Why Don't Most Congregations Applaud Their Church Choir?

[arwalden]

Back when I was forced to go to church, I heard some outstanding performances--both group and solo--from our choir. When it was over, everyone just SAT THERE... STONE SILENT. Other than the shuffling of papers, a crying infant, or someone clearing their throat... nobody did or said anything.

I always felt like it deserved a rousing round of applause for their talent, time, effort, hours of practice... EVERYTHING... and it was all I could do to NOT start applauding and give them a standing ovation.

So what's the deal with all this solemn silence? What ever happened to "make a joyful noise"?? Isn't clapping and cheering a "joyful noise"?

-- Allen

[JimmyJazz]

1. The reason they don't applaud is because the performance is

supposed to be for the glory of God - for His "ears" - to applaud would be inappropriate. My grandmother stands by this, but I have been to churches where more and more often, special performances such as an Easter cantata does receive applause.

[RubyDuby in GA]

2. Because it would wake up the other half of the congregation???

Beats me. :shrug:

Way back in the day when I used to have to go, I'd always wonder that too. Why bother if you're not going to enjoy doing it and be allowed to show you enjoyed it?

[Lydia Leftcoast]

3. As a church choir member, I don't expect applause for each anthem

In my church, we do two anthems during the Sunday morning service, one during the offering and another as the congregation is filing up for Communion. Neither spot seems appropriate for applause, and I'd find it a bit disconcerting. The offering is followed by the congregation singing "Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow," and after people receive Communion, they often return to their seats for private prayer.

Every once in a while during the announcement period, the priest will ask for a round of applause for the choir, kind of cumulative appreciation, but anthems in a service are more in the nature of background music than spotlighted performances.

As another poster said above, we're not "entertainment" per se.

However, when we perform outside of church services, as my choir does three or four times a year, we receive and appreciate applause.

[supernova]

4. I think it's a puritan holdover

we who are the "frozen chosen" :-), that library quiet during services.

But I sometimes applaud the chior if they do an especially beautiful job. "A joyful noise" indeed. :-)

[Lydia Leftcoast]

6. The Puritans didn't have choirs. I think it's a holdover from

the days when the congregation didn't participate in the service at all, especially in the Catholic high mass (which means a mass with music--an all spoken mass is called a low mass). All those composed masses from the medieval period onward were too difficult for an untrained congregation to sing, so the regular folks just stood there as the mass became a sort of call and response between the priest and the choir.

There's still a survival of this in a traditional English Evensong, where the choir sings the Psalms and the responsories as well as an anthem, and the people attending say litttle except the Lord's Prayer, the Confession of Sins, and the Apostles' Creed. Tenebrae, a service conducted during one of the "off nights" of Holy Week, is another occasion where the choir actually IS the service.

Neither Evensong nor Tenebrae requires the presence of a priest, so you don't applaud the choir (especially not during Tenebrae, which is supposed to be a contemplative service) any more than you would applaud the priest at the end of a service.

The more evangelical and fundamentalist churches applaud their choirs, but that's because they see them more as performers than as a seamless part of the service.

[Beetwasher]

5. Cuz They Suck?

JUST KIDDING!

[bobbieinok]

7. pentecostals might

they dance, cheer, shout

the pentecostals services I've been to don't have choirs; they have a small group of 'song leaders'

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

8. I've been singing the praises of God since I was 3

I've heard congregations applaud a choir, and, frankly, it disconcerted me. I feel that the singing is a form of prayer, and can create an atmosphere that gets one closer to God. In silence, you can soak up the feelings.

[kestrel91316]

9. Applause of any kind in church is, well, UNSEEMLY.

Maybe that's my Presbyterian upbringing, but it would almost be like applauding a singer at a funeral. Not appropriate.

[arwalden]

13. Are Regular Services Supposed To Be As Solemn As a FUNERAL??

It sounds like your church must have had some pretty solemn services... but I don't think the two things are comparable at all.

[kestrel91316]

15. Not as solemn as a funeral, but something to be taken seriously ..........

NOT entertainment. Applause is for entertainers.

