A Chronicle of the Reform: Catholic Music in the 20th Century

[ProCommunioneFacior]

This is an outstanding read chronicling what happened in the 20th Century regarding Sacred music and how it happened that we have lost so much of our Sacred Music heritage. This is written by Msgr. Schuler the former pastor of the fine parish, St. Agnes, in St. Paul, Minnesota for many years.

This is absolutely fascinating of how what the Vatican has asked for in its Sacred Music was rejected and it also details the great effort between the time of 1900 to 1960 of the Church to implement the Vatican's initiatives to have a true reform of Sacred Music, and how it all came to a crashing halt in the late 1960's despite the effort of Vatican II to continue the great reform that was happening.

Please read it:

http://www.musicasacra.com/pdf/chron.pdf

 

[ProCommunioneFacior]

Seriously, it's a really good read...

By the way the priest who wrote this awesome piece of history was the pastor of this parish

http://www.stagnes.net/

After perusing the site I just saw that Msgr. Schuler is now undergoing some serious health issues, please remember him in your prayers.

 

[Caedmon]

I can appreciate the loss of good sacred music in the liturgy these days. The question is, how do you bring it back? How can you convince the music director, the choir, the musicians, and their supporters? It just doesn't happen, unless the priest requests it, and I haven't seen a single priest in my diocese that would. Good thing I'm moving soon, I guess, although I don't think it'll be much different.

 

[winsome]

This is an outstanding read chronicling what happened in the 20th Century regarding Sacred music and how it happened that we have lost so much of our Sacred Music heritage. This is written by Msgr. Schuler the former pastor of the fine parish, St. Agnes, in St. Paul, Minnesota for many years.

This is absolutely fascinating of how what the Vatican has asked for in its Sacred Music was rejected and it also details the great effort between the time of 1900 to 1960 of the Church to implement the Vatican's initiatives to have a true reform of Sacred Music, and how it all came to a crashing halt in the late 1960's despite the effort of Vatican II to continue the great reform that was happening.

Please read it:

http://www.musicasacra.com/pdf/chron.pdf

I have read through the document and I am quite concerned about it, though not in the way you might expect.

It seems to be a very scholarly document in many ways, yet in others he is very biased. He is very opinionated and dismissive of much that has happened but without giving justification for his opinions. He is very obviously pro professional musicians, pro Latin, pro Gregorian chant and polyphonic music, and whilst giving lip service to other types of music is very dismissive of them.

For example:
Father McManus was in close relationship with Father Annibale Bugnini, secretary of the Consilium for the Implementation of the Constitution on the Liturgy in Rome. Together with Father Johannes Wagner of Trier and Canon George A. Martimort of Paris, they promoted the liturgical innovations that were so devastating to church music both in Europe and in America. (in his opinion)

As a result, the altars of most American churches were turned versus populum; choirs were disbanded; Gregorian chant was prohibited; Latin was forbidden for celebration of the Mass in many dioceses; church furniture and statuary were discarded. These innovations which distressed untold numbers of Catholics were thought to be the orders of the Second Vatican Council. Rather, they were the results of a conspiracy whose foundations and intentions have yet to be completely discovered and revealed.

The seventies proved to be the decade of the piccolomnini, the little men. Church music became the domain of the “do-it-yourself’ composer and performer. In the name of actuosa participatio, guitar players, various combos, folk-singers and even grade school children undertook to write and perform music for church, providing both texts and notes. That such ineptitude and ignorance, albeit sincere,…..

Without the solid foundation of the Latin liturgy, the aberrations found in so many vernacular celebrations will continue and increase.

He is very dismissive of non professional musicians-
..total amateurs invaded the areas of composition and performance, contrary to the directives of Musicam sacram and against the warnings of professional church musicians.

New music was not quickly forthcoming, although publishers rushed to sell compositions, many the work of total amateurs.

The seventies proved to be the decade of the piccolomnini, the little men. Church music became the domain of the “do-it-yourself’ composer and performer.

He keeps calling for artistic music, but as defined by him and his likes
Music for the liturgy must be true art, a judgment that belongs to well-trained professional church musicians, despite the abundance of well-meaning but uneducated amateurs in composition, performance and criticism of church music in this country.

I would agree that there was much rubbish produced in the early days of vernacular music (in my opinion of course) but much very good music and mass settings have been produced , some by total amateurs, and some by professional musicians – but probably not the type he would approve of.

