Following the block quote is a paper I just wrote for a class called "Music in the Catholic Church" highlighting the usage of music in the Tridentine and
Novus Ordo Masses. Since I wrote it at the last minute, considering that I just arrived from France a few days ago, it is not of excellent quality. All the same I am posting it, and I ask that anyone quoting it give me credit for the original as per copyright laws and the protection accorded this site, etc.
"It is as important today as ever that we carefully distinguish between simply religious music -- be it never so beautiful, artistic, and conducive to private devotion -- and that kind of music which the Church requires for her services. Outside of the Church each one may sing such melodies to religious texts as best satisfy his own pious mood; he may even indulge his æsthetic predilections in choosing his hymns. The house of God, however, demands an entirely different attitude; we must realize that we are there to pray, that we may not force our personal mood on our fellow Christians, but that, on the contrary, we must follow with devout attention and pious song, according to the will and in the spirit of the Church, the liturgical action at the altar. And, in according to the Church our filial obedience, we need entertain no fear mother and protector of the arts, that she, the venerable will assign to music a function unworthy of its powers."
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Throughout the history of the Catholic Church, music as a conduit for prayer has been an indispensable and crucial part of the liturgy. Before even Latin became the central language of the Church, Christians were united by the universal language that is music, which alone touches the deepest recesses of the human soul. So much so that
St Augustine was prompted to write:
"Music, that is the science or the sense of proper modulation, is likewise given by God's generosity to mortals having rational souls in order to lead them to higher things."
(Epis. 161. De origine animae hominis, 1, 2; PL XXXIII, 725)
While for a significant portion of the Church’s- and coincidentally Western civilization’s- history the primary mode of sacred musical expression was the Gregorian chant, developments since the 1960s in the Church have prompted a move in a different musical direction, appealing to some and troubling to others. The nature of this distinction is the focus of this brief work.
The primary liturgical forms in current practice in the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church today are what are referred to as the Tridentine Mass and the Mass of Paul VI, in this paper referred to as the
Novus Ordo Mass. The Tridentine Mass, named after the city which hosted the Council of Trent (
Tridentium), came out of the reforms of that council, held from 1545 to 1563, themselves a response to the abuses emerging in the wake of the Protestant Reformation
. It was the predominant liturgical rubric in place in the Church until the Second Vatican Council, held from 1962 to 1965.
One of the primary goals of the Tridentine reform was to provide a uniform format for all churches to implement as a means of abating the post-Reformation confusion that had gripped the faithful with regard to doctrine and practice. Among other measures, one of the primary unifying forces in the liturgical reform was the maintenance of the Gregorian chant as the musical vehicle of the Church.
In the context of the Tridentine Mass, the usage of chant is divided into two forms: the
Accentus and the
Concentus. The
Accentus is never accompanied by any instrument and is sung only by the sacred ministers. The
Concentus consists of that which is sung by the choir after the intonation of the
Accentus, and is comprised of the Ordinary, which are sung at every Mass, and the Propers, which are particular to every day of the year. For example, the Credo is a part of the Ordinary and begins with the
Accentus “Credo in unum Deum…” (I believe in one God) and is followed by the rest, which is the
Concentus (…
patrem omnipotentem…). The Proper could consist of, for example, the readings appropriated for a particular Sunday
. In sum, the various chants and prayers comprising the music of the Mass make for an enduring tradition which has formed the backbone for all Western music since its origins. It also proves to be a stark contrast from the novel musical tradition that has emerged with the
Novus Ordo.
Following the reforms of the Second Vatican Council, which were in part destined to make the Mass more accessible to the faithful, a noticeable shift occurred in the nature of Catholic liturgical music. While pre-Vatican II music could be considered predominantly classical in nature, employing Gregorian chant as frequently as possible, church music since the 1960s has for the most part relegated chant to an inferior role and has switched to contemporary or folk-style compositions. It has also been characterized by widespread use of inclusive language. Unlike in Tridentine Masses, particularly High Masses, where significant parts of the Mass are sung, especially the main readings, this is done infrequently in
Novus Ordo liturgies. An obvious difference is the prevalence of music in the vernacular in the post-conciliar period, as opposed to the period before during which music was sung in Latin.
A major difference seen as beneficial in the
Novus Ordo period is the increased participation of the faithful in the performance of the music, with compositions considered simpler to sing and join in as contributing to the spiritual development of Mass-goers.
