Free The Treble Wore Trouble (The Liturgical Mysteries) by Mark Schweizer Page A

her my second nicest smile, not failing to notice the reference to " your choral music," and the equally surreptitious "No drums or guitars yet. " Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any. Forty days and nights. And to think I could have gone with giving up cigars.
    "What's a CCLI License?" asked Joyce.
    "It's a church copyright thing," answered Mother P. "It allows us to make copies of music for the congregation. Songbooks and things like that."
    "Oh," said Joyce.
    Mother P said, "Hayden?"
    "Well," I said, choosing my words carefully, "choruses are not my favorite means of musical expression, but what would you like me to do?"
    "First of all, I'm thinking we could use some new service music."
    "I agree," I said. "You know there are some settings in the hymnal that we haven't done for several years ..."
    "I was thinking," interrupted Mother P, "that you might write us something new. You're quite a composer and that anthem last Sunday was just beautiful."
    This caught me by surprise.
    " The Transfiguration , right? I was very moved."
    "It was gorgeous," added Joyce.
    "And fun to sing," added Elaine.
    " Well ... thanks."
    "You know, I heard something at another parish — a setting of the mass using English folk tunes."
    "The English Folk Song Mass ?" I said. "We have copies upstairs."
    "No," said Mother P. "I meant that maybe you could compose us our own sort of thing. A setting just for St. Barnabas."
    I thought for a moment, then said, almost to myself, "You know, there's plenty of historical precedent. In the Renaissance, the 'parody mass' — that's what it's called — was very popular. Composers used entire sections of other people's melodic compositions to compose their own masses." I was relishing my brief foray into the role of music history teacher. "Palestrina alone wrote some fifty-odd examples."
    "Uh-huh," said Mother P, nodding and looking interested. "Why is it called a 'parody mass?'"
    "Oh, the term 'parody' has nothing to do with humor, in the modern sense of the word. In this case a better translation would be 'imitation mass.' Composers might use anything, even bawdy secular songs." I paused, then said, "Sure. Why not?"
    "Excellent!" said Mother P. "Not bawdy songs, though."
    "Of course not."
    "Something catchy. Something the congregation can latch on to. A tune they know."
    "Absolutely."
    Elaine and Joyce stared at me, their mouths slightly agape. Wynette had lost a good deal of color. Shea Maxwell and Kimberly Walnut looked like a couple of cats that just split a plate of canary.
    A knock sounded at the conference room door, it swung open and Dave Vance peered into the room.
    "Sorry to interrupt," he said, "but I need to see the Chief."
    Rosemary looked a bit put out but didn't say anything as I pushed my chair from the table, excused myself, and followed Dave into the hallway.
    "What's up?" I said in a low voice.
    "We've got a dead body," Dave whispered. "Looks like a youngster. A boy. Right across the park behind the Beautifery."
    " What!? " I said, then lowered my voice. "Are you kidding me?"
    "Otto found him when he was picking up the trash this morning. He was sitting down, propped up against the back wall by the dumpster. Nancy was in Boone, but she's already on her way back."
    "Hang on a sec." I stuck my head back inside the room. The Worship Committee had apparently decided to wait for my return and were all looking in my direction.
    "Sorry, gotta go."
    "This is an important meeting, Hayden," said Rosemary Pepperpot-Cohosh.
    I ignored her and followed Dave down the hall toward the exit.
    "What's so all-fired important?" I heard Rosemary ask in frustration. "We were just getting somewhere."
    "Probably just another dead body," said Elaine. "Nothing to worry about."

Chapter 7
     
    The alley behind the Beautifery was devoid of any of the charm for which St. Germaine was renowned. It backed up to three establishments in addition