Re-establishing the Place of Hymns in the Catholic Church

noel jones, aago

Up until the 1960's, hymns had a very strong presence in the Catholic Church and they were sung as part of legitimate liturgies. They were not "added-on" but were a part of the liturgy.

At Mass, however, the liturgical use of hymns was limited to sequence hymns which differ from what we know as hymns through a structural difference. This and much more is covered at: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12481d.htm. It was often a practice after Mass to close with a hymn in some parishes on special occasions (the Holy Name hymn might be sung after the Holy Name Society Mass) and in other parishes hymns and songs were sung during Low Mass, though this practice was discouraged.

It is important to realize that the Propers were sung only at High Mass. High Masses were sung daily in many parishes, but Sunday Masses were often Low Mass except for one, the main Mass of the day. So people attending did not, unless they were of the few that bought and read the Missal, have a clue that there was such a thing as an entrance song, an offertory and a communion verse. If the priest had proclaimed them loudly they would have been surprised. So we need to realize that we are not trying to bring the sung entrance song back to the OF of the Mass, we are instead trying to establish it. It was never permitted to sing any of the propers at Low Mass. The Deutsche Messe of Schubert is a great example. Written to be sung during Low Mass it did not use the texts of the Mass because they were not permitted to be sung at Low Mass. The song at the Sanctus is called Zum Sanctus for it is to be sung while the priest says the actual Sanctus.

The OF of the Mass is enriched by singing but the lack of music to be sung at the OF Mass is what has put songs in prominence in most churches, hymns in others, in place of the propers. Since there were few, if any, propers in singable form in English, people didn't latch on to them and sing them. The lack of an approved translation, as the situation remains today, also failed to encourage publishers to create such works. The Church intended the propers to be sung and instigated the creation of the Graduale Simplex in Latin and a translation of it in English. For some reason, this was never published and eventually, after years, it took Paul Ford to make an English version of the Simplex available as By Flowing Waters.

This may sound confusing, and using the Simplex is confusing as it contains chants that are both specific and seasonal, which means that there are many Sundays in the year in which you have to choose which chants to sing from a few sets. This really makes sense when getting started or when musical forces are weak, but falls short when a congregation has pulp hymnals in their hands and you are not singing the same words that they have for that day. The publishers have grabbed the OF Mass and made it easy for you and me to choose music by sending a seasonal magazine out with their suggestions for hymns and music from their hymnals. There was no financial reason for them to encourage the singing of the propers and every reason for them to promote popular forms of music that people quickly tire of and then give you a reason to buy new books from them.

So hymns are included in these books, but the publishers really don't want you singing them. After all, they do not own the rights to the hymns and in some cases have to pay royalties to publish the newer ones. They really want you to sing music that you will tire of and then buy newer music from them.

A major publisher offering a rich hymnal of excellent hymns? It won't happen because that is not the business they are in. ICEL did one and it is still outstanding. Know of a parish that uses it? Ever seen one? No, because it does not fill the perceived role of of what a hymnal should be according to the pulp missal publishers.

So hymns, especially new ones, are given little attention by the big publishers of Catholic hymnals.

And here at Musica Sacra we are trying to eliminate the singing of hymns at Mass in place of the propers. But there remains time at Mass for a hymn, following the communion verse and that is even recommended by the GIRM to bring the people together AFTER receiving communion. This truly makes sense since hymns, unlike the propers, are not there to be sung while things are going on liturgically, but rather are there as a free-standing prayer. And with the practice of the celebrant not leaving by the sacristy door but processing out of the church, a processional hymn here is appropriate as well.

But this ignores the fact that hymns have always been part of the Breviary and the prayer life of liturgies of the church outside of Mass. And the beginning of the reintroduction of Novenas, Forty Hours, and many other liturgies puts hymns back in the church in their place.

A discussion of the place on hymns in liturgies outside of Mass, including a chart of them to choose from, would seem to be a valuable addition to Musica Sacra.

chonak

Isn't the Deutsche Messe something specifically for the German-speaking countries (i.e., according to an indult)?

noel jones, aago

FROM WORLDLINGO:

Deutsche Singmesse is a form of (Tridentine) Low Mass approved by certain Catholic bishops in German-speaking countries and formerly approved of by American Catholic bishops for ethnic German parishes in their dioceses.

