That is all.
God Likes Brass Instruments
February 26, 2011 by
By Common Consent, a Mormon Blog
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By Common Consent, a Mormon Blog 
beautiful! I guess He just doesn’t like them in the chapel.
Maybe even trombones, too…
Trombones are Her favorite, James. ;)
And, meems, He only doesn’t like them in the chapel because the acoustics are so bad.
Whew. Watching Karajan conduct is like watching a Richard G. Scott conference talk: “He burns us with his eyes, precious!”
Shame that the Verdi would never work in an actual liturgy––it really puts the fear of God into you.
Right, L-d G. The little smile right before the timpani entrance is creepy.
And yes, definitely too gutsy for church. My favorite is the Salva me–yelling at God more than pleading. (Then again, it might make a cool pilot program–one congregation listens to Verdi, Brahms, Mahler, and Bach on a 4-week rotation and the other has the regular 3-hour block, and we measure signs of righteousness (or, hell, just hometeaching stats) in each for a year…)
“The little smile right before the timpani entrance is creepy.”
But kinda cool!
It says most brass. Not all brass.
I’ve seen both brass and percussion used tastefully in sacrament meeting, and it was fine.
I have, too, wondering, lots of times. Even I wouldn’t try sticking 6 trombones in the balcony, though ;) (You’re welcome, Dave)
“The little smile right before the timpani entrance is creepy.” Yeah, I thought I could hear him whisper: “Go ahead, make my brass.”
It starts with a little junior high kid playing “I Know That My Redeemer Lives” on the trumpet in sacrament meeting. Then it progresses to three hour blocks of Wagner’s Ring Cycle. Next thing you know, we’re invading Poland. I hate slippery slopes!
Bah. You’d be hard-pressed to squeeze even Das Rheingold into three hours. On the other hand, mix in some Wagner and there’ll probably be fewer people falling asleep in meetings.
Trumpets were chosen to represent the heavens for a reason, everybody. Gotta choose the best, you know?
My grandpa said that no brass on the chapel but the saxophone didn’t not count because it has a reed, which is good because my grandpa plays the sax, not in sacrament meeting but often he has at funerals. I wondered about the rule because our stake has a music fireside every Christmas season that always has lots of brass instruments. All this time I thought we were just bending the rules (which made it even better) for the sake of really amazing music. The handbook quote seems to indicate caution in terms of use in sacrament meeting not just the chapel itself.
Because trumpets will be used by angels to effectuate the resurrection, the use of trumpets in a church setting is a counterfeit ordinance. That is the unwritten order of things. Every rule is bathed in deep doctrine. You just have to tease out the deep doctrine and emphasize it and ignore the smokescreen “official” reason. :)
“Bah. You’d be hard-pressed to squeeze even Das Rheingold into three hours. ”
L-dG, the maker of this youtube video begs to differ: Entire Ring Cycle in 1 minute 24 seconds.
There was a tuba quartet in Sacrament meeting at my missionary farewell. One of the guys in the quartet is an absolute musical genius – he did original arrangements of Ye Elders of Israel, God Be With You ‘Til We Meet Again, and I’ll Go Where You Want Me To Go.
I was one of the four players. We had the light fixtures rattling and the walls shaking.
Chuck Norris played the trumpet
Special firesides do not count as Church meetings. I’ve been working hard to find enough brass players in my stake to create an actual orchestra for our Christmas firesides. So far the orchestra has been nothing more than a string ensemble.
I’ve often wondered where the bias against brass instruments in worshipful settings comes from. I imagine it has something to do with the vast numbers of brass players who only know how to play obnoxiously loud. Not enough performers like Tim Morrison in the music world!
“Because trumpets will be used by angels to effectuate the resurrection, the use of trumpets in a church setting is a counterfeit ordinance.”
Paul2, ftw.
Cynthia, that was life-changing. (It also reminded me I should listen to the soundtrack to Spring Awakening again.)
I luuuv this post! God bless the brave bishops and stake presidents who program more than piano, voice and violins.
I am a trumpet player and a former bishop. Our ward has gotten used to it. We always warn the blind folks, though. I used to play regularly on Christmas and Easter. I know a dozen sopranos who are far more likely to blow out the windows than I am. It’s all relative.
I like to think of Jesus like with giant eagles wings, and singin’ lead vocals for Lynyrd Skynyrd with like an angel band and I’m in the front row and I’m hammered drunk!
Of course, he loves some brass instruments more than others. . . .
Verdi Requiem is one of my favourite pieces to play, or to listen to – amazing music!