Playing Mass Ordinary as instrumental
  • LarsLars
    Posts: 116
    I was at the EF low mass today, the organist played the typical processional/ offertory/communion/
    but he also surprised me by playing kyrie/gloria/sanctus/agnus dei on the organ. Just curious what are your thoughts. I know there is some consensus on not singing the ordinary or propers at low mass, and technically there was no singing.
  • Jeffrey Quick
    Posts: 2,044
    Which setting?
    If he played an intabulation of a polyphonic Mass, that's probably OK, particularly if there was no attempt to cue the music to the liturgical action. If it was Gregorian, and particularly to one of the better-known settings (VIII as opposed to VII), I'd call it rubric-pushing, and ask why.
    Thanked by 2ServiamScores Lars
  • davido
    Posts: 873
    I used to attend a traditional low mass where the priest supplied the organist with copies of the ordinary to play as “improvisations” during appropriate parts of the mass.
    Thanked by 2ServiamScores DavidOLGC
  • Chris Garton-Zavesky
    Posts: 6,902
    Lars,

    If there's to be music at a Low Mass (which is a different discussion), my rule is that we should follow Pope St. Pius X's sensible admonition: don't sing at Mass, but rather sing the Mass. Accordingly, I use portions of the Ordinary appropriate for the given Mass, and extracts from the Propers.
    Thanked by 2Lars DavidOLGC
  • FSSPmusic
    Posts: 208
    The former Ecclesia Dei Commission said there was no prohibition against singing parts of the Ordinary or Proper at Low Mass, but that the practice was not recommended. If you're already doing that, you might as well get the priest on board and have a Sung Mass. When I've played for Low Mass, I've often played right out of the Bragers Graduale, soloing out the melody, but never anything from the Kyriale.
    Thanked by 2Lars DavidOLGC
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