SEPTEMBER 2020
Te underlying ideology behind those and similar comments represents a classical notion of culture and belief in which there are unchanging truths, fixed systems of morality and self-evident ideas of beauty. Accompanying these views is a belief that there exists an ideal in the evolution of liturgy, art, architecture and sacred music whose full flowering occurred well before the 1960’s. To many of its adherents, this treasury (aka patrimony) has been rejected by modern culture, and by those Catholics who, in error, have embraced secular humanism and its trappings.
Early advocates of this ideology at the beginning of the last century rejected what they called Modernism. In its current iteration among traditional sacred music aspirants, one finds a lionization of Latin chant ordinaries and antiphons, renaissance polyphony, and even orchestral Masses, and what may best be described as “high art” music as the epitome of authentic Church music. In extreme cases, this ideology also holds up the Tridentine liturgy as the richest expression of the worship of God, and normative for authentic worship. Supporters of this viewpoint saw in the last pope an advocate, even though Pope Benedict XVI never publicly celebrated a Mass in the Extraordinary form as pope. Te principal critique of music written for reformed liturgies is that it is banal, mediocre and not integral to the liturgy, using non-sacral language that focus on humanity and not on God. Furthermore, critics lament that expertly prepared choirs are no longer necessary since the music is mostly simplified in order to include a musically illiterate assembly at every moment. Modern liturgies, they say, lack silence, and are bereft of a sense of mystery and transcendence.
A contrasting ideology
Te contrasting ideology was in its ascendancy with the modern liturgical movement even before the reforms of the Council. It represents a contemporary notion of culture that sees society and culture as something not to be fought or shunned, but rather to be transformed and redeemed. It represents an openness to engaging human experience and modern cultural expressions. It utilizes vernacular languages and modern usage to preach the Gospel in a language easily and immediately understood by contemporary people. It represents a theological openness to
“ In my work, I am very aware of the push and pull of these opposing tendencies but prefer to think of them as muscles that work in tandem, as biceps and triceps do…”
ongoing revelation and an ecumenism seeking common ground and shared beliefs. In liturgical music, the focus on the “full, active and conscious participation of the assembly” was seen as the guiding principle of the movement; it set itself in conscious contrast to the relatively passive participation of congregations and the divergence of ritual and musical elements in the previous liturgical forms.
In my work at the Cathedral of St Matthew the Apostle, I am very aware of the push and pull of these opposing tendencies but prefer to think of them as muscles that work in tandem, as biceps and triceps do—or for musicians, as diaphragmatic and intercostal muscles function when singing. I believe that there is a way to incorporate and balance the authentically human desires and motivations found in both systems.
For example, while we have a semi-professional choir that regularly sings polyphony from the early through late Renaissance, along with later motets and anthems and Gregorian propers, we strongly encourage the assembly to sing the acclamations, responses and hymnody as well. We strive for excellence in everything we do, but we do not limit the palette to music of a supposed “golden age” of sacred music. And while we celebrate one Sunday liturgy predominantly in Latin (though the Liturgy of the Word is in English), the assembly is expected to fully participate in the singing of
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