Don’t stop the music – mind the gap!

by Letters Editor · April 21, 2011

By� Fr Pierre Goldie, Cape Town

With reference to the type of music in the Catholic Church, the book Mind the Gap (Codrington and Marshall, 2004) has something interesting to say about the generation gap.

The so-called �silent� generation (born 1920s-�40s) was accustomed to organ music. I would add that the hymns tended to be of a high Christological nature, emphasising the divinity of Christ. The �boomer� generation (born �40s-�60s) have a clear preference for more folky and rock-orientated music.

Many of these folksy hymns portray a more personal Christ; a more human Jesus, a form of low Christology.

This music is more personal, subjective, less doctrinal and intended to allow for the expression of intimate love and joy in the Lord. It is interesting to note that the folk groups of today still feature many of the boomer generation, with grey hair or no hair, middle-age spreads and the like!

The boomer music style is of course out of date for the subsequent generations, who have witnessed battles between the boomers and silent generation about music and liturgical style. Apparently, the Xer generation (born �60s to �80s) also prefers more personal, familiar music, ostensibly less reverential to older generations, while the millennials (born �80s to �00s) are quite eclectic and use computers and synthesisers.

Of course, we can argue that there are the classics which transcend time and the generations. There are also special trends which over-ride generations, as does the type of rhythmic Pentecostal music, much of which comes from the United States.

Discernment is needed to judge the suitability of a particular song, but there needs to be allowance for the different sub-cultures and the different generations. Mind the Gap!