"Love follows knowledge."
"Beauty above all beauty!"
– St. Catherine of Siena

Monday, September 25, 2017

Matthew Monday: First Day in the Choir

This post gives me so much joy.  I have always felt Matthew has musical talent.  He has always had a talent to pick up a song’s tune and remember the lyrics.  The children’s choir at church is something he has always wanted to do, but he had to wait until third grade to participate.  Well, this year he started third grade and Wednesday night was the first practice.  The musical director thought his voice wonderful, so wonderful that she had him lead the Alleluia at his very first Sunday Mass with the choir.

I was able to film him at yesterday’s Mass.  Here he is leading the Alleluia.



Unfortunately the video is not sharp enough to see Matthew singing.  The first recitation is Matthew solo, and I think you can hear how sweet his voice is.  When the entire congregation responds with the second and third recitations unfortunately you can hear an ugly male voice in the forefront of the voices.  He was near my phone and I’ll have another word on him at the end.

But I also filmed the entire chorus during two of their hymns.  First, the offertory hymn, “Open My Eyes, Lord.”





That’s Matthew with the white shirt with the pink sleeves.  That’s the musical director playing piano, the younger children of the choir toward the front, and the older in the back. 

Here during the recessional hymn, “Though the Mountains May Fall.”




The kids are wonderful, and the music director, Debbie Williams, is great with the kids.  You don’t hear it with the children’s choir, but she has a wonderful voice.  I think she’s opera trained.

Now back to that ugly man’s voice in the Alleluia.  I must confess.  That was me, and I’m very embarrassed about it.  I’ve said, there are two types of Italian men, those that can sing and those that think they can sing.  I’m ashamed to say I’m of the second type obviously.  I don’t realize how bad I actually sound until I hear it played back.  Matthew has been making fun of me ever since we heard the recordings. 


But this was Matthew’s day and he shined.  

12 comments:

  1. Music, making or listening, is a marvelous gift. Thank you for sharing.

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    1. You're welcome and thank you Brian for stopping by.

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  2. Beautiful! Matthew is growing in to such a "little man" already. Thank you for sharing with us Manny. Hope this finds everyone doing well!

    Sue

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  3. Well that was both wonderfully sweet and hysterically funny ��- you definitely have a church singer there in little Matthew. Sadly, you have a tin ear but your voice isn't ugly by any means. And take heart from the fact that you haven't damaged his ability to "hear" music.... heh. Oh, LOVE the Celtic Alleluia!

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    1. Is that what that Alleluia is called? Yes, it's very pretty. That's about the kindest way to say I can't sing. Thanks Jan.

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  4. Well done Matthew. Now you can teach your dad to sing.

    God bless.

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    1. It's hopeless Victor. Thank you for stopping by.

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  5. Now hopefully you can understand when I tell you not to sing or hum

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  6. Oh that was precious! And I for one believe in everyone raising their voice to God regardless. My husband A MUSICIAN, also can't sing but I appreciate that he always participates in church singing. He's the other non-singing Italian.
    But Matthew definitely has a gift. How sweet! And that he is using it for God - all the more wonderful.

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  7. Manny, please tell Matthew that I did see all his videos and enjoyed his solo in Church... Long story short, let's just add that my lamp ran out of oil after I heard you singing.

    WHO'S LAUGHING?

    http://ashesfromburntroses.blogspot.ca/2017/09/faith-filled-friday-oil-and-lamp.html

    God Bless you and yours

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