The Authentic Update: Just Another Brick in the Wall

Sunday, August 14, 2011

Just Another Brick in the Wall

An interesting bit of information about the direction of music in the Catholic Church today. Although not necessarily a "watershed event" for either liturgy or liturgical music in particular, World Youth Day and the week-long celebrations around it have become important public events for the Church.... a chance for larger audiences of people around the world to see the Catholic Church on display.

In the past, the liturgies at World Youth Day have been sometimes embarrassing, sometimes very much in line with what one would expect to see at an average Catholic parish, and on rarer occasions have actually been good models for what liturgy should be from an evangelical standpoint. Those are MUCH rarer occasions, by the way.

This year, some of the Masses for World Youth Day will probably raise more than a few eyebrows... not among the youth, mind you, but among those who have bought into the "cutting edge music will attract youth to the church" agenda. These Masses are actually....what would be a good description....well, they are actually very CATHOLIC!

Let's take a look at what we'll hear....

Wednesday, 17 August 2011, 12:00 noon
Votive Mass of the Holy Spirit
(Missale Romanum of 1970)

Palacio de Deportes, Madrid

Prelude: Ave Maria (Schubert) [World Youth Alliance Quartet]

Hymn at the Procession: Come, Holy Ghost (Lambillotte)
Introit: Caritas Dei (plainsong, mode ii)

Kyrie: XVI

First Reading (Hebrews 11:1-2,7-11)

Psalm: Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people. (St. Luke 1:68-75) (plainsong, mode v; Marier fauxbourdon)

Alleluia (plainsong, mode vi)

Gospel (St. Matthew 14:23-33)

Intercessory Prayers

Offertory: Confirma hoc Deus (plainsong, mode viii; with chanted verses)
Hymn at the Offertory: Come Down, O Love Divine (Down Ampney)

Sanctus: XVIII
Memorial Acclamation: Mortem tuam...
Agnus Dei: XVIII

Communion: Spiritus Sanctus docebit vos (plainsong, mode viii; with psalm verses)

Motet at the Communion: Ave Maria (Victoria)

Hymn at the Communion: O Lord, I Am Not Worthy (Gouzes)
Motet at the Communion: Ave Verum Corpus (Mozart)
Motet at the Communion: Veni Creator Spiritus (Josquin)
Marian antiphon: Ave Maria (plainsong, mode i)

Hymn at the Retiring Procession: Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee

Postlude: Fugue in D Major (BWV 532) (J.S. Bach)
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Thursday, 18 August 2011, 12:00 noon
Votive Mass of the Most Holy Name of Jesus
(Missale Romanum of 1970)
Palacio de Deportes, Madrid

Prelude: Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring (J.S. Bach) [World Youth Alliance Quartet]

Entrance Hymn: Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven (Lauda anima)
Introit: In nomine Jesu (plainsong, mode ii)

Kyrie: XVI

First Reading (Acts 4:8-12)

Psalm: Our help is in the name of the Lord. (Isaiah 12:2-6) (plainsong, mode v; Marier fauxbourdon)

Alleluia (plainsong, mode vi)

Gospel (St. Matthew 1:18-25)

Intercessory Prayers

Offertory: Portas caeli (plainsong, mode viii)
Hymn at the Offertory: The Lord is Now About to Enter His Temple (Gouzes)

Sanctus: XVIII
Memorial Acclamation: Mortem tuam...
Agnus Dei: XVIII

Communion: Gustate et videte (plainsong, mode iii; with psalm verses)

Hymn at the Communion: Jesus, My Lord, My God, My All (Sweet Sacrament)
Motet at the Communion: Jesu dulcis memoria (Palestrina)
Motet at the Communion: Ave Verum Corpus (Byrd)
Marian antiphon: Ave Maria (plainsong, mode i)

Recessional: Alleluia! Sing to Jesus (Hyfrydol)

Postlude: Praeludium in D minor (BuxWV 140) (Buxtehude)

Certainly a bit different from years past, no? And yet there are still those who insist that there is NO WAY that Catholic music is moving back towards tradition....right?

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Why "Authentic Update"?