I realise he is writing about the American situation particularly, but he does say that this is worldwide, and in UK we do tend to follow USA in many ways

 

[Mysterium_Fidei]

The parish of Sacred Heart in Dunn, North Carolina, is an example of restoration and the “reform of the reform” that our Holy Father has been calling for. The church is a beautiful, albeit small building which is lavishly decorated with traditional artwork. The altar stands against the wall, and one may kneel at the altar rails to receive communion. The choir and organ are in the back of the Church, accessible through the loft.

It wasn’t always this way, however. Apparently after the Second Vatican Council everything was changed, for the worse. The loss of sacred art and music became prevalent in the parish. That just goes to show what a good priest can do.

Fr. Paul Pakerson began to change things from his first day in the parish, which was also his birthday. He explained in one of his homilies that the opening hymn for the day was to be “Lord of the Dance”. He went up to the organist, and informed her that hymn was not going to be played today, and would never be played again. Unfortunately, he didn’t realize the closing hymn was “Happy Birthday to You”.

Since then, all the OCP Hymnals have been removed and the liturgy has been restored. They even offer a Tridentine Mass on Sunday’s at 4:00 PM. Truly a lovely place.

 

[Look Homeward Anglican]

He is very obviously pro professional musicians, pro Latin, pro Gregorian chant and polyphonic music, and whilst giving lip service to other types of music is very dismissive of them.

After reading this article, I get the feeling the reason the author seems dismissive of these other types of music is because they really should be dismissed. They're silly and destructive to the solemnity of the Holy Mass. In any other venue, for lack of a better word, amateur musicians would not be given the reigns to public performances of any kind of music. Even the most unworthy dives either hire professional talent to play for beer-swilling weekend revellers, or at the very least have a DJ instead who will play the recordings of professional musicians. No one would dream of letting some middle-aged soccer mom with an accoustic guitar headline a public concert -- and yet at the most holy of holy events taking place on the planet, the Mass of the Church of God, this is exactly what has been taking place.

The Mass should not be a venue of common performance. We have karaoke bars for that. Sacred music belongs in the hands of skilled masters who have studied it extensively, and who are trained to reproduce it accurately and in a spirit conducive to the reverence of the Holy Mass.

 

[winsome]

After reading this article, I get the feeling the reason the author seems dismissive of these other types of music is because they really should be dismissed. They're silly and destructive to the solemnity of the Holy Mass. In any other venue, for lack of a better word, amateur musicians would not be given the reigns to public performances of any kind of music. Even the most unworthy dives either hire professional talent to play for beer-swilling weekend revellers, or at the very least have a DJ instead who will play the recordings of professional musicians. No one would dream of letting some middle-aged soccer mom with an accoustic guitar headline a public concert -- and yet at the most holy of holy events taking place on the planet, the Mass of the Church of God, this is exactly what has been taking place.

The Mass should not be a venue of common performance. We have karaoke bars for that. Sacred music belongs in the hands of skilled masters who have studied it extensively, and who are trained to reproduce it accurately and in a spirit conducive to the reverence of the Holy Mass.

I disagree profoundly

I remember going to a Palestrina Mass performed by a professional choir. I'm sure it was very beautiful (though I'm not keen on that sort of music) but I didn't feel I was at Mass, just a performance.

At a parish I used to go to the priest didn't like the choir called a choir. He said it was just a group leading the congregation singing, and there was good congregational singing. Recently I have been back there - new priest, new choirmaster. Now it's a lot of latin, a lot of fancy part singing by the choir. There was much reduced participation by the congregation. I felt as though I just attended Mass not participated in it.

A few years ago I was talking to the choirmaster in a local parish. He was the "professional" type. He was very dismissive of Taize music which I think is beautiful. It was all too simple, for him. He didn't consider what the congregation might like or be able to joinn in with.

What does the write person mean by "professional"? Someone who earns a living in music? Or more likely from his comments, someone who has a classical music degree.

This attitude of professionals only sets up elites, and assumes the Holky Spirit is only going to gift and inspire the professional trained musician.

I would agree that there has been a lot of banal rubbish used in the early days after Vatican II, I for one don't want to go back to the exclusion of choirs doing their own fancy stuff. Mass is for the congregation not for the choir.

 

[Look Homeward Anglican]

Mass is for the congregation not for the choir.

I think this reflects the general shift in people's attitudes concerning the nature of Mass since the Second Vatican Council; traditionally and theologically speaking, the Mass isn't meant to be "about" the people in attendance or finding ways to make them feel included, and now we have perhaps two generations of Catholics who think it is nothing but that. This represents a tragic shift from a sacrifice-centered Mass to a self-centered one.

