I raised a similar question on another thread with respect to the organ going silent after the Gloria on Holy Thursday until the Gloria on the Easter Vigil.

IIRC, one person responded that it was the bells that were to be silent. Someone else suggested that the suppression of the use of instruments on Good Friday may be found in the Ceremonial of Bishops.

AFAIK there is no ban, just a custom. The Ceremonial of Bishops states at #300 that from the Gloria on Holy Thursday until the Easter Vigil the organ may only be used to sustain singing (I don't have a direct quote, but from various references in other documents it's evident that this is what it says). Which would imply that its use is not banned. Bishops conferences have discretion to relax (or, presumably, tighten) these requirements for pastoral reasons.

I use the organ on Good Friday, but I don't over-use it. I don't play preludes or postludes during Lent, to begin with. However, I do keep the major reeds silent during Lent. The organ is used for hymns, choir anthems, and as "cover" while collecting the offering and while the choir receives communion. I am glad you are able to keep your choir on pitch with a Dulciana. I have days with mine when even a trumpet 8' wouldn't help.

"Even if the pitch drops - that is part of the human condition brought on by the Fall. "
Thank you! That bit of wisdom may keep me from tearing my hair out....

(Save the Liturgy, Save the World)

The uniquely Catholic custom of not using the organ or using it as little as possible from the Gloria on HT through the Gloria on EV is so beautiful and really brings to life our rich heritage. However, I think sometimes we need to think practically depending on the parish we're in, especially considering most of us are probably not in Rome, nor do we have a choir truly capable of comfortably pulling off strictly unaccompanied singing through that wide gap in the Triduum. Even if we did happen to have a stellar choir that could lead the assembly in beautifully executed psalm settings, chants, and perfect renderings of liturgically appropriate unaccompanied choral anthems and motets, in my experience, it seems that many congregations do not always support or appreciate such liturgical actions. I realize how childish this sounds on the part of the parishes that feel this way, and I'm sure many will feel the only solution would be to educate the parish on liturgy and the traditions and teachings of the church. I serve as Music Director in a medium sized suburban parish, which for decades prior to my arrival, ignored many liturgical teachings from the GIRM, and I was quite saddened at the strong resistance I felt from the parish when trying to follow such teachings. Fortunately, I have been able to somewhat suggest the idea of reduced accompaniment during the Triduum, and am proud to say that earlier today during our Holy Thursday liturgy, we sang the Pange Lingua unaccompanied as well as the Gospel Acclamation, and mass acclamations, but many compromises needed to be made and over the last two years I have angered many old time parishioners initiating these liturgical acts.

Another point that I'm surprised no one made yet, is that in many parishes, including my own, we have Folk Groups and Contemporary Ensembles to accommodate, and prior to my arrival as Music Director, the parish organists rarely had a part in the Triduum and it was my understanding that the Contemporary Ensemble lead the Triduum for years. I have yet to ever hear of a church Contemporary Group singing unaccompanied, as it seems piano and guitar need to be used constantly (and usually loudly, all the time). Currently my Adult Choir collaborates with the Contemporary Ensemble (which by the way the combined total of choristers maybe reaches 15 people) for the whole Triduum. Yes, we are in fact singing quite a bit unaccompanied, but then certain things are sung with piano and guitar, and one anthem for Holy Thursday - "I Give to You a New Commandment" by Peter Nardone (SJMP) was accompanied on organ as the piece is scored. I also will say that the Easter Triduum is a time where we find people in church that aren't around the rest of the year, especially Good Friday in addition to the Easter Vig., and as much as I hate to say this, music by composers like David Haas played on the piano and guitar appeals to certain people can move and touch them, as can the beautiful anthem by Peter Nardone that I mentioned above. Would it be terribly wrong to sing some unaccompanied chant and psalm settings on Good Friday, and pair that with say David Haas' Now We Remain accompanied on piano and guitar during Communion? I think considering the time we live in we need to think practically and pastorally when planning these liturgies.

Thoughts?

- Peter

I realize that this is a resurrected post from 2008, but here are the quotations from official sources about the silence of the organ and musical instruments:

From The Roman Missal, Third Typical Edition in English (2011):

7. The Gloria in excelsis (Glory to God in the highest) is said. While the hymn is being sung, bells are rung, and when it is finished, they remain silent until the Gloria in excelsis of the Easter Vigil, unless, if appropriate, the Diocesan Bishop has decided otherwise. Likewise, during this same period, the organ and other musical instruments may be used only so as to support the singing.

From the Ceremonial of Bishops (1989 in English):

300. During the singing of the Gloria, the church bells are rung and then remain silent until the Easter Vigil, unless, according to circumstances, the conference of bishops or the bishop of the diocese decides otherwise. During the same period, the organ and other musical instruments may be used only to sustain singing.

From the Circular Letter Concerning the Preparation and Celebration of the Easter Feasts (published by the Congregation for Divine Worship on Saturday, 20 February 1988):

50. During the singing of the hymn "Gloria in excelsis" In accordance with local custom, the bells may be rung, and should thereafter remain silent until the "Gloria in excelsis" of the Easter Vigil, unless the conference of bishops or the local ordinary, for a suitable reason, has decided otherwise. During this same period the organ and other musical instruments may be used only for the purpose of supporting the singing.

From a historical perspective of the Ordinary Form, the 1965 Roman Missal stated:

7. When the celebrant solemnly begins Glory to God in the highest, the bells are rung and the organ is played. At the end of the hymn the bells and organ remain silent until the Easter Vigil.

And, finally, the 1974 Sacramentary stated:

During the singing of the Gloria, the church bells are rung and then remain silent until the Easter Vigil, unless the conference of bishops or the Ordinary decrees otherwise.

Our service was quite nice, youth choir provided singing,and all was well until they decided to pull out the good ole On Eagles Wings for communion, complete with guitar and drums...But the congregation, which usually has to be dragged kicking and screaming to be inspired to sing, all started singing along. I'm with bonniebede on this issue I guess...it really is impossible to know what will move people's spirits. :-/

No matter who wrote it [Dies Irae "Song of Death"], we all have to sing it eventually.

That is probably the most frightening sentence I have ever heard in my life. I have yet to hear a sermon that cuts to the chase like that.

IMHO, many, many parish MDs are completely ignorant of liturgical norms--and so are the pastors. MD's are hired for their musical ability (such as it is), not for overall Catholic liturgical formation. Seminaries (apparently) are not bothering with such "trivial details" as liturgical praxis--OR priests in parish service just don't want to make an issue of it.

I wonder whether there's a demonstrable difference between mannerism and idealism as regards adherence to the rubrics? In addition, is there a middle ground between those in which many DMM's find themselves out of necessity? Of course, there are many, many mitigating factors that influence how these matters finally play out.

I was actually told by a "senior statesman" Catholic musician and composer in my diocese that the ban on the use of the organ and other instruments during Lent is wrong because it treats the organ as a decoration no different than flowers.

I just gave him a blank stare and moved on.

We used the organ and other instruments straight through Lent and Holy Week, including an oboe on Good Friday. Unfortunately I'm just the assistant and do not have a voice in the matter.

We also did not use instrumentation on Good Friday. It was the first time we did this and it turned out better than expected.