How to choose wedding ceremony songs.
“Choosing a song for liturgy and prayer is always challenging. This is because, sometimes, personal tastes and the habit of listening to a certain kind of music cause us to make “subjective,” “fashion” choices. Monsignor Frisina
Surely the singing in the church must instill an irresistible emotion and realize a welcoming atmosphere. The main thing is that it makes the ceremony unique and enhances the most significant moments from the guests’ entrance to the bride and groom’s exit.
What music is best known at the various times of the ceremony?
The decision of songs for the rite is subjective. During:
-the entrance or exit Felix Mendelsshon’s Wedding March,
-the exchange of rings, “Ave Maria,” by Gounoud, Schubert or Caccini,
-the offertory the “Panis Angelicus” by C.Franck,
-the communion “Aria on the Fourth String” by J.S. Bach,
-at the end of celebration various pieces from Albinoni’s “Adagio”,to pieces by contemporary composers such as Allevi/Morricone/Enaudi etc. including Mendelsshon’s classic Wedding March.
What are the most common chants in general are the chants with voice of the ceremony?
– Ave Maria (Gounoud/Schubert/Mozart/Caccini)
– Panis Angelicus (Frank)
– Ave Verum (Mozart)
– Adagio (Albinoni)
– Sweet Feel (Ortolani)
– Ode to Joy (Beethoven)
– Once Upon a Time in the West (Morricone)
– Life is Beautiful (Piovani)
– The nightingale (Conant)
– Over the rainbow (Harlen)
– Moon River (Mancini)
– From dawn to dusk (Balduzzi and Casucci)
– Celebrate (F. Marranzino and A De Luca)
– Today our heart is in celebration/The law of life (Gen Rosso)
– Hallelujah (from Grogorian to Gen Red and Green to Cohen’s most famous)
– Saint (Spoladore/Zaire/Bonfitto)
– Domine Deus (from the Gloria) A. Vivaldi
Choosing the most appropriate songs for our ceremony is not easy. Advice from professionals allows us to understand several points that we usually downplay.
Which ones?
The meaning of singing in the church, the location in the ceremony, and last but not least how to represent it or rather what instruments to use.
In fact, there are hymns whose lyrics are not summarily suitable for interpretation in the church. One example is Cohen’s Hallelujah. The song speaks of the sin committed by David and refers back to the famous episode Samuel 2, in which King David climbs onto the terrace of the palace and from there sees Bathsheba, wife of his friend Uriah the Hittite, getting wet. David, in the grip of delusions of grandeur, sends for her and lies with her, committing adultery, a capital crime, not only according to the Decalogue. Here is the confused and perplexed king, prey to his human motions.
The song is about how David denies God in order to be with his best friend’s wife. How does this story end? The relationship breaks down because it is not blessed. God will forgive David for his sin, but will destine the couple’s first son to death.
Want to know more about wedding songs and their lyrics? Click here.
