The History of Sacred Music...Hopefully!
  • sergeantedward
    Posts: 186
    1. The Setup
    I am writing a talk to give at 2 parishes, on the topic of sacred music. At the two parishes, the following names are completely unknown: Palestrina and Thomas Tallis (!). But. There is an INCREDIBLE hunger for beauty and for the sacred arts. When my schola and choir have performed excerpts from the great masters of sacred music, the response has been tremendous across the board. So the setting is: rapt audiences, who have been deprived of the most basic forms of sacred music, and can't wait to learn more.

    The idea is to give an entertaining talk on sacred music one week, and the next week give a choral concert which highlights every major era of sacred music.

    2. The Talk
    For the talk, I want to trace a (very) broad outline of sacred music from the Jewish traditions before Christ, to the early church, Ars Antiqua, Ars Nova, through the dark ages and middle ages, Renaissance, Industrial Revolution, the First Vatican Council, the Second Vatican Council, and then focus in on what has happened in America in the last 150 years.

    The main "characters" are:
    1. sacred music itself: musical forms, stylistic progressions, reasons music was composed in different eras
    2. the forces of the times: economies, technology, politics, war
    3. Church teaching: Vatican documents, Church fathers, influential documents/books

    3. The Research
    I have my own research on various pieces and various moments in history, but it is all very detailed and specific to a decade or two. I (thankfully) have access to one of the world's largest music libraries, so finding new resources is hardly a problem. HOWEVER. Certain, more narrow resources I may need help finding. For instance: I am well-versed in the more recent Vatican documents regarding sacred music, but have never read much of anything pre-dating the First Vatican council.

    I have 3 questions for the forum...

    A: Do you have online resources that jump to your mind that you think would be relevant? I am sure lots of people have given little talks on the history of sacred music. Perhaps there are videos or PDF hand outs of talks I could learn from.

    B: Ideas. I would *love* to hear people's ideas on what they would want to include in a talk, to more effectively educate about and evangelize through sacred music.

    C: Feedback. As I begin writing, I would love to post an outline and handouts here on the forum, for feedback. It would be far too easy to construct this in a vacuum. Posting material on the forum for feedback would undoubtedly improve what I'm doing, not least because I would be more beholden to others!
  • oldhymnsoldhymns
    Posts: 220
    This sounds like it will be a very informative and worthwhile presentation, especially with the talk one week and the concert the following week.

    There are two books that could help you with the history of American Catholic music. Both were authored by J. Vincent Higginson and published by the Hymn Society of America: History of American Catholic Hymnals, Survey and Background (1982) and Handbook for American Catholic Hymnals (1976). They pretty much cover the history, growth, and development of American Catholic music for the 19th and 20th century. Another book was published a few years ago which is the history of American Catholic music since Vatican II. You might be able to find these at the library resource you mentioned as well as through one of the many online used book dealers.

    Best wishes as you complete your research. Where are you located? I'd love to attend your presentation.
  • Chris Garton-Zavesky
    Posts: 6,902
    Sargeant Edward,

    Just a point of presentation: given that you're acknowledging that it's a very broad review, use anecdotes about individual composers, rather than some "broad sweep of history" approach. Draw parallels to visual arts, too, so that when you speak of the music of Palestrina (et al) you have an image of the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel -- or something similar.
    Thanked by 1barreltone
  • Jeffrey Quick
    Posts: 2,046
    Ouch! You're basically doing the history of Western music in an hour or so. How do you keep that all clear? I think you need to pick one principle as a focus and show how it was practiced in different ages. And almost no principle will handle every example. You might want to look at rhythm: free or slow-pulse as opposed to beaty, singing vs. dancing.
  • Adam WoodAdam Wood
    Posts: 6,451
    First, the earth cooled. Then the dinosaurs came....
    Thanked by 1Liam
  • ClemensRomanusClemensRomanus
    Posts: 1,023
    "Airplane"...nice.
    Thanked by 1Adam Wood
  • Adam WoodAdam Wood
    Posts: 6,451
    B: Ideas. I would *love* to hear people's ideas on what they would want to include in a talk, to more effectively educate about and evangelize through sacred music.


    I don't know if this is way out of scope or whatever, but:
    I'm particularly fascinated by the way that the history of liturgical music is essentially the history of Europe. For example: the way that local rulers used Roman liturgy and music as a way to legitimize their authority after the collapse of the western empire.
    Thanked by 1M. Jackson Osborn
  • noel jones, aagonoel jones, aago
    Posts: 6,605
    It is essential that you downplay the vertical episema in any form, whatsoever.
    Thanked by 4Adam Wood irishtenor francis Liam
  • bonniebede
    Posts: 756
    I'm quite new to all this stuff. What hit me between the eyes were quite simple points:

    There is music given for the Mass - I knew what the missal and lectionary are - (I do have degree in theology and my Dad was sacristan for over fifty years) but had never heard of or encountered the graduale - mind blowing idea!