An important point worth discussing regarding the difference in liturgical music before and after Vatican II can be made by asking the question: to whom is the music directed and why? While many levels of analysis can be made with this topic, a simple look at the lyrics of compositions from both periods reveals much in itself. Among the most famous Gregorian chants that initially come to mind are
Pange lingua gloriosi (Sing, my tongue, the Savior’s glory);
Veni, Creator Spiritus (Come, Holy Spirit, Creator); and
Te Deum (We praise thee, O God). It can be convincingly argued that the lyrics of most if not all Gregorian chants are wholly directed towards God, either in praise or supplication, but rarely if ever directed, at least not primarily, in any way towards the people. The trend differs, on the other hand, with some of the more popular contemporary Catholic hymns such as “On Eagle’s Wings”, “Here I Am, Lord”, and “You are Mine”. A brief comparison of a hymn from both periods proves representative of the general trends then prevalent.
Pange Lingua Gloriosi: Sing, my tongue, the Savior's glory, of His flesh the mystery sing; of the Blood, all price exceeding, shed by our immortal King, destined, for the world's redemption, from a noble womb to spring.
On Eagle’s Wings: And He will raise you up on eagle's wings/ Bear you on the breath of dawn/ Make you to shine like the sun/ And hold you in the palm of His Hand.
Both hymns chosen are considered among the most popular or well-known from both periods. It is evident that the focus of the lyrics differs in each hymn. Pange lingua tells of the glory of the Lord and of the salvation and redemption at hand. On Eagle’s Wings tells of a more immediate salvation or consolation, as well as the glorification of the individual in the words “Make you to shine like the sun.” Such refrains are wholly absent in the canon of Gregorian chant.
The instrumentation of liturgical music differs in both periods, as well, and is reflective of the nature of public worship in each era. Prior to the reforms of the 1960s, there is no dispute that the pipe organ was
the instrument of the liturgy. According to the
Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy: Sacrosanctum Concilium, no. 120, “In the Latin Church the pipe organ is to be held in high esteem, for it is the traditional musical instrument which adds a wonderful splendor to the Church's ceremonies and powerfully lifts up man's mind to God and to higher things.” There is no denying the recollection of that which is sacred in the common conscience upon hearing the sound of an organ.
Interestingly, in the second paragraph of
Sacrosanctum Concilium, a dispensation is accorded permitting other instruments provided that they be “suitable, or can be made suitable, for sacred use, accord with the dignity of the temple, and truly contribute to the edification of the faithful”. Among instruments commonly used in the post-conciliar period are pianos and guitars, however, all manner of instruments, including percussion sets and even electric instruments, are known to be used. One can argue that the organ has almost always been used exclusively in a sacred setting. Indeed, even for “secular” organ performances musicians must often play in churches! As such, the music of the organ has always been equated, at least subconsciously, with a religious function. The same can not be said for the piano, much less for the guitar or percussion set, which are regularly employed for profane settings such as bands, pop concerts, or even intimate settings wholly foreign to that of worship. In this regard, the trend in post-conciliar music has been to wrest the exclusivity of sacred music from the organ and to make it accessible to a variety of different instruments, in a way providing for a sort of democratization of instrumentation or, as some might argue, a removal of the sacred and exclusive from the liturgical function.
Nonetheless, despite all of the arguments for or against the liturgical music of either period in recent Church history, one argument is irrefutable: music has not ceased to be a crucial aspect of the worship of the faithful. Be it Gregorian chant, a majestic classical Mass by a classical composer, or even a simple hymn sung by the faithful at the beginning of the liturgy, the engagement of the faithful in song and music has ever been seen as the most profound means of engaging the divine and offering a spiritual oblation at the Mass.
At the height of what many consider to be a period of near-revolutionary change during the Second Vatican Council, the drafters of
Sacrosanctum Concilium described the beauty of the Church’s musical tradition best in writing:
“The musical tradition of the universal Church is a treasure of inestimable value, greater even than that of any other art. The main reason for this pre-eminence is that, as sacred song united to the words, it forms a necessary or integral part of the solemn liturgy.”
The question in our current time is: will we continue in the direction of a greater “vulgarization” of liturgical music by implementing contemporary styles, lyrics, and instrumentation, or will there be a return to the ancient traditions of chant and classical composition in the Mass? Whatever the answer, the primacy of music in the Catholic Mass will assuredly never be challenged.
