by white people with no cultural flair. What kind of cultural flare should white people exhibit?
Bernard Gui Posted January 26, 2022 Author Posted January 26, 2022 (edited) On 1/25/2022 at 1:36 PM, strappinglad said: Probably the most fun the tabernacle choir has had in a long time ! Have you ever performed Beethoven Symphony 9 or the Britten or Verdi Requiems or a Mahler choral symphony? They’re tons of fun. Edited January 26, 2022 by Bernard Gui
Bernard Gui Posted January 26, 2022 Author Posted January 26, 2022 (edited) On 1/25/2022 at 2:56 PM, James 1 5 said: If that includes various music styles from various parts of the world presented in one ward's sacrament meetings, yes, and in some wards I have lived in that happened often. I've heard and seen several YW groups singing Celtic style Christmas hymns, several one man performances with the man singing Italian opera style hymns, and many musical instrument only performances with various numbers of musical instruments. And many in English, which to some other parts of the world are foreign. Thanks. These sound like fairly common past practices where music other than hymns or hymn arrangements are presented. What types of instruments have you heard? Edited January 26, 2022 by Bernard Gui
James 1 5 Posted January 26, 2022 Posted January 26, 2022 7 minutes ago, Bernard Gui said: Thanks. These sound like fairly common past practices where music other than hymns or hymn arrangements are presented. What types of instruments have you heard? Pianos, organs, violins, cellos, guitars, flutes, and a giant bassoon or bassoon-like thing. And many voices.
Bernard Gui Posted January 26, 2022 Author Posted January 26, 2022 (edited) On 1/25/2022 at 9:58 AM, CV75 said: It think there will be a problem with discerning "performance" from "worship" -- we've already seen it in years past with overly-produced Christmas/Easter "cantatas". Any hymn is best used when using the most culturally-sensitive expression of worship, which changes from place to place. I'm not a fan of pushing the envelope, showcasing talent, etc. in the pretense of worship. The unity within multi-cultural settings might benefit from brothers and sisters singing or playing in their own most culturally-sensitive expression of worship. American hymnist Lowell Mason once said something like “After a church service if someone compliments me on my music, then I have failed. The purpose is to glorify God, not myself.” Our hymn book includes several of his hymns. Edited January 26, 2022 by Bernard Gui 1
Bernard Gui Posted January 26, 2022 Author Posted January 26, 2022 (edited) 14 minutes ago, James 1 5 said: Pianos, organs, violins, cellos, guitars, flutes, and a giant bassoon or bassoon-like thing. And many voices. All those except the bassoony thing and guitar were acceptable under the old guidelines. It appears that the new guidelines may allow other instruments. Some missionaries put together a Piano Man type piece several Sundays ago, one singing at the piano and two at the podium, but still just a hymn arrangement. I hope this won’t include praise bands. 😏 Edited January 26, 2022 by Bernard Gui 1
James 1 5 Posted January 26, 2022 Posted January 26, 2022 6 minutes ago, Bernard Gui said: American hymnist Lowell Mason once said something like “After a church service if someone compliments me on my music, then I have failed. The purpose is to glorify God, not myself.” Our hymn book includes several of his hymns. Our Lord's purpose is to glorify our Father and yet he gets a lot of credit for what he does and has done, too. And our Lord did not and has not failed. Sounds to me like maybe Lowell hasn't thought much about how that kind of thing works.
Bernard Gui Posted January 26, 2022 Author Posted January 26, 2022 Not sure I understand what you are saying.
MiserereNobis Posted January 26, 2022 Posted January 26, 2022 Maybe your wards in Rome can include some Gregorian chant 😊
2BizE Posted January 27, 2022 Posted January 27, 2022 6 hours ago, Bernard Gui said: What kind of cultural flare should white people exhibit? Perhaps guitar and banjo with bluegrass hymns…
Bernard Gui Posted January 27, 2022 Author Posted January 27, 2022 (edited) 5 hours ago, MiserereNobis said: Maybe your wards in Rome can include some Gregorian chant 😊 Not much of a chants that will happen. Edited January 27, 2022 by Bernard Gui 1
Bernard Gui Posted January 27, 2022 Author Posted January 27, 2022 1 hour ago, 2BizE said: Perhaps guitar and banjo with bluegrass hymns… I live in Kentucky. We’ve already got that.
GingerRed Posted January 29, 2022 Posted January 29, 2022 In one of my old wards, we did a Christmas program during Sacrament that included a guy playing guitar...and sang Silent Night in its original German form! Just him and the guitar, the way it was very first performed. Before he played, he explained the origins of the song and about who the author was. One of the most beautiful renditions of Silent Night I ever heard! 2
Hamba Tuhan Posted February 1, 2022 Posted February 1, 2022 On 1/27/2022 at 8:29 AM, Bernard Gui said: All those except the bassoony thing and guitar were acceptable under the old guidelines. I've seen guitars in sacrament meeting for as long as I can remember. We often have them with amplifiers. I haven't seen drumming in sacrament meeting yet, but we had it in a stake fireside right before Covid, and we've been talking about using it in stake conference. 1
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