B E B E R E

Two excellent articles in opinionjournal today. One is Shelby Steele talking about Identity Politics, its use by liberals nowadays, and how Howard Dean crossed a line invoking it recently:

Shelby Steele

The other is on the degradation of the liturgy brought about by 'feel good,' therapeutic culture in the 1960s and 1970s. The author talks specifically about the change in liturgical music in the Catholic Church. I've been harping on this subject for years. If and when I go to mass (not that often anymore), I choose someplace where I can hear the music of Palestrina, de Morales, etc. To me, these composers, 'vulgar' as their music had seemed to those who formed the Council of Trent, truly communed with angels.

"Palestrina Was Not In Vogue"

What has the previous generation wrought?

I'm afraid to get branded as a racist for discussing the first article, as I am not black as Mr. Steele is. For the second article, I have many things to say about 'elitist' music and how I think that that argument, largely by white, priviliged 'folkies', is crap. When I was doing my 'community service' for confirmation, I had to play in a folk mass group. Two years of Cat Stevens, of Andrew Lloyd Webber, of Michael Joncas. It drove me away.

I find it amazing that music that was considered too 'vulgar' 600 years ago is now considered too elite, too inaccessable. I guess, though, if you were raised with the notion that you should not have to aspire to something, that everything should be brought to the lowest common denominator, then this might be the case. But you are cheating yourself out of perhaps a glimpse at something higher than you. When you make it a policy to cut out what might be considered 'difficult', you cheat others out of that experience. A much bigger crime, I think, than having to work for things rather than being provided with them.

Well, there's my two cent's worth. Read the articles, please.