At times I wonder if we overanalyze the concept of singable music while overlooking the prayerfulness of certain pieces. The simplicity or difficulty of a hymn or acclamation does not necessarily correlate with whether it is singable or inappropriate for liturgy. In looking for a Mass setting for my present parish, St. Alphonsus in Greendale, Wis., I wanted something that all ages could sing, enjoy while they sang, and keep in their hearts throughout the week. I was still searching unsuccessfully when I was blessed with the inspiration to compose the Festival Mass that simply came alive for this community. The “Glory to God” has people singing to their fullest, and our children have incorporated hand movements during the sung refrain. Members of the assembly tell me they sing this at home, while driving in the car, and sometimes in their sleep! If an acclamation or a hymn is singable, I believe its effects can make a difference between an assembly that sings poorly and one that is engaged in song.

Since I began composing and showcasing my music at NPM conventions and in concert with parish communities, music ministers have shared positive and negative experiences they have had with various music resources. The reality is that a hymn, a psalm, or an acclamation that is prayerful and singable enables us to praise God with full voice and loving hearts in unity and harmony. People who are comfortable with a song from the beginning will express their joy, their love, and their prayer and will not hesitate to sing out.

Singable music allows us to open ourselves to the action of the Holy Spirit and to the presence of the risen Lord. This has little to do with the difficulty level of the music itself. Some music ministers find it hard to accept the fact that parish assemblies are not top-notch musicians; most assemblies will give up singing altogether if challenged too strongly at liturgy. I often wonder if we really know the meaning of effective communal singing. Do we settle for less and move on, or do we accept our role as pastoral leaders of song and teach the assembly to celebrate with music that will more deeply enrich a prayer experience?

As we move forward in this new century, pastoral musicians should be on the lookout for emerging new musicians. I have come to know many new composers who have beautiful, singable music to offer. Music should express the needs, hopes, fears and joys of the assembly. If not, the community will become increasingly less committed to music.

Liturgical music is like a river. At times it is warmer or moves faster than usual; sometimes it is muddy and dark. Should singable music cease altogether, that river will become stagnant and dry up. We as liturgy preparers, music ministers and lay ministers need to become more tuned in to the assembly and listen to what they are saying.

In celebration we gather in fullness. With jubilation we sing of our joy. We come with one heart seeking forgiveness, united in spirit, as witness to the risen Lord.

In every song we should sing of the mystery of God and let each word teach us to follow with joy and compassion. Then we can truly sing “Alleluia!”

My experience as a musician for 11 years at the cathedral of the Diocese of Marquette, Mich., was both moving and enriching for me. I had the privilege to work with different musicians and speak with many people from the Marquette diocese. I remember many exciting events such as ordinations, the installation of bishops, chrism Masses, and other countless services held for the diocese and the city of Marquette. I believe part of our success was that people were able to participate in song because of the singable music that we used. I am convinced that unapproachable music would have intimidated the assembly and would have kept the church from singing. If we offer the assembly something to sing about, they will not remain silent.

I have visited churches in which the assembly was quiet. Even as a musician, I had problems singing and chose to give up. I asked myself, “Why is this? Why do we need to weigh people down with confusion? What is the purpose?” I left empty and unfulfilled.

Don’t get me wrong. I am open to all kinds of music. The bottom line is that the assembly’s full participation is my top priority. At every liturgy, we need to make sure that we use singable, prayable music with strong text and lyrics. We need to determine how well the music will be accepted by the assembly and how well the music will uplift and empower the liturgy.

A dynamic song will inspire the community to celebrate, so determine how long it will take the assembly to make it a favorite. The assembly requires different songs to support its many spiritual needs. Can a song be effective if the assembly cannot touch the soul of the piece? In my own composing, I try to use text that has a prayerful message and melodic phrasing that will live in the hearts of those who sing it. I hope that my music will embrace those who sing it as they celebrate and participate fully in the liturgy.