Before the Dialogue Mass that came into use in the 1940s, the responses, propers, and ordinary of Low Mass were said in a low voice by priest and server(s). Thus, unlike the Solemn Mass or the High Mass, the Low Mass was in most cases inaudible by the congregation. In the Austro-Hungarian Empire and in the Catholic states of what is now Germany there arose up the custom of singing hymns throughout Low Mass, by the congregation or choir, in the vernacular. The hymns were essentially texts that paraphrased the particular action of the Mass happening at that time. During the Kyrie eleison (Greek for "Lord have mercy"), for instance, the congregation would sing a hymn asking God for mercy. This type of Mass was frequently used in small parishes that did not have the resources to have a Solemn Mass or a High Mass. It was also used by larger parishes at their Low Masses on greater feasts e.g. Low Mass on Christmas morning; a Solemn Mass would later follow.

The Deutsche Singmesse has fallen into disuse in the parishes of the German Catholics in the United States, not so much due to the liturgical changes ensuing after the Second Vatican Council, but due to the rabid anti-German bigotry following both the first and second World Wars. In fact most of the traditional customs at ethnic German Catholic parishes have been almost stamped out completely. At present, the Deutsche Singmesse can only be found on a very limited basis in Austria.

It is uncertain when this custom arose, but it seems to have come into practice in the 18th century as there is in existence at least one Deutsche Messe composed by W.A. Mozart's father Leopold Mozart. The most famous setting, however, is the Deutsche Messe composed by Franz Schubert. There is also a formerly popular Deutsche Messe composed by Franz Xaver Gruber. These compositions are meant for either a choir or (not uncommon among the Germans and Austrians) a musically proficient congregation.

While this particular custom may seem peculiar to such musically inclined peoples as the Germans and the Austrians, it is not unlike the formerly popular French Organ Mass or the custom of the Irish and Irish-Americans to pray the rosary during Low Mass for that matter. Essentially these customs added to the devotion of the congregation assisting at Low Mass.

noel jones, aago

Another WIKI source that corrects and clarifies some of what I wrote above:

Low Mass (called in Latin, Missa lecta, which literally means "read Mass")[1][2][3] is a Tridentine Mass defined officially in the Code of Rubrics included in the 1962 edition of the Roman Missal as Mass in which the priest does not chant the parts that the rubrics assign to him.[4] Thus "the rubrics of the Low Mass do not permit the priest to chant", though singing by others may accompany his celebration of Mass.[5]

The view expressed by Adrian Fortescue in 1910, that Missa Cantata "is really a low Mass",[6] has thus been officially rejected,[7]

"Private Mass" (in Latin, Missa privata or secreta, familiaris, peculiaris),[8] which is now understood as Mass celebrated without a congregation, formerly meant Low Mass.[9][10][11] In editions of the Roman Missal earlier than that of 1962, "Missa privata" was still contrasted with "Missa solemnis".[12] In 1960 Pope John XXIII, who in 1962 removed from the Roman Missal the section headed Rubricae generales Missalis, replacing it with his Code of Rubrics, decried use of the term "Missa privata": "The most sacred Sacrifice of the Mass celebrated according to the rites and regulations is an act of public worship offered to God in the name of Christ and the Church. Therefore, the term 'private Mass' should be avoided."[13] When applied to Low Mass in general, the word privata indicated that that form of Mass was deprived of certain ceremonies.[14]

In Low Mass incense is not used and the responses (in Latin) are given by one or more servers. Low Mass, celebrated in exactly the same way whether a congregation is present or not, was the most common form of Mass before 1969. In the 1970 edition of the Roman Missal a distinction[15] was made between Mass celebrated with a congregation and Mass celebrated without a congregation.[16] No such distinction was made in earlier (Tridentine) editions of the Roman Missal, which only distinguished between Solemn Mass and Low Mass (calling the latter Missa lecta or, as in the Rubricae generales Missalis included in pre-1962 editions, Missa privata).

The term "Low Mass" is sometimes used also by Christians not in communion with the Holy See for a spoken, not sung, form of their own Eucharistic celebrations.[17] However, this article concerns only the form of the Roman Rite of Mass officially known by that name.

Contents [hide]
1 History
2 Variations
3 References
4 External links
4.1 Media
History

Low Mass originated in the early Middle Ages as a shortened or simplified form of Solemn Mass. Catholic practice had been that there was (at most) one Mass in a monastery or parish church each day. However, over time it became necessary for a variety of reasons to celebrate more than one on the same day. It also became customary for monasteries to ordain most of their monks, though originally monks were almost all laymen, and for every priest to say a daily Mass. For a while, concelebration, whereby several priests took a full priestly part in offering Mass, provided all with the possibility to celebrate Mass each day, but this custom died out. Low Mass is considered to be a necessity that falls short of the ideal, which is Solemn Mass.

