Dear List,
 
I am frankly amazed at the number of postings dealing with
appropriate memorial/funeral service music for this Sunday -
especially from that bastion of Republicanism, the United States!
 
May I make two observations?
 
Firstly, a Sunday is NEVER an occasion for memorial/funeral music. It
is, rather, the day on which Christians celebrate life in all its
manifold expressions - most particularly, rebirth through the
Resurrection.
 
I cannot comment for the Anglican church in the States; but I believe
the RC's would hold that position. Here in SA, none of the main-line
denominations would contemplate a funeral on a Sunday (in fact,
weddings neither).
 
Secondly, it is in any event inappropriate to hold a "memorial"
service AFTER the funeral. The accepted exceptions to this rule are
requiem/memorial masses for family/friends (often on Year's
Mind) which would not take place on a Sunday and would not be the
principal service of a congregation on any day; and memorial
prayers for the souls of all the faithful, which certainly take
place in the context of public worship (including Sundays), at which
specific persons might be commended by name.
 
This latter practice happens at St Mick's, for example, every Sunday,
when we recall the anniversaries of the deaths of former parishioners
as well as any who might have died during the week. However loved,
missed and remembered they might be and however tragic the
circumstances of their passing, I should never consider playing any
sort of "funereal musick" in acknowledgement thereof.
 
Some thoughts.
 
Cheers
||
||
||
||    Deon Irish
|\    St Michael's
||    Observatory, Cape
\/