[arwalden]

16. Would Applause Offend The Lord?

Applause is a way for a group to acknowledge the accomplishments of another and to say "well done!" Even if the choir is singing "to" the deity, why shouldn't their efforts and talents be acknowledged?

Why couldn't the HUMAN applause be considered to be the LORD showing his appreciation THROUGH the human congregation?

<< but something to be taken seriously >>

Have you ever been to a primarily Black church? I guess in your estimation, they're doing it all wrong, eh? The lord must be mighty fed up with all that lively nonsense.

[kestrel91316]

17. Why are you atttacking me??

Applause in church is odd and out-of-place to me, given MY TRADITIONS. This does not mean I am some sort of religious fascist who tries to tell others how to practice THEIR religious tradition. I know full well how black churches conduct their services and that is THEIR tradition. They are free to do what they do, and I support them completely. I just would feel funny and out-of-place if I went to one of their services and everybody were applauding singers after a "performance". I would also feel funny in a Jewish service with kantors and fringed scarves and speaking in Hebrew.

Please in the future refrain from rudely presuming to know how I would feel about black churches. You insult my intelligence. There IS no "right" or "wrong" in how they worship. There is, however, the way I experienced church as a child and how a black congregation experiences their church.

Grow up.

[arwalden]

19. Sigh...

<< This does not mean I am some sort of religious fascist who tries to tell others how to practice THEIR religious tradition. >>

Oh puh-leeze! Stop it! -- I never accused you of being such a thing or of doing such a thing. I did not use that word. But here's what you previously said:

-- Not as solemn as a funeral, but something
-- to be taken seriously ..........
-- NOT entertainment. Applause is for entertainers.

That sounds pretty confident, authoritarian and judgmental to me. You didn't say anything like "in MY church" or "from MY experience"... it was just a flat out broad-brush "NOT entertainment" and "applause is for entertainers". Wow.

How else should such statements like yours be interpreted?

<< Please in the future refrain from rudely presuming to know how I would feel about black churches.>>

I've presumed nothing. I'm not rude. I asked a question (made a rhetorical statement based on the evidence at hand.)

It looks like you had at leat two options. When you had discovered that I had (in your estimation) made an error, you could correct my mis-perception by re-stating your point and explaining why you think I'm wrong... or you could get all snippy and "offended" about it.

I see which one you chose. I'm not sure what is gained by it, but if it works for ya... go with it.

<< You insult my intelligence. >>

If that insults you, then you are easily insulted. There's nothing I can do about that. Learn to cope.

<< There IS no "right" or "wrong" in how they worship. >>

Yes... they are "to be taken seriously" and "applause is for entertainers".

<< There is, however, the way I experienced church as a child and how a black congregation experiences their church. >>

I've only asked questions. Is it the question, or the answer, or the fact that we have different ideas, that bothers you so much?

<< Grow up. >>

Work on your coping skills.

"Grow up?" :eyes: That's a personal attack. I've not attacked you personally, yet you find reason to be offended and say things like that to me. Why?

[Name removed]

20. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[arwalden]

21. Sigh...

again.

[More Than A Feeling]

10. In my Baptist church, we will applaud if there is a special performance

otherwise, it would be like applauding the minister at the conclusion of the sermon, and noone does that.

[Kire]

11. It's a sacrament, not a monkey trick.

Along the same lines, you might ask why most congregations don't throw money at the choir, or slip dollar bills in their thongs.

[arwalden]

12. Oh You! Your Silly Posts...

... crack me up. :rofl:

[tjwmason]

14. Because the choir is not giving a performance

At least in the Catholic tradition - they're simply leading prayers.

Also, the focus is not on the choir - nor is it on the congregation. This is one of the reasons that choirs wear robes, to de-emphasise their personalities (ditto clergy f.w.i.w.).

I have heard organists receive applause for their voluntaries after Mass (these things do get pretty damn spectacular) - but by this point the service has finished.

[kestrel91316]

18. Thank you for your rational explanation ...............

but BEWARE OF the original poster who will no doubt attack you soon, too.

Sheesh.

[GreenPartyVoter]

22. I have been in both kinds of churches. Am currently in the clapping kind.