Sing to the Lord: Educating pastors, etc.
  • pipesnposaune
    Posts: 113
    Can someone assist me what documents to use regarding Sacred Music. (In order of importance, please.) My deacon just suggested me reading 'Sing to the Lord,' and I would like to be prepared to read and study documents not started in the US.
    Any suggestions on how to educate others would help as well. I know this is a big topic, covered elsewhere- but it looks like I am going to have some work to do relatively soon.
    Thank you in advance.
  • Felipe Gasper
    Posts: 804
    I would say start with the GIRM.

    Musicam sacram (MS) is a good document, too, but you’ll want to read it along with 1958’s “De musica sacra” (DMS) since MS references DMS and kind of presumes that people are familiar with that view of liturgical music.

    I would familiarize yourself with the Graduale Romanum, especially the parts other than the Mass Propers -- that, in my opinion, is where the most work is to be done, singing the parts of the Mass that normally are not sung (but are actually given priority to be sung).

    The BCL also has two documents , Music in Catholic Worship (1967, rev. 1972 & 1983) and Liturgical Music Today (1982). Read them and know them if for no other reason than to be conversant with other liturgical musicians, many (most?) of whom have learned these documents almost as holy writ.
  • Michael O'Connor
    Posts: 1,637
    Yes, but be sure to remind those other liturgical musicians (nicely) that MCW is replaced by SttL for the U.S. Both documents are advisory in nature and hold very little legal weight. America is, however, the Wild West as far as canon law and papal pronouncements are concerned. Keep that in mind as you accept the sheriff's badge, pardner. You may wish to mention that SttL occasionally contradicts Musicam sacram. The best way to deal with that is to entice your audience to lean towards the more official and Catholic document.
  • pipesnposaune
    Posts: 113
    Thank you, both.
    The job is not a full-time job, and changes are slow. As much as I was looking towards a summer break, I know in my heart that I need to educate myself fully in order to educate others.
    As a trombonist (primarily), and an organist (secondly), most of my musical tastes thus far are purely intuition, a good musical education, and imitation of other great programs. ;) Studying documents is last on my list of things to do, but looks like it might help job security.
    Any more assistance regarding executing a response would be helpful.
  • Michael O'Connor
    Posts: 1,637
    The basic rule of selling your argument is to ask gently leading questions and make it seem like it's their idea to do the right thing.
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