Comments

• chrisstiles Hell Host

  March 26

  Hugal wrote: »

  There is a lot dissing worship songs for being simplistic and banal. That has not been true for years.

  
  It has not been uniformly true for years, but there are still plenty of the former and plenty of churches that reduce everything to the former by just singing the chorus over and over again.
  
• Bishops Finger Shipmate

  March 26 edited March 26

  Dafyd wrote: »

  I think the point of Taize chants is precisely that they're supposed to be like mantras that you repeat. Whereas worship songs present themselves as ways of expressing sentiments you're supposed to be actually feeling at the time.
  Taize chants are supposed to be ideas you want to take in; worship songs are supposed to be sentiments you want to give out.

  
  Yes - a neat distinction.
  
  (Could the speeling mostake in the thread title be corrected, please?)
  
  Done -- chrisstiles, Hel Hoast
  
• Bishops Finger Shipmate

  March 26 edited March 26

  Thanks!
  
• Hugal Shipmate

  March 27

  Nick Tamen wrote: »

  Hugal wrote: »

  There is a lot dissing worship songs for being simplistic and banal. That has not been true for years. Taze on the other hand is seen as being wonderful but it is as theologically light as the songs being criticised. The same stuff over and over again. Yes it is beautiful but after the third time through starts to grate. There is very little variation in the music.
  Nice, but gets dull dull dull quickly. Boring after a while

  I will strongly disagree with the claim that Taizé songs are theologically light. They may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but most of the texts come straight from Scripture.
  
  As already said, Taizé songs are intended to be meditative prayers. My experience is similar to what @The_Riv describes; when churches try to use Taizé music in a “regular” service, they often use it poorly or inappropriately.
  
  Another thing to remember about Taizé songs is that they were designed to be easily learned and sung by people from a variety of countries who speak a variety of languages. Simplicity is vital in that context.
  
  Taizé and Taizé music have been very important parts of my spiritual life since I first discovered them in the early 80s. I’ve had very few experiences in my life that meet the “religious experience” idea of thoroughly transcendent or visionary, but the first such experience happened to me at the service where I was introduced to Taizé songs, while singing Cantate Dominum, omens gentes! Alleluia! (“Sing to the Lord, all people! Alleluia!”). Though I have not been to Taizé, I have been to services and retreats led by brothers from Taizé.
  
  These days, each week, I listen to/pray along with (via podcast) Die Lichterfeier aus Taizé (“The Celebration of Light,” the Saturday evening service) from DomRadio. I would encourage people to give that a listen (you can do that through a video like this one) to get a sense of Taizé music, which is more just the short Taizé songs, in its “natural habitat.
  
  Again, it may not be your thing, which is fine. But at least you’ll have a feel for what it actually is intended to be like.
  
  

  
  The majority of choruses from the 80 where also directly quoting scripture.
  I understand the way Taize works I have watched videos. I am a very theatrical person and it is very theatrical. Taize and choruses fo different jobs. So saying that one is better than the other is false comparison I guess. There is an element of horses for courses.
• chrisstiles Hell Host

  March 27

  Bishops Finger wrote: »

  BTW, I echo the question posed by @RockyRoger - why is this thread in Hell?

  
  Hang on, we are trying to get it moved to Ecclesiantics.
  
  -- chrisstiles, Hell Host
  
• chrisstiles Hell Host

  March 27 edited March 27

  Discussion has moved to Ecclesiantics, join in at the link below, but bear in mind the different rules over at that place:
  
  https://forums.shipoffools.com/discussion/6333/what-is-so-special-about-taize
  
  -- chrisstiles, Hell Host