The Catholic Encyclopedia of 1913 describes the result as follows:

... concelebration was in the early Middle Ages replaced by separate private celebrations. No doubt the custom of offering each Mass for a special intention helped to bring about this change. The separate celebrations then involved the building of many altars in one church and the reduction of the ritual to the simplest possible form. The deacon and subdeacon were in this case dispensed with; the celebrant took their part as well as his own. One server took the part of the choir and of all the other ministers, everything was said instead of being sung, the incense and kiss of peace were omitted. So we have the well-known rite of low Mass (missa privata). This then reacted on high Mass (missa solemnis), so that at high Mass too the celebrant himself recites everything, even though it be also sung by the deacon, subdeacon, or choir.
Variations

Originally, Low Mass was sung in monotone. Thus we read of priests in the Middle Ages going to sing their "Missa privata".[18] This custom of singing died out in the 18th century. Much of Low Mass is said in a voice audible only to the celebrating priest and the server(s).

The French and Germans evolved the concept of accompanying Low Mass with music as an aid to the devotion of the faithful, thus giving rise to the French Organ Mass and the Deutsche Singmesse.

In 1922, the Holy See granted approval to the Dialogue Mass, which enabled the faithful to speak, with the server, the Latin responses of the Tridentine Mass and to recite the parts that they were permitted to sing at a Missa Cantata, as well as the triple "Domine non sum dignus" that the priest said as part of the rite of Communion of the faithful, which, though not envisaged in the Ordinary of the Mass until after the Second Vatican Council, could be inserted into the celebration of Mass. Apart from the language used and the differences between the editions of the Roman Missal, the Dialogue Mass was thus similar to a Mass of Paul VI that is spoken, not sung.

Read more: http://www.answers.com/topic/low-mass#ixzz19HQqL381

chonak

If your German is functional, you can get more substantial material on the Deutsche Singmesse from the German Wikipedia article on "Betsingmesse".

In general, I wouldn't trust Worldlingo for anything, since it's an old snapshot of Wikipedia and hasn't benefited from later correction.

Priestboi

This is exactly what I'm looking for. I love hymnody even though my priest doesn't think I do since I tend to get all excited about chant. I would love to know where and when hymns are suitable in para-liturgical events so that the body of good Catholic/Catholic-compatible hymns may be preserved and made proper use of, but where does one begin? Obviously I would like to replace the sandwich with the propers and find another picnic basket to shove it into.

First and foremost what would these services consist of and what hymns would be suitable. Would they be chant like or metrical.
Secondly are there hymns out there that reflect the right sentiment and content well suited to that particular service
and thirdly are there Gregorian **inspired** hymns with modal accompaniment that retains that particular flavour in metrical music.

Can anyone help?

Adam Wood

Not a direct response to questions of "when and where" hymns should be, but I made the following list during another conversation on another blog, to elucidate what I think is needed, in terms of NEW hymn texts.
One of my biggest problems with new music and new texts, no matter their quality and style, is the "so what" issue. Lots of new writing seems kind of useless, as it doesn't seem like there is any need for it at all.
So, here is my short list of needs for new hymn texts. (I'm personally working on #1)

1. lectionary-inspired hymns, particularly with a recessional (sending-forth into the world to preach the Gospel and live Christian lives) character; both for the Catholic and the Protestant (Revised Common) lectionary.
2. Processional hymns based on the texts of the Proper Introits.
3. Hymns of Eucharistic adoration that can be used for communion, so that we don’t have to sing 1970s folk songs with specious theology if we want a good “Bread and Wine” text.
4. Metrical setting of Biblical canticles, particularly if they can be infused/strengthened with a fresh understanding of their theological implications
5. Metrical settings of Psalms, devoid of the above mentioned infusions.

This list could probably be expanded. I don't know much about the hymnody needs of the Office, for example.

Kathy

Adam, you might be surprised to know how little your list has to do with the cutting edge of the hymn writing industry.

The Hymn Society of the United States and Canada graciously provides information on their website about hymn writing contests. These are the last few announcements:

Macalester Plymouth United Church of St. Paul, Minnesota, is pleased to announce the winner of the 14th annual hymn contest, a search for new hymn texts to be sung on Labor Day. The contest specifically asked for "words that especially address the plight of the unemployed. Traditionally, we have celebrated work on Labor Day. But what if one does not have work of is under-employed? Denied the opportunity to earn a living, an unemployed worker often questions his or her value and worth. We hope to explore the role of the church in addressing these issues."

