Christmas time?

I hope everyone is having an exceptionally grand Holiday Season. As per the picture above, I would like to address the Christmas season. So please excuse my christian-centric prose below.

I must say that this year, I have been disappointed in the Christmas season. Not at the commercialism, or the loose religious conviction most christians have during this time of year, but with the crappy music I have heard. I am not talking about the "Christmas" carols popular this time of year, but the music heard in church. Most of it totally SUCKS. I never thought I would yearn for a Palestrina Mass more than I do now. Most of what I have experienced has been guitars played by marginally talented musicians, employing singers that can barely carry a tune. I know what you may be thinking: "Churches don't have much attendance, thus barely have the funds to function, not to mention pay musicians." This is simply not the case. The last church I attended, a moderately sized congregation, raised over 40 grand in one night to fund an anti-abortion campaign. So I guess the message here is that a churches political agenda is more important than its worship service.

For me, music is a big part of the religious experience. I would suspect that anyone involved with music in any capacity would agree with me. And, it seems that music is not a priority of most churches nowadays. So, I guess what it comes down to is this: why can't we come up with some tolerable church music? Why does it have to sound like bad folk music? Why should the music be left to unimaginative and short-sighted musicians with no concept of the grand tradition of music in the Church? To hear music that comes close the majesty of traditional music (circa 19th century at the latest), one must seek out their local cathedral. Here in Seattle, we are lucky to have St. James. The music is exemplary, and Dr. Savage does a great job of programming interesting music.

I wish they would encourage the same behavior in churches within their archdiocese.