Guide for Accompanying Mass

[FrGareth]

For various local reasons, I've been working on a guide for musicians accompanying Mass. The first draft is ready - critical comments welcome on this forum or by PM.

Rev Gareth Leyshon

[MARYFA]

Thank you Father. I found this very interesting. You state in your section on the Gloria
that it should always involve the whole congregation. However GIRM (p44 para53) says
that one option for the Gloria is that it may be sung by the choir alone. Also 'Glorias'
sung in the 'responsorial' form are judged by some liturgists to be inappropriate as the
Gloria is a continuous hymn of praise which should be sung or recited without interruption.
You appear to advocate its use. I use the Duffy/Bellahouston Gloria as otherwise it would
always have to be recited if no choir is on duty. Tempering the wind of perfection to the
shorn lamb of congregational participation.

[John Ainslie]

Also 'Glorias' sung in the 'responsorial' form are judged by some liturgists to be inappropriate as the Gloria is a continuous hymn of praise which should be sung or recited without interruption.

Welcome to the SSG discussion board, MARYFA - but which liturgists? There are occasions, e.g. Christmas Midnight Mass, where a refrain-type Gloria is an excellent way of vocally involving a one-off congregation.

[alan29]

Also 'Glorias' sung in the 'responsorial' form are judged by some liturgists to be inappropriate as the Gloria is a continuous hymn of praise which should be sung or recited without interruption.

Welcome to the SSG discussion board, MARYFA - but which liturgists? There are occasions, e.g. Christmas Midnight Mass, where a refrain-type Gloria is an excellent way of vocally involving a one-off congregation.

And it also throws the spotlight onto the biblical source of the refrain.

[Southern Comfort]

but which liturgists?

Not a liturgist, but Cardinal Lustiger when he was Archbishop of Paris was pretty gung-ho about a refrain "spoiling" the literary form of the Gloria, a position taken up by others after him.

Yes, the Gloria is a hymn. Yes, its origins go back to a Delphic Hymn to the Sun. But yes, it is supposed to be something sung with joy by the people. If a refrain can help that to happen, I don't think that is a bad thing at all.

And John Ainslie's pastoral observation about once-a-year congregations at Christmas is spot on. What better time to use the "Angels we have heard on high" Gloria in excelsis Deo refrain as the refrain to a Gloria?

[quaeritor]

This looks like an enormously useful and usefully brief summary, Fr Gareth - I think I can say without lack of charity that most of the music leaders in our parish have never heard of, let alone read, the GIRM or CTM, much less Liturgium Authenticum but I would feel comfortable in forwarding this link to them as a manageable "user guide" to organising the music for a celebration of the Mass whatever their choice of musical genre.

I don't want to imply doubt of Fr Gareth's accuracy, but at the same time I'm too lazy to repeat all the analysis he's done at obviously great length, so I'd be grateful to hear from the "big hitters~" on the forum if his concise summary is - er .. what's the word I'm looking for? . . how about "ok"?

Any thoughts, SC, or Fr Peter? (I know if I single out just a couple many others will feel slighted and want to contribute. )

Q

[Peter Jones]

Any thoughts, SC, or Fr Peter? (I know if I single out just a couple many others will feel slighted and want to contribute. )

Q

Good strategy Q - and I'm a bit busy with Schools - voluntary aided or Academies - at the moment - to say nothing of advice on several organs in the diocese. (But I'll get round to your guide Gareth.)

[johnquinn39]

Just one thing I'm not sure about.

A while ago, I was asked to accompany a final hymn to the Mother of God.

This was during May, on one of the Easter Sundays (morning Mass on a bright day), and it seemed very odd to me
that people were singing: 'Deep night hath come down on this rough-spoken world
And the banners of darkness are boldly unfurled; ... '.

I pointed this out, but was informed by the person who chose it that she 'never takes any notice of the words'.

I'm not quite sure where we are heading if we end each celebration of Mass with a hymn to Our Lady.

RC's have a very strong devotion to her, but no new texts seem to have become standard.

Are we also in danger of losing the season of Easter?

[FrGareth]

Thank you everyone for responses so far - I have made a few tweaks in the light of your comments, and the second draft is now online.

I didn't state so explicitly, but my working assumption is that accompanying musicians are much more common than willing cantors, and so I am nodding in the direction of psalms and antiphons while assuming that what can be achieved in practice will mostly involve hymns and refrains.

Every liturgy exists somewhere in tension between the ideals of the document-drafters and the practical realities of the human, musical and architectural constraints of the actual congregation!

[quaeritor]

Every liturgy exists somewhere in tension between the ideals of the document-drafters and the practical realities of the human, musical and architectural constraints of the actual congregation!

Wish I'd written that!

More seriously Fr Gareth, are you happy for your guide to be circulated freely? - and would that be with or without attribution?

Q

[Hare]

I am not at all sure about organ voluntaries being forbidden ion Advent. This is not how I understand things...................

[keitha]

I think that you are correct Hare. The Ceremonial of Bishops provides that:

"From Ash Wednesday until the singing of the Gloria at the Easter Vigil and in celebrations for the dead, the organ and other instruments should be played only to sustain the singing." (there are exceptions for Laetare Sunday and feasts and solemnities).

"During Advent musical instruments should be played with a moderation that is in keeping with the spirit of joyful expectation characteristic of the season, but does not anticipate the fullness of joy belonging to the celebration of the nativity of the Lord." (so no restriction such as applies in Lent).

[Hare]

I think that you are correct Hare. The Ceremonial of Bishops provides that:

"From Ash Wednesday until the singing of the Gloria at the Easter Vigil and in celebrations for the dead, the organ and other instruments should be played only to sustain the singing." (there are exceptions for Laetare Sunday and feasts and solemnities).

"During Advent musical instruments should be played with a moderation that is in keeping with the spirit of joyful expectation characteristic of the season, but does not anticipate the fullness of joy belonging to the celebration of the nativity of the Lord." (so no restriction such as applies in Lent).

Thanks for finding the above text. i was rushing out earlier and did not have time to search for it. That confirms my understanding of things, but being a mere layman I am pobably missing something. No doubt Fr Gareth will be able to shed light on his assertion......

[Southern Comfort]

And in case anyone thinks the Ceremonial of Bishops only applies to celebrations with a bishop, the same provisions appear in GIRM 313.

[FrGareth]

Those defending the use of organ voluntaries in Advent seem to be correct. I have been led astray by old information - for the debate around this topic, see McNamara!