A jolly good read.

[gwyn]

Prior to anyone dipping a first toe into the choppy and sometimes icy waters of ministering liturgially via music; what documents would he or she be advised to be familiar with?

Also, would there be any sections therein that'd be of special interest and edification?

[docmattc]

The General instruction and (if in England or Wales) "Celebrating the Mass" (I'm assuming OF here)

[Nick Baty]

The Lectionary.

[Gedackt flute]

Prior to anyone dipping a first toe into the choppy and sometimes icy waters of ministering liturgially via music; what documents would he or she be advised to be familiar with?

Also, would there be any sections therein that'd be of special interest and edification?

Not actually a document, but the below:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Serve-Jesus-Did ... 1579995373

- is in my view essential reading for all who are involved in liturgical music.

[Gedackt flute]

PS - You should be able to get this from Decani, and it is indeed a jolly good read.

[nazard]

A few to try:

Musicam Sacram

Sacramentum Caritatis

Voluntati Obsequens

Jubilate Deo

Inter Sollicitudines

[Calum Cille]

Sacrosanctum Concilium (1963)
Musicam Sacram (1967)
General Instruction of the Roman Missal (England & Wales) (2005)
A Guide for Composers (2010)

Inter Sollicitudines aka Tra le Sollicitudine (1903)
Musicae Sacrae (1955)
De musica sacra et sacra liturgia (1958)
Music in Catholic Worship (1972)
Directory for Masses with Children (1973)
Voluntati Obsequens/Jubilate Deo (1974)
Introduction to the Lectionary, 2nd edition (1981)
Liturgical Music Today (1982)
Ordo Cantus Officii (1983)
Liturgy and Church Music (1985)
The Snowbird Statement (1995)
Letter ... To Artists (1999)
Chirograph ... on Sacred Music (2003)
Sing to the Lord: Music in Divine Worship (2007)
Sacramentum Caritatis (2007)
Towards an Ars Celebrandi in Liturgy (2009)

[Gedackt flute]

This is pretty indispensable:



http://www.usccbpublishing.org/productd ... fm?PC=1228

Again, Decani can get this for you, tho' it might still be available on line.

[Nick Baty]

Preliminary Syllabus for the Formation of Church Musicians
Singing the Mass

[Southern Comfort]

Singing the Mass

This is unchanged from 1997. It still unaccountably omits any reference to the Embolism Acclamation, and altogether does not seem as satisfactory as its 1987 precursor, Music in the Mass.

[gwyn]

A wonderful response. Thanks everyone for your guidance and suggestions.

Is there an on-line edition of the current GIRM?

[Peter Jones]

http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccdds/documents/rc_con_ccdds_doc_20030317_ordinamento-messale_en.html

That's the US version (note comment by Southern Comfort on Conference of Bishops/Diocesan Bishop to be resolved). Read the England and Wales amendments I posted into the appropriate paragraphs. OR download the pdf of GIRM from our Liturgy Office site and amend the appropriate paragraphs.

[Peter Jones]

http://www.liturgyoffice.org.uk/Resources/GIRM/Documents/GIRM.pdf

OR - buy this for £50 and get the lot

http://www.cts-online.org.uk/acatalog/info_RM02.html

[gwyn]

Diolch Tad.
Gwyn