Music Of The Church

[qfnol31]

However, all of them do say that Gregorian chant is the best music for the Mass, followed by polyphonic hymns. I know many churches that don't even consider them appropriate. That would in a sense be disobedience because they're contradicting the Magesterium in word. I think that's the point of DominaNostra.

[kateri05]

[quote name='thedude' date='Sep 15 2004, 07:08 PM'] My Church would never play it. I doubt they could even pronounce the words. [/quote]
ditto. they prefer protesant hyms with hand gestures.... which, i admit, is nice (well the songs, not so much the pseudo-dancing) but sometimes, you just want quiet, reflective music... and chant is just so beautiful

[BigM]

If Chant is the Music of Mass, why do we have(us Catholics) and why did they(our Vatican) allow other styles to be placed within the Liturgy?

[qfnol31]

They allow them and they can be okay (depending on how they are written) but the Gregorian chants and polyphony should most definately be first.

[cmotherofpirl]

Most local parishes have never had chant for Mass, they simply sang hymns.

[Crusader_4]

Gregorian chant is beautiful and really has a great place in the mass as well as encouraging meditation.

[qfnol31]

[quote name='cmotherofpirl' date='Sep 24 2004, 09:56 PM'] Most local parishes have never had chant for Mass, they simply sang hymns. [/quote]
I personally find it sad...I sing chants quite often for Mass myself...They're pretty easy to learn too. (Not to mention more theologically correct than most of what we sing today and more appropriate.

[Thomas Michael]

That's the sad thing... most music directors or others in charge of Mass music are addicted to the Easy Listening hymns that have infiltrated the churches since VCII. Give me Gregorian chant over "Mass Of Creation" any day.

One church in Arlington did the Latin chanting only during Lent. It's a shame that some people regard Latin singing as only for special or somber occasions.

Edited September 28, 2004 by Thomas Michael

[Cam42]

[quote]Most local parishes have never had chant for Mass, they simply sang hymns.[/quote]

This is a wholly inaccurate statement. Slightly before Vatican II there was an innovation in the Liturgy of the Church called the [i]Dialogue Mass.[/i] Before this there was no such thing as hymn singing at Mass. All sung Masses were chanted for the propers and most of the ordinaries too. There were some churches that were proficient enough to have a polyphonic choir, but most simply chanted.

The idea of 4 hymns is a Protestant idea that has infiltrated the Church. There is no Sacred Tradition involved with hymns in the Liturgy. Sacred Tradition does however play a part in hymnody, although it is not based in the Liturgy, but based on concert musicianship.

If one looks to what is right and true in the Church, we will see that that Gregorian Chant has pride of place. This idea of pride of place has become a catch phrase, but there is some real truth to it. When something is destined to be right, through time and practice, it should hold pride of place. Organs have that with instrumentation, and Gregorian Chant has that with the human voice.

The simplification of a statement to say that hymns were what were used is disingenuious. It is a far cry from the accurate statement that hymnody didn't enter into the mainstream of Catholic Liturgy until the mid-1950's.

Sad thing....pray for the return of Gregorian Chant, it has a real theology to it that should not be lost.

Cam