    Chant is a way to meditate on Scripture - and a lovely one if you like music too. (And although some might not like me to say it, sounds similar to what you hear at a charismatic prayer meeting during times of spontaneous praise). Anyhoo - more chant means more scripture at Mass. Yippee!

    Beauty - what a mind blowing idea - God really wants me to try hard and do things excellently?

    Vatican II ideal Mass is a sung Mass - who would have guessed? I have heard this precisely once in my life (such a Mass I mean) and that only because I flew to Scotland to
    the Musica Sacra Conference.

    Oh and beauty and excellence of form relate in objective ways to singing scripture using chant, it is not just a matter of personal taste.

    Finally - everyone can make a difference somewhere, at times I want to give up. Then I remember encouraging moments. Like a conversation overheard between a seven year old in my schola and a deacon in our national seminary where we had been for Mass. They were discussing their various parts in the Mass (she had chanted a prayer of the faithful, he had read the gospel but chanted The Lord be with you etc, in an attempt I would characterise as 'brave'. Don't worry she reassured him, chant is not difficult. You just have to practise a bit more and you will get it.

    Basically - don't blind them with science. Give them a little, it will still be very rich. Woo them to the beauty and SIMPLICITY of chant.
    Thanked by 4CHGiffen sergeantedward teachermom24 aria
  • noel jones, aagonoel jones, aago
    Posts: 6,605
    I'd suggest (seriously now) that you play brief excerpts of the music that you will be singing in concert as you give your talk. That could increase the number of people attending.

    There is the story of the art exhibit. There are two groups of people talking, critics talking about the sense of weight in the lines, the depth of the color, the intensity of the brush strokes; the other, artists talking about the best place to buy turpentine.
    Thanked by 1Liam
  • FidemInFidebusFidemInFidebus
    Posts: 611
    I would consider two things: arranging for a series of talks so you can devote adequate time and detail to each period of sacred music without overwhelming your audience attempting to cover everything in one session, or narrowing your focus to the most manageable or recent time frame. I think your list of characters is great and those are all deserving of their own discussion.
    You said you are planning to give these talks at two parishes. Do you think your primary audience will be the parish musicians or will there be many non-musicians there as well? What you described sounds like enough material for an entire academic panel discussion, so be mindful of your "average" audience members.
    It sounds like a fantastic plan, one that I've often thought of arranging in my own church. Good luck to you and keep us informed!!!
    Thanked by 1bonniebede
  • ChoirpartsChoirparts
    Posts: 147
    Videos which might be helpful: "BBC series on Sacred Music"
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vi_hwGBCGk

    Thanked by 3bonniebede teachermom24 cantorconvert
  • vogelkwvogelkw
    Posts: 55
    sergeantedward,

    I would love to see what you put together. I teach an adult formation series in my parish each year and I am considering doing it on sacred music next year. I have learned quite a bit starting in the seminary and with materials through CMAA, but there is much I don't know, especially when it comes to history of polyphony through the music leading up to the 20th century reforms. So I greatly appreciate when materials like what you anticipate producing are shared.

    If you are interested, I have given a talk on singing the psalms which first looks back to the biblical origins of sacred music. (The audience was a bible study group covering the psalms who had asked me to give the presentation.) I might make changes to the presentation if I were to give it again, but it is my most popular video on my YouTube channel, so evidently some have found it helpful.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzKXuUlEEVc&list=TLrv6bhFp-HXs
    God bless,
    Fr. Vogel
  • sergeantedward
    Posts: 186
    Thank you all for the feedback and ideas...very much. I'll be following up on a couple of things posted here.

    Fr. Vogel: wow, this is awesome!!
  • MatthewRoth
    Posts: 1,959
    Dr. Weber at St. Martin of Tours Louisville KY gave a talk on sacred music through the medieval period about a year and a half ago. He used his lecture notes from his classoom days, and I am sure he could help point you in the right direction.
  • sergeantedward
    Posts: 186
    @MatthewRoth do you have contact info? You can PM me.
  • aria
    Posts: 85
    There is music given for the Mass - I knew what the missal and lectionary are ... but had never heard of or encountered the graduale - mind blowing idea!


    Yup. I've got 30+ years of Mass attendance, went to Catholic school, am a cradle Catholic, and I sang in church choir at different times, and I had never heard of the Propers until 2 yrs ago. I have come to believe that while permissible (in the OF) to choose "another suitable hymn", the PIPs are being robbed by not hearing them.

    One other idea... rather than (or in addition to) a concert, how about chanting a Mass? Because another thing I'll say is that I have sung some of those great works of sacred music when I was in choir at a Catholic university, and while I adored and felt deeply connected to the music, I didn't really *get it* (i.e. understand and connect to it as a prayer) until I began to chant the Propers at Mass. There's something much more sacred about encountering sacred music (and specifically, chant) in it's "natural habitat".
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
  • MatthewRoth
    Posts: 1,959
    sergeantedward, I PM'd you.
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