Overview of Things to Come
These blogs were born from a book. It is a book which I have wanted to write for some time now, so as to share with others the fruits of my own quest for truth, goodness, and beauty in the realm of Catholic sacred music. But after almost two years and several hundred pages of writing, I have come to the realization that the message of this book might be more effectively communicated through the posting of installments, for three reasons. Firstly, I think that for many people, the content of each chapter might often seem to be dense; and so, one relatively short post at a time will hopefully be much more manageable and enjoyable for readers (and listeners) to assimilate. Secondly, I have discovered that as an educator I personally function much better in the context of an ongoing dialogue; I thrive upon a sense of lively interaction with others in order for my words and thoughts to flow most naturally. Thirdly, as my hope is to help priests, church musicians, and lay people with their present needs, this format allows me to address actual questions and issues as they present themselves along the way.
Having said all this, I am still happy to be writing from within the structure, scope, and essential content of my original book, and plan to follow it as a general map as we continue. Today I'd like to share with you this map in some detail, so that you can see where we are now and where we are headed. It's possible, just as with any adventurous journey, that we might need to make some adjustments to our charted course along the way. This format will allow us to do just that, or to linger as long as we need to on certain points as inspiration and prudence might lead us.
Here then first is a general overview; each “part” below, other than the epilogue, represents several months of content.
Prologue: Foundations
Part I: Holy Repertoire
Part II: Humble Artistry
Part III: Fire of Love
Epilogue
And now, here are some more details about each location on this map:
In the Prologue, of which we are presently in the middle, I am presenting general principles and preliminary considerations which are meant to provide a foundation for the rest of the blogs / podcasts to come. It is often appropriate to speak in general terms here, as a necessary preparation for delving later into the many specific practical issues regarding sacred music that we face. Some of the topics which we still need to consider in this Prologue are:
the Extraordinary and Ordinary Forms of the Liturgy, in regard to their music, and the “interior reconciliation” between the two of which Pope Benedict XVI has written.
Definitions: these are important for clarity in our continuing conversation!
The “aesthetics of adoration”: a search for the proper relationship between beauty and the worship of God “in spirit and truth” to which we are called.
The “loveliness of lowliness”: a reflection on Mary's Magnificat and how it sheds light on our liturgical music, especially in the most humble of circumstances.
In Part I – Holy Repertoire, we will plunge into the important and ever-present issue of the choice of music to be sung in our Liturgies. This will be oriented toward the many practical questions faced by priests and church musicians, as they consider the broad spectrum of possibilities ranging from current standard repertoire to more traditional sacred music. But this practical orientation will also require us to explore various historical, theological, pastoral, and philosophical considerations; it is only through such study that we can approach the many practical questions with prudence and confidence.
We will look more closely at the great musical heritage of the Roman Rite, especially Gregorian Chant and Classic Polyphony. But we will also explore the important traditions of the 23 other Rites of the Church, East and West. In doing this our horizons can be broadened, fraternal bonds can be strengthened, and light can be shed on the fundamental principles which are common to all the Rites and their music.
We will also examine the great teaching documents of the Catholic Church which deal with sacred music and parameters for its use in the Liturgy. As mentioned before, this opens the door for further reflection on and understanding of the fundamental principles upon which these teachings are based.
We will look closely at the real pastoral needs which we face today regarding the choice of music in our Masses. An important theme here, as in all these blogs / podcasts, is “how can we have integrity in our approach”, i.e., how can we integrate all the essential components of sacred liturgical music in what we do at each Mass? Our music needs to be worthy of our great traditions, but it also needs to have the capacity to resonate strongly with the people who are in the pews, and those with whom we wish to share the Faith. I am convinced that the integration of these two seemingly disparate elements, while difficult, is indeed possible. It is in fact one of the great challenges which makes our work such an exciting adventure!
In Part II – Humble Artistry, we will take a look at the many skills – musical, vocal, and choral - which are necessary for the above repertoire to sung to the glory of God and the edification of the faithful. Such skills most often take many years of training and experience in order to be developed to their maturity. Here my goal is not to provide such training, but rather to assure that people are well aware of its essential dimensions. Why do I insert the word “humble” here? There are at least two reasons, beyond the essential virtue of humility to which we are all called: 1.) all of our creative capacities need to be oriented so as to allow the music to humbly but powerfully point away from itself to the transcendent reality of Christ's presence and gift of himself in the Sacred Liturgy; and 2.) in terms of its human dimension, this artistry is oriented towards serving the humble and poor - which ultimately, from a Christian perspective, is all of us – rather than satisfying the aesthetic pleasure of a sophisticated few; as such, it should also be generally attainable, in some form, in the most lowly of conditions as well as when great resources are available. But even when highly-skilled singers, choirs and organists are able to present magnificent music to the glory of God, this sacred music can only achieve its full stature through being rooted in this three-fold humility.
In this section I will also address several of the logistical issues that are common to many parishes – issues having to do with acoustics, sound systems, location of the choir, coordination between priests and musicians, “worship aids” for the congregation, etc.
Assuming that we have become competent in our choice of repertoire, and in our singing of this repertoire, there is still another dimension which is ultimately the “point” of all our labors. In our music, as in all of life, we are called to love God with our whole being - “our heart, mind, soul, and strength,” and to draw others into this love. In Part III – Fire of Love, we will look at how this gift of charity has been and is incarnated in sacred music, through our diligent preparation and prayerful cooperation with the charisms of the Holy Spirit. This will also lead us to consider closely related issues such as the role of sacred music in education and evangelization.
Finally, in the Epilogue, I will attempt to wrap things up, answer remaining questions, and make a concluding review and summary in the light of the “final things”, and of the Heavenly Liturgy.
I wish you all a most blessed Christmas season and a clear-sighted New Year 2020, and look forward to your continued input!