The Importance of Sacred Music
In the Catholic Book of Character, Father Edward Garesche S.J., indicates that whatever enters the imagination remains there until death, even if not always present to consciousness. We are therefore obliged to nourish the imagination with good and beautiful things that lead us to God. This summarizes the beneficence on a human level of having good music in our liturgies. Everything employed in the worship of God seeks firstly to glorify Him. Secondarily, though also very important, is its salutary effect on us.
The Gregorian Mass is saturated with symbols expressed through gestures, sounds, and smells for a reason which is at the very heart of religion: To bring mankind into an encounter with the Divine. Like our incomparable Savior, the Mass is composed of divine and human elements. Its divinity consists in the Son offering His humanity to the Father in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world. However, in order that we may more fully benefit from its effects, the Church draws our attention to this Mystery by stimulating our imaginations with beautiful ritual; for the more beautiful something is, the closer it is to God, Who is Beauty Himself.
Papal Teaching
We must be concerned that the Most Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is always said with the highest piety, honor, and respect. For this reason, the Church takes great care in Her use of the Sacred Vessels, Her ceremonies, and Her Sacred Music.[1] All Catholics committed to traditional worship should be familiar with the 1955 encyclical of His Holiness Pope Pius XII on “Sacred Music,” Musicae Sacrae. In it he gives “an orderly explanation of the topic” and answers …
“several questions which have been raised and discussed during the past decades … in order that this noble and distinguished art may contribute more every day to greater splendor in the celebration of divine worship and to the more effective nourishment of spiritual life among the faithful. …”
“3. We hope, therefore, that what St. Pius X rightly decreed in the document which he accurately called the ‘legal code of sacred music’ may be confirmed and inculcated anew, shown in a new light and strengthened by new proofs. We hope that the noble art of sacred music – adapted to contemporary conditions and in some way enriched – may ever more perfectly accomplish its mission.
“4. Music is among the many and great gifts of nature with which God, in Whom is the harmony of the most perfect concord and the most perfect order, has enriched men, whom He has created in His image and likeness. Together with the other liberal arts, music contributes to spiritual joy and the delight of the soul.
“5. On this subject St. Augustine has accurately written: ‘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.’”
The Importance of a Parish Music Program
Until the liturgical revolution of the 1960s, it was understood that only the most beautiful and holy music, especially Gregorian chant, was suitable for the solemnity of the Mass. With the introduction of the “folk Mass,” however, music in the liturgy became intimately tied with the world and the mundane. Liturgical music lost its holiness to secular influences and its beauty to shallow popular forms. The imagination no longer had the opportunity to soar into the transcendent but was dragged down into the immanent.
Such a description of these radical changes might strike some as ridiculous. Why is music so important that I should view recent history with this perspective? Even the Second Vatican Council responds in the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy that music is the most esteemed of the Church’s liturgical arts, as it most directly speaks to the soul. That is, music, more than any other element of the liturgy, affects the imagination, having the power to raise our thoughts to heavenly things or lower them to worldly distractions. When we raise our minds to God, we are praying; music therefore has a direct correlation to our life of prayer. Therefore, man has a greater potential for holiness when he is nourished with the bread of beauty in the worship of God.
This is why the return to beautiful liturgical music is such a good thing and so important. If we do not conceive Heaven as being someplace beautiful, then we will not be encouraged to desire to go there. We are drawn toward things that please us. However, only God, Who is infinitely pleasing, can satisfy our infinite longings, but we cannot know this if He is shrouded and blocked out by ugliness. In this sense, our salvation is certainly affected by music.
It is imperative, then, that all parishes begin the process of restoring beauty – dare I say, God Himself – to their liturgies. Through music, the liturgy can become more God-like, greatly sanctifying its participants and, consequently, the world.
How to Improve Your Parish Music Program
Such a noble task rests with Church musicians.[2] Given the crisis in religious vocations today, schola members and choir directors usually arise from the ranks of the laity. They must work in cooperation with their pastors. Establishing or reorganizing a parish music program can appear a daunting task. In considering the challenges, though, musicians should always keep in mind that there is no obstacle too great for God’s grace to overcome. Those involved with scholas and Church choirs must always complement their musical efforts with prayer.
Having a doctrinally sound and actively supportive pastor is essential in enacting meaningful and enduring changes. It is through his preaching and teaching of orthodoxy that a congregation will be able to appreciate the implementation of truly sacred music. Depending on the situation, this might be the most difficult part of the process. It would therefore require much prayer and sacrifice, and the practice of many virtues, especially patience.
For Those in Scholas and Choirs
Once you have the support of your parish priest, your primary concern will be to address the twofold challenge of teaching your choir good vocal technique and acclimating the congregation to proper liturgy. Concerning the former, if you do not know where to start, it is good to keep in mind that the two most important components of good singing are breath control and unity of vowels. Regarding the latter, I offer my own experience.
For the purpose of training both choir and congregation, it is best to begin with hymns, avoiding a complete switch from one style of worship to another. This also permits your choir some time to begin learning the art of singing chant. Some good sources of hymnody include the Traditional Roman Hymnal, the St. Gregory Hymnal, and the Adoremus Hymnal. Hymns are the best way for your choir to practice good singing and for the congregation to become accustomed to orthodox text and beautifully crafted melodies.
You should use chant hymns that have been harmonized – such as Creator of the Stars of Night or Of the Father’s Love Begotten, for example[3] – whenever possible in order to prepare the way for the Mass propers. When you believe your choir is ready, you may start adding simple propers. One of the best sources of free online chants and chant resources is Musica Sacra.
If you have attained these heights in your liturgies, then your parish is well on its way to fostering great holiness among its parishioners. From here, the paths are as varied as the branches of a Christmas tree. You may choose to employ polyphonic music of the Renaissance, modern compositions (such as through CanticaNova), or simple hymns. The sky is your limit and the rubrics your foundation.
For suggestions specific on incorporating sacred music in Nuptial Masses or Requiem Masses, see those respective articles for more information.
St. Cecelia, pray for us!
ENDNOTES:
[1] In 1903, shortly after his elevation to the papal throne, St. Pius X wrote an important document regarding liturgical music, Tra Le Sollecitudini.
[2] In the past, Church musicians were most frequently clerics. St. Ambrose (bishop), St. Gregory the Great (Pope), Hermannus Contractus (Benedictine), and Thomas of Celano (Franciscan) are a few examples. Many people don’t know that Antonio Vivaldi, one of the most famous Baroque composers, was a priest. However, laymen also composed sacred music. The schola was a clerical state and only men could participate. In the past several centuries, choirs and organists also provided music for the Sacred Liturgy; think, for example, of the work by Palestrina, WIlliam Byrd, Fr. Frederick Faber (“Faith of Our Fathers”), and Gabriel Fauré (French organist).
[3] If you want more examples, and sources, of traditional sacred music suitable for the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, please feel free to contact me through my website: A Catholic Life Blogspot.