I just received an interesting call from someone looking for a book that explains sacred music from a theological point of view -- one that gives a solid foundation and avoids polemics about the current troubles. That seems easy enough. But as I thought about it, nothing actually came to mind. He, on his own, then suggested Ratzinger's Sing to the Lord. I immediately agreed that this is the best book along those lines. But then neither of us could think of anything else. Everything else I can think of is historical, legislative, or pedagogical. Can anyone think of anything else?
There is also Romando Guardini's book of the same title, the inspiration behind Ratzinger's. While written in the early 20th. century, I find it to be as relevant now as then.
I would also suggest Mannion' s Masterworks of God which I just picked up for the first time this summer. These are short essays on various liturgical topics, but there are a few fantastic essays on sacred music, particularly his "Musification of the Word" which is a breathtaking synthesis of Ratzinger's theology of sacred music. This short essay is a treasure.
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