Search - Marty Haugen :: Beneath the Tree of Life

Not as bad as some may think!

Nathan E. Hetrick | Nelson, WI USA | 02/11/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"While I love classical sacred and liturgical music, both chant and motets, I wouldn't compare Marty Haugen with the former. This music is not meant to be on the same level as Palestrina or most "classical" music. When one works full-time for the Church as I do, you realize quickly that not all church choirs nor are all assemblies capable of singing Palestrina, and let's face it, many Gregorian chant selections are too complicated to foster full, active, and conscious participation. My assembly likes to sing and doesn't like more than one piece per mass that they have to listen to instead of sing! Furthermore, some Protestant hymns are not strong theologically either, at least by Catholic standards. Should churches only use Haugen and Haas? Probably not. Should they totally exclude such music? Probably not. If I wanted to do a concert at every mass, I would use motets and chant in Latin that the assembly couldn't sing but may enjoy listening to. If I want to foster participation, I have to use the theologically-strongest songs from the GIA, OCP, WLP, and other sacred music publishers. Personally, I think this mass setting is Marty's best. I can only handle so much of the Mass of Creation, and Mass of Remembrance is too high in its original key for some assemblies. If you want to be a purist, go to a Tridentine-Rite cathedral. If you want to be a good, Post-Vatican II Catholic, you may have to sing Haugen every once in a while! By the way, I do use chant and some Latin motets when they are appropriate!"