Argument(s) for sung propers?
  • ryandryand
    Posts: 1,640
    At my parish, the priests will usually read the Introit and Communion propers, but the various choirs are not accustomed to the idea of propers, and the priests are not convinced of the importance of sung propers. My opinion (more importantly, the church's opinion!) is that we ought to just sing the propers and not worry about other hymns. It is my goal to get the choirs singing propers, even if followed by another hymn, but considering that I almost had molotov cocktails thrown at me when I asked them to use an ad libitum Communion proper (with a hymn), it is going to be a struggle to explain the importance and role of propers in the mass.

    I know the arguments such as, "The propers belong to the choir, not the people," etc, but that's not necessarily going to fly with these folks. They'll just respond with questions like, "Gee, then how is the congregation going to participate in the mass?"

    I need documents ... whether from the Vatican, or from other writers quoting church documents. I need a way to show these people that I'm not just a crazy traditionalist, but I am asking them to sing what the church asks us to sing, and that it will be a more beautiful, reverent, and spiritual experience for all involved ... if they are willing to put the missalettes to the side every once in awhile, and sing the church's liturgical texts.
    Thanked by 2francis irishtenor
  • BenBen
    Posts: 3,114
    Well, first of all, the GIRM says quite plainly:

    [The entrance chant] is sung alternately by the choir and the people or similarly by a cantor and the people, or entirely by the people, or by the choir alone.


    So the church sees nothing wrong with only the choir singing at these points.

    There's also this, from one of JPII's addresses to Bishops of the United States:

    Active participation certainly means that, in gesture, word, song and service, all the members of the community take part in an act of worship, which is anything but inert or passive. Yet active participation does not preclude the active passivity of silence, stillness and listening: indeed, it demands it. Worshippers are not passive, for instance, when listening to the readings or the homily, or following the prayers of the celebrant, and the chants and music of the liturgy. These are experiences of silence and stillness, but they are in their own way profoundly active. In a culture which neither favors nor fosters meditative quiet, the art of interior listening is learned only with difficulty. Here we see how the liturgy, though it must always be properly inculturated, must also be counter-cultural.


    Not quite a church document, but it's not exactly ignorable either.
    Thanked by 3ryand francis CHGiffen
  • donr
    Posts: 971
    Have them watch this video by Adam Bartlett https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUii137_fRY
  • hartleymartin
    Posts: 1,447
    If they are worried about participation of the laity get them to sing the greeting and responses and the dialogue according to the missal chants. Then also get them to chant the Pater Noster/Our Father.

    If you use a familiar group of gregorian chants for the ordinary of the mass,such as the ICEL Chant mass for the assembly or an easy one such as Gloria VIII - Missa De Angelis, then the congregation will sing these quite readily.

    I always stick to Sanctus XVIII and sing it either in Latin or English. I use on Agnus Dei XVIII and Ad Lib II so this is also well-known by the congregation.

    You can have a Chanted Communion Proper and a Communion Hymn. You don't have to sing all of the Psalm verses, but remember that there will be a need for music at the end of communion whilst the priest or acolyte purifies the sacred vessels. No need for an extra Hymn (The Thanksgiving Hymn , or Hymn of Praise) If I get through all the chant and the hymn and they are still going, playing quiet music or improvising on the communion chant, hymn or improvising on yet another communion hymn can fill in the time.
  • Kathy
    Posts: 5,509
    Some people might be partly convinced by the argument that the propers are more scriptural than a lot of hymns are.
    Thanked by 6Adam Wood CHGiffen Ally Ben donr hilluminar
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