The 2008 Multicultural Conference of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) needs a theme song. So organizers of next month’s ninth annual gathering, April 10-13 in San Antonio, TX, are holding a contest to find the best original hymn with $500 going to the winning entry. All submissions are to be based on the official conference theme — Gather All Nations and Tongues: Good News for All Congregations — and/or conference scripture from Isaiah 66:18: “For I know their works and their thoughts, and I am coming to gather all nations and tongues; and they shall see my glory.” . Sheet music with lyrics must be received by March 14. Each composer may submit up to three compositions. “We would like to have a theme song for the conference and this is one of the best ways to do it,” said the Rev. Raafat Girgis, a conference planner and the PC(USA)’s associate for Multicultural Ministries. “If you really want responses then you need to make it in the form of a contest. If the hymn is inspiring enough, it can continue to be used in the future.”

“Oh, sing unto the Lord a new song” Psalm 96. Orange United Methodist Church announces a search for a CONGREGATIONAL SONG that expresses the meaning of Baptism. The text may focus on aspects of liturgy, appropriate scriptural passages, and the rich imagery of the sacrament. The text may be incorporated into an existing tune or be set to an original musical work. The winning entry will receive a prize of $500 plus up to $1000 in travel expenses to visit Chapel Hill, North Carolina (USA) for the song’s dedication. Other outstanding texts may be awarded an "honorable mention" and included in a devotional booklet. Orange Church will have the right to such publication without fee, though copyright will remain with the author.

Adam Wood

Adam, you might be surprised to know how little your list has to do with the cutting edge of the hymn writing industry.

I recently found a song in a hymnal which was originally written as a jingle for a Coca-Cola commercial- it still had (C)Copyright Coca-Cola notice on it.

Nothing would surprise me.

Kathy

"I'd like to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony (perfect harmony)..."

lol

Kathy

The primary use of metrical hymnody has always been the Liturgy of the Hours. It is easy and rewarding to start a Sunday Vespers program in any parish, and a metrical hymn is integral to Vespers, as well as to each of the other Hours.

Morning Prayer is just as easy, either before or after morning Mass.

Adam Wood

Aren't there hymntexts already appointed for the Hours?

Kathy

Paging Dr. Mahrt!

There are hymns in the new Solesmes books, but I'm not sure how to parse out their authenticity or continuity with old usages. Some are new (their listing in the back of the book says "Novus") and some of these are pretty bland, at least for my taste.

Jeffrey Quick

So, Kathy, the trend now is for hymns to double as political propaganda? Why don't they just sing the Internationale in church and be done with it?
Oy...glad we have YOU working anyway!

Kathy

Thanks, Jeffrey. I should clarify, though, I don't think the new hymns in the Solesmes books are political. They're just not as daring, imho, with images and language, as most of the venerable hymns are.

eft94530

frogman: Since there were few, if any, propers in singable form in English, people didn't latch on to them and sing them. The lack of an approved translation

As I have shown at
http://musicasacra.com/forum/comments.php?DiscussionID=2736#Item_35
the five propers (Introit, Gradual, Alleluia, Offertory, Communion)
existed in English in 1964 in a Missal that sat on the Altar to be used by the Priest
and therefore the translations had to have been approved.

That people chose/choose to ignore them is a separate matter.

eft94530

Adam: recessional (sending-forth into the world to preach the Gospel and live Christian lives) character

But, the sending-forth is done by the priest (Ite missa est).
There is no required post-Mass music.

1967
http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_instr_19670305_musicam-sacram_en.html
See # 36 ("on occasions") versus # 65-66

2003
http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccdds/documents/rc_con_ccdds_doc_20030317_ordinamento-messale_en.html
See # 90 and # 166-170.

eft94530

Priestboi: I would love to know where and when hymns are suitable in para-liturgical events

Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy
2001-dec-17 (italian?)
2002-may-13 (english)
http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccdds/documents/rc_con_ccdds_doc_20020513_vers-direttorio_en.html

Search for hymn.

Adam Wood

I know there is no "requirement" for post-Mass music. But it is a practice which is wholly compatible with the restoration of Propers and other "by the book" liturgical practices.
It's great way to end Mass, has pretty well-established precedent that predates the Council, and it keeps the "we need to sing congregational hymns" people happy.
I can think of lots of good reasons to do it, and not a single reason not to, except perhaps "it isn't required."

And so- if we're going to sing something, what ought it to be?
Well, Marian hymns are (or were) a common practice. I think that's a pretty decent choice.
I'm of a mind to think that Lectionary-inspired texts are a good idea. People are used to thinking that a Lectionary inspired text is a good thing to sing in what is commonly referred to as the "sandwich" mass. I think continuing with that model for choosing a recessional (or whatever you want to call it) is a good way to provide continuity with current practice and affirm in a positive and pastoral manner the people who think that the job of the Music Director is find four songs from the hymnal that fit with the "theme" of the day, while still implementing (or moving towards implementation) of the proper Propers.
(If you can find a Marian hymn that also fits the theme, that's a double bonus.)