All Catholics have to do during Mass is stand there, pray, and receive the sacraments of the Church. Even choirs are an innovation. There is no need for a gaudy display of "talent" during Mass. A handful of trained cantors can easily handle the leading parts in sacred chant, and parishioners can chant along too.

 

[winsome]

[/color]
I think this reflects the general shift in people's attitudes concerning the nature of Mass since the Second Vatican Council; traditionally and theologically speaking, the Mass isn't meant to be "about" the people in attendance or finding ways to make them feel included, and now we have perhaps two generations of Catholics who think it is nothing but that. This represents a tragic shift from a sacrifice-centered Mass to a self-centered one.

I didn't say the Mass was "about" the congregation. I said it was for the congregation, as opposed to being for the choir to show off their musical abilities.

All Catholics have to do during Mass is stand there, pray, and receive the sacraments of the Church. Even choirs are an innovation. There is no need for a gaudy display of "talent" during Mass. A handful of trained cantors can easily handle the leading parts in sacred chant, and parishioners can chant along too.

On the contrary the first document produced by the council - SACROSANCTUM CONCILIUM clearly did not envisiage that the catholics who attended should just stand there and pray. The words active participation occur many times in the document

Chapter 1

I The Nature of the Sacred Liturgy and Its Importance in the Church's Life

Pastors of souls must therefore realize that, when the liturgy is celebrated, something more is required than the mere observation of the laws governing valid and licit celebration; it is their duty also to ensure that the faithful take part fully aware of what they are doing, actively engaged in the rite, and enriched by its effects. (11)

II. The Promotion of Liturgical Instruction and Active Participation

MotherChurch earnestly desires that all the faithful should be led to that fully conscious, and active participation in liturgical celebrations which is demanded by the very nature of the liturgy. (14)

In the restoration and promotion of the sacred liturgy, this full and active participation by all the people is the aim to be considered before all else (14)

With zeal and patience, pastors of souls must promote the liturgical instruction of the faithful, and also their active participation in the liturgy both internally and externally (19)

III. The Reform of the Sacred Liturgy

It is to be stressed that whenever rites, according to their specific nature, make provision for communal celebration involving the presence and active participation of the faithful, this way of celebrating them is to be preferred, so far as possible, to a celebration that is individual and quasi-private. (27)

To promote active participation, the people should be encouraged to take part by means of acclamations, responses, psalmody, antiphons, and songs, as well as by actions, gestures, and bodily attitudes (30)

CHAPTER II - THE MOST SACRED MYSTERY OF THE EUCHARIST
The rite of the Mass is to be revised in such a way that the intrinsic nature and purpose of its several parts, as also the connection between them, may be more clearly manifested, and that devout and active participation by the faithful may be more easily achieved. (50)

CHAPTER VI - SACRED MUSIC
Liturgical worship is given a more noble form when the divine offices are celebrated solemnly in song, with the assistance of sacred ministers and the active participation of the people. (113)


Choirs must be diligently promoted, especially in cathedral churches; but bishops and other pastors of souls must be at pains to ensure that, whenever the sacred action is to be celebrated with song, the whole body of the faithful may be able to contribute that active participation which is rightly theirs, as laid down in Art. 28 and 30. (114)


Composers, filled with the Christian spirit, should feel that their vocation is to cultivate sacred music and increase its store of treasures.
Let them produce compositions which have the qualities proper to genuine sacred music, not confining themselves to works which can be sung only by large choirs, but providing also for the needs of small choirs and for the active participation of the entire assembly of the faithful. (121)

 

[gitlance]

God deserves nothing less than our very best. A half-baked, self-taught guitarist strumming some awful tune from wannabe-composer Marty Haugen is absolutely unacceptable for the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. The "cult of the banal" (as our Holy Father has called it) has infected so many Catholic parishes. It's so bad, that I have to do background research on a new parish before I will attend. As it is, I stick to downtown cathedrals, Anglican-use parishes, Latin masses, and Eastern Divine Liturgies.

One should not be embarassed to take their friends to Mass. Listen to what the priest says in the above article. I myself am a classically trained vocalist, pianist, and organist. I have played at the Temple Square Concert Series in the Mormon Tabernacle, been invited to Carnegie Hall, performed for state governors, and been on national television. I don't say that out of arrogance, but out of the conviction that I know what good music is -- and Marty Haugen and his ilk in the "Glory & Praise" hymnal (as well as others) do not make for good music.

It's really a shame that the Church which, for all intents and purposes, invented Western music has put up with such nonsense these past 40 years.

http://www.crisismagazine.com/january2002/feature2.htm

http://www.tommcfaul.com/escritaria/litmusic.html