Every Catholic who cares about upgrading music in parish life should be happy about this article that appears in Pastoral Liturgy. It has some funny understatements (“Chants have been a part of our Catholic faith for centuries”) but it is really very good on the essentials. See “Learning the Chants: Singing with a Unified Voice” by Fr. John Mark Klaus.
We might be working toward a national singing voice at long last. Next step: a universal one.
Jeffrey, do you know if anyone has yet produced either (1) these chants in neumes notation, and/or (2) organ accompaniments for the chants, à la the Nova Organi Harmonia? (And if so, where could we find them?)
It's good to see these kinds of articles showing up in places like "Pastoral Liturgy". If this had shown up only on the "Chant Cafe" or the "New Liturgical Movement" or even "Musica Sacra", I would have a hard time sharing it with the "progressive" musicians and liturgists in my parish. They probably wouldn't give it the time of day. With it appearing in "Pastoral Liturgy", however, they are far more likely to give it a hearing and a fair one at that. One of the most promising things I have seen in the past year is that many of the ideas advanced in these circles are making their way into the main stream. An important rapprochement seems to be happening that will make it easier to make balanced and fair choices about liturgy. No side will get everything they would like but all sides are much more likely to get a fair hearing than they ever have in the recent past.
Does anyone know if the chant settings for the Creed will be required to be included in the various missaletes/worship aides? I am really hoping that by requiring ALL the chant settings to be included, people will finally be reintroduced to the sung creed.
It is good to see this article being aired in the Pastoral Liturgy, even if it is a little understated in parts; although the priest really should "practice the chants so that he is able to sing his parts confidently and without hesitation" you know!
Personally, I've always felt that Gregorian chant is a truly reverential way of worshipping, as well as being beautiful and emotive. It's both uplifting and soothing and surely that is what an expression of faith should be? I'd also love to see / hear the reintroduction of the sung Creed.
Fr. John Mark is the Liturgy Director for our Diocese (Venice in Florida), and he and I serve together on the music committee. He was very nervous about this article and had us read through it and comment on it before he submitted it, so he would be very pleased that it is getting some good reviews here!
We held a training session on the ICEL Chants and the New Translation last weekend in Ft. Myers and he referred to this article several times. Along with the article by Fr. Ruff in the same publication, this is a real surprising development!
What needs to happen is that articles like this need to be on OCP, GIA, etc. (dont hold your breath).
Anon…
I think it's only a matter of time before OCP and GIA "get on the bus" as it were. Same for NPM, at least in a really meaningful way. All three of these entities have treated chant, whether vernacular or Latin, as "another option" up to now. But the field is changing, and quickly, in regards to the role of chant of either variety in the liturgy. The drive is on in many Diocese' across the country to implement the chants of the Missal beginning next year. Has there ever been an effort like this on behalf of music in the liturgy, at least in recent history? I don't think so.
My guess is that the likes of OCP and GIA just haven't caught up yet, as the much more agile on-line community that is supportive of traditional music has outmaneuvered them. While they are trying to figure out how to manage their copyright protections, freely downloadable settings of the new translation are making their way into parishes. OCP and GIA will, of course, get their share of the market….but they haven't had to face anything like this before and it appears they are either in denial or just slow to act.
We have a rare opportunity at this moment in Church history to undo the collateral damage caused by a false interpretation and implementation of Sacrosanctum Concilium. There is nothing more spiritually powerful than priest and people chanting the Mass, whether in Latin or in the vernacular. That is where one finds both the majesty and simplicity of the Roman Mass. Ideology has no place in this endeavor. This is neither "jew nor greek, male nor female." We can join together, ut unum sint.