So... while there is enough music (Proper chants, motets, and hymns) that there is no requirement for any new music or texts to be composed, ever, there are still those who, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and the gift of natural talents, are compelled to write new music or texts for the glorification of God. All talents and inspirations are channelable and malleable. A great painter can choose to write icons, illustrate progressive liturigical publications with folksy sacred line drawings, or paint pretty pictures of cottages and light houses. People who can't stop themselves from writing religious music or texts should think about what music or texts would be most useful. My list above is simply my opinion about what outputs would be most useful in the current situation of Catholic (and Protestant, for that matter) liturgical worship.

noel jones, aago

There has never been an approved translation of the propers to be sung...correct me if I am wrong.

noel jones, aago

"It's great way to end Mass,"

Gosh, why didn't they think of this hundreds of years ago?

Catholics do not like to sing, except for oft-repeated music. By restricting the singing of music after Mass to Holy God, sung on a big occasion, it serves to fulfill two needs: 1. Something that makes this Mass a special occasion 2. Repeated music that people will sing.

Now, destroy this all by singing a hymn after every Mass!

The Organ Recessional did this all very nicely for hundreds of years as it reflected the season of the church year worldlessly.

This has nothing to do with restoring the propers nor was there precedent prior to Vat2.

Adam Wood

My understanding (correct me if I am wrong) is that singing vernacular (usually Marian) hymns after Mass was a common pre-Conciliar practice.
Now, the fact that something was commonly done before Vat2 does not make it more or less right than anything else. But, still- it shows at least that there is precedent for it.

As to your statement that Catholics don't like to sing... I don't know about all that.
I've been in several (otherwise average) congregations that sang very well and enthusiastically.
Of course, others... not so much.
I'm not suggesting that parishes with low-singing congregations cajole their people into singing more. But parishes where the people DO sing currently, like to sing, would be upset if there were no congregational singing... taking away ALL their "sandwich" hymns is a bit unfeeling.

And this DOES have to do with the Restoration of the Propers (a capital-lettered campaign): In the real-world of parish work, it is much easier to do things like chanted propers if there is still room for something like a congregationally-sung recessional (if that is a desire of that congregation).
Do you HAVE sing a hymn after "Ite, Missa Est" (or whatever socially-aware mumbo-jumbo the deacon has just decided to say)?
Of course not.
Might it be a really, really good idea in many parishes?
Almost certainly.
Is it wholly compatible with chanting the Propers?
Absolutely.
Is this going to be the case in every single parish?
Of course not.

Jeffrey Quick

"I don't think the new hymns in the Solesmes books are political"

I was thinking totally of the hymn contests. The same is becoming true of composition contests. "We need an orchestral piece by a womyn on the subject of world hunger." No you don't. Your money; spend it as you like. But we still get to laugh.

Gavin

Isn't the title of this thread "Re-establishing the Place of Hymns in the Catholic Church"? I think Adam has given a good answer to that: the hymn after Mass. If you can have people pray the Prayer to St. Michael for political ends, or let 3 old ladies do the Laser-Heart-Jesus Chaplet, surely we can take 2 minutes to edify the faithful with some of our finest musical and textual contributions, as a reflection upon the Mysteries just celebrated. This is the tradition at the EF Masses in my area: a hymn before and after Mass, and not one of the familiar moldy oldies, but a very fine text and tune from the wide ecumenical Christian tradition. The congregations even sing, for the unfamiliar music too.

If, like the previous poster, we're going to take polls of what Catholics do and don't want to do at Mass ("Catholics don't like to sing"), we should also omit the organ voluntary - the most common comment from very devout Catholics that I hear is that they don't want ANY sound after Mass, so that they can make their thanksgivings in silent. I'm sure those who want to acquiesce to an anti-hymn attitude will do the same for the (arguably more pious) anti-organ attitude, right?

mahrt

"And here at Musica Sacra we are trying to eliminate the singing of hymns at Mass in place of the propers."

A fine point: I would say here at Musica Sacra we are trying to reestablish the singing of propers in place of the hymns. From a practical point of view, hymns may be useful in parish situations and thus not to be eliminated. My point has always been that these are relative goods: hymns are good; propers are better.

In my experience, the propers were being sung just before the council. I was drafted into a group to sing all the propers for Holy Week in 1960; the experience caused me to seek a choir which sang chant regularly, and I have continued to do so ever since.

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