Executive Director of ICEL: "endless substitution of songs and hymns" h/t Adoremus Bulletin
  • "I think we are currently well placed to respond to this desire and this is evidenced by the fact that many things which were indicated fifty years ago, such as the singing of the Mass — and more particularly the singing of the Proper texts rather than the endless substitution of songs and hymns, are only now being seriously considered and implemented. It is earnestly to be desired that such developments continue to flourish and that an improved liturgical culture is accessible to everyone in the Church. Time will tell whether the musical resources necessary to the success of such a development flourish in our midst. If they do not, then I fear that many of the less desirable features of post-conciliar liturgical music may be here to stay."

    Speech by Msgr. Wadsworth printed in Adoremus Bulletin

    Thanked by 2Earl_Grey Ignoto
  • Ignoto
    Posts: 126
    Thanks for posting that link! It reminds me of a similar speech that was posted on the Chant Café a while back: http://www.chantcafe.com/2012/11/msgr-wadsworths-address-to-st-gregory.html

    It looks like the Adoremus Bulletin article references a speech given at the biennial Gateway Liturgical Conference of the Archdiocese of St. Louis, held October 26 (2012) whereas the Chant Café article references a speech given on November 10, 2012 to the Society of St. Gregory.

    I noticed that there were a couple of extra sentences in Msgr. Wadsworth's 11/10/12 speech--reading them made me take pause:

    I think we are currently very well placed to respond to this desire and this is evidenced by the fact that many things which were indicated fifty years ago, such as the singing of the parts of the Order of Mass, and perhaps more particularly the singing of the proper texts rather than the endless substitution of songs and hymns, are only now being seriously considered and in some places implemented. I think it is earnestly to be desired that such developments continue to flourish in such a way that an improved liturgical culture is accessible to everyone in the Church. Time will tell whether the musical resources necessary to the success of such a development also flourish in our midst. This is a very considerable creative challenge as many people believe that the question boils down to whether to use chant or not. I do not personally believe that this is ultimately the case and I am convinced that a variety of musical styles could easily be admitted in the realization of this important principle. On the other hand, if such necessary musical resources do not emerge, then I fear that many of the less desirable features of post-conciliar liturgical music may be here to stay.