The inspiration comes from Benedict XVI's speech following a concert of Sacred Music at the Sistine Chapel. The complete quote is ... "“All of the selections we have listened to – and especially in their entirety, where the 16th and 20th centuries stand parallel – agree in confirming the conviction that sacred polyphony, in particular that of what is called the ‘Roman school’, constitutes a heritage that should be preserved with care, kept alive, and made better known, for the benefit not only of the scholars and specialists, but of the ecclesial community as a whole. [...] An authentic updating of sacred music can take place only in the lineage of the great tradition of the past, of Gregorian chant and sacred polyphony.”

After reading this passage, and a great deal of writing from Benedict regarding Sacred Music, I have come to the conclusion that he has already made up his mind on this question. He clearly believes that an "authentic update" is necessary, and he has clearly said it can "take place only in the lineage of the great tradition of the past, of Gregorian chant and sacred polyphony." This past year, we were again reminded of his vision for Sacred Music in Sacramentum Caritatis in which he stated unequivocally...

"In the course of her two-thousand-year history, the Church has created, and still creates, music and songs which represent a rich patrimony of faith and love. This heritage must not be lost. Certainly as far as the liturgy is concerned, we cannot say that one song is as good as another. Generic improvisation or the introduction of musical genres which fail to respect the meaning of the liturgy should be avoided. As an element of the liturgy, song should be well integrated into the overall celebration. Consequently everything – texts, music, execution – ought to correspond to the meaning of the mystery being celebrated, the structure of the rite and the liturgical seasons .

Finally, while respecting various styles and different and highly praiseworthy traditions, I desire, in accordance with the request advanced by the Synod Fathers, that Gregorian chant be suitably esteemed and employed as the chant proper to the Roman liturgy."

This, of course is just the latest move in a long process of reform of Sacred Music that is to come from Pope Benedict. Do I know this for sure... of course not! But, I have put together a lot of little dots that together begin to form a picture of large-scale reform. See below for some of the parts of this conspiracy theory of mine!

1. The Theological Problems of Church Music

The definitive treatise on why we need to reform Catholic Sacred Music, written by the definitive author, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger in 1977. This was a mere 10 years after the council, and Cardinal Ratzinger had already recognized the error of our ways! I doubt that he has changed his mind very much on this topic!

2. Letter from Pope Benedict to Cardinal Arinze on the occasion of the "Study Day on Sacred Music"

This brief letter is simply a formal welcome from the Pope to the participants of the study day on Sacred Music in December 2005. Note how he says, in reference to Pope John Paul's Chirograph on Sacred Music, "In making my beloved Predecessor's request my own, I would like to encourage lovers of sacred music to continue along these lines". This would seem to mean that it is his intention that the Bishops present at this Study Day continue along the course laid out by JPII in the Chirograph. Although JPII is widely percieved as a friend of the progressive... this document would seem to dispute that image! (see below)

3. John Paul II's Chirograph on Sacred Music

Any leftover Folk-Mass musicians who still see John Paul II as the "voice of the people" and a supporter of contemporary Folk-Mass music should take a good strong drink before reading the "Chirograph". This strongly worded document borders on a denunciation of contemporary liturgical music and without ever saying so (as was typical of JPII) reached the conclusion that perhaps Pius X was right.

4. Cardinal Arinze on Sacred Music

Of course, no reform of Sacred Music would be possible without the cooperation of the CDW. Would Cardinal Arinze be "on board" for a large-scale reform of Sacred Music? Read this interview, then decide!

5. Letter from Cardinal Arinze to Bishops regarding translations as directed by Liturgiam Authenticam.

What does this have to do with Music reform? Everything...follow me on this one, then read the letter. The only REAL document we have so far in terms of proposing reform is the Bishop's "Directory for Music and the Liturgy" which was sent to Rome in November of 2006 for recognitio. So far none has been given. The Directory comes as a result of the requirement set out in Liturgiam Authenticam that "Within five years from the publication of this Instruction, the Conferences of Bishops, necessarily in collaboration with the national and diocesan Commissions and with other experts, shall provide for the publication of a directory or repertory of texts intended for liturgical singing. This document shall be transmitted for the necessary recognitio to the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments." The document clearly calls for a directory or repertory (list) of texts. What the Bishops proposed was a procedure for evaluating songs. It is not a bold statemewnt to say that the Bishop's proposed Directory is nothing at all like what is required by Liturgiam Authenticam. And so they sent it to Rome for approval anyway... now read the letter above.

Sunday, August 14, 2011

Just Another Brick in the Wall

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Why "Authentic Update"?

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