You know, there's a whole lot of music out there that's more interesting to hear on the violin. Especially if your violinist has a friend. Look at some trio sonatas by Telemann. Very accessible organ parts and delightfully composed music that can be played on violins,flutes,oboes or any combination of the above.

It's important to remember that music has great associative power. Just like the 'jazzy piano playing' reminds one of a cocktail party & a pianist playing the 2nd movement of the 'Moonlight Sonata' at communion (I don't think so. Is someone practicing for their piano recital?). If I find myself marveling at the technical bravura of the soloist, my mind is certainly not on the Mass. (Schubert's Ave Maria at Mass & I'd say "Who's getting married?)

My comments are not based on reading documents but on what was standard practice in the 1950's as I remember it. Playing the organ and chanting the Mass daily from the age of 12, using the Rossini Propers and various Ordinaries (I was singing and playing by myself at the daily Masses, so there were no people to have to train...and this was the common practice with daily High Masses....Low Masses were only for Sundays except for the Choir Mass.) and this was based on the restrictions and guidance of the Black list and White List (mainly Black List) which may be downloaded and studied at musicasacra.com

Even so, with the young associate everything was with the organ off in Advent and Lent, but with the Pastor every response went this way: I played I IV I to give him pitch, he then sang Dominus Vobiscum and I then had to play the chords while I sang the response.

Also had to play the chimes during the Sanctus bells...Do Re Mi wait Mi Fa So.....playing the organ during the offertory and communion usually meant chant based compositions or playing out of the St. Gregory Hymnal, especially from the Seven Last Words in there...

noel

I'm not up on regulations of recent centuries, but it was very common practice to have instruments besides the organ from the 16th to the 18th centuries. There's even some suggestive iconographical evidence that instruments appeared in church during the Middle Ages. I think the real question is regarding what is played. I certainly don't care much which century a violin solo was written as long as the music has sacred connections. A Corelli solo sonata da chiesa is appropriate since it was conceived as music for the Mass, but one of his sonate di camera probably isn't, although it sounds virtually identical at times (there are some important differences, though). Those pieces were written for secular use. In this case, we know the intentions of the music. In others we don't, so we need to be careful. No matter how nice a melody -- and with violin, that's what we are dealing with -- one should find out the original purpose of the work. There may be one person at Mass who knows it and might be a little put off by the selection. If we can't find enough truly sacred instrumental works, there are plenty of modern-day composers ready to fill the void. Our generations must add to the treasury like those who have come before.

Further thought on my part may make the distinction in what music may and may not be appropriate...at an EF or OF Mass.

My criteria is whether the music will be of any nature that will cause it to stand out and draw undue attention to it during the Sacrifice of the Mass. I have no problem with the Miserere by Allegri being chanted during Vespers....but would have grave reservations about singing it at Mass....which means I would consider singing this on Good Friday....

noel