To paraphrase an old saying, “When the church sings, it prays twice.” Do we allow that? Do we take into consideration that we are a diverse people and that we come to liturgy for many different reasons? Singable music must be an integral part of the liturgy, not a distraction.

We have been given so many reasons to sing. Our sung prayer should give comfort to those who are hurting or lonely or simply want to rejoice in song. Music should not be a hesitation in the liturgy but sung with enthusiasm. Our psalms and hymns should be filled with the energy of the Holy Spirit.

Come to the table of love. Come to the table of love,
taste and see the goodness of God. Come to the table of love.

Can we expect our parish to come forward in love if they have been angered by a song? We should support the worshiping assembly through singable pastoral music. This will only happen if we support the assembly’s growth with effective spiritual hymns and acclamations, so we must be practical and realistic. Accept the strengths and weaknesses of the community. They will appreciate this. I believe people will rise to a challenge if the music is inspiring.

I have colleagues who forget the ability of the people in the pews. Although we claim to be a part of the assembly, our leadership in music can be hampered if we are “performing.” Music is a genuine form of prayer and should be a reflection of the parish community. Fill the assembly with the presence of God and with one great singable song! Strive to build the community with treasured gifts of music. Help them to experience the presence of God, and they will sing.

I have no secret formula other than: People will sing if they have reason to and especially if they respect the piece. Think about the old-time campfire songs or gospel songs that have been around for years. Why is it that we remember them? Because they were catchy, fun, easy to sing, and not bogged down with a lot of words. People want to share their joy through sung prayer and by being a part of a larger group of worshipers. Music must fit the lives of our people and the liturgy, and we must be patient with our communities. Active sung participation is important to the community, and we must live and sing God’s music into a faith-filled experience. Our children, our youth, and our adults must all feel a part of this experience. Remember, the final goal is not the song but the prayer.

During last year’s Easter Vigil and the entire Easter season, we sang a piece of music that I composed called “Lumen Christi.” On the night of the Vigil, as the procession went into the church, we sang the refrain over and over: “Lumen Christi Deo Gratias! Lumen Christi Deo Gratias! Light of Christ you come into the world.” I heard people whistling the refrain later during the week. I heard the children singing it out in the parking lot. To me, this is making a joyful noise from the heart. Pastoral musicians should take the opportunity to share music that will respond to our spiritual hunger and enrich our liturgical celebrations with music understandable to our assembly.

How we sing as a church is very important, so that Christ may be present among us in sung and spoken prayer. Let’s step back and make sure that we musicians stay sensitive to the needs of the assembly. Music should be for everyone, so let’s not forget the children and the youth. Let our music be alive so all can experience our faith and celebrate our spiritual journeys together. We need to strike a balance and question what works and what doesn’t work for the full assembly. Be open to new possibilities (and surprises) for finding Christ present in our music. If we are to remain a living church, then we need to explore the musical challenges in our parishes and begin facing them to make our liturgies a positive experience for all.

So, what is singable music? I think it is whatever brings us closer to being the Body of Christ. If our church sings (and I mean children, youth, young adults and old), and everyone has felt the true presence of Christ, then all will have gathered in unity and can continue building a kingdom on the cornerstone, Jesus Christ.

This past Easter season I wanted to try a new eucharistic song that I wrote called “The Living Bread.” As the Easter season progressed, the assembly really came to enjoy singing this song, and I felt the presence of the Holy Spirit each weekend as the words became clear and simple:

Jesus is the Lamb of God, one Lord of us all.
He is the cup of promise, our source of life and hope.
We are all joined in love, as we share in the living bread of Christ.

I believe I am at my best when I am singing and leading music ministry at liturgy. How incredible it is to feel God’s love surround us with such a precious gift as music. ML

Terry L. Piontkowski has a BA in music education and performance from Northern Michigan University. He has composed more than 100 songs and has recorded four collections. Terry is currently the director of music ministry at St. Alphonsus Congregation in Greendale, Wis.