Propers in the Novus Ordo
  • HannaMontannerHannaMontanner
    Posts: 8
    The other day one of my fellow schola members was perusing Musicam Sacram and she came across this passage:

    "There is no reason why some of the Proper or Ordinary should not be sung in said Masses. Moreover, some other song can also, on occasions, be sung at the beginning, at the Offertory, at the Communion and at the end of Mass. It is not sufficient, however, that these songs be merely "Eucharistic" -- they must be in keeping with the parts of the Mass, with the feast, or with the liturgical season." - paragraph 36

    It promptly threw us into confusion. Up until that point we had been singing all of the propers at our Novus Ordo Mass even though we aren't yet singing all of the ordinaries. We decided to play it safe by leaving one of the propers out until we could find out for sure what that "some" was supposed to mean.

    It would seem to me that the preference in the document is definitely geared towards singing all the proper texts, or at least those that come close in a said Mass. I know that in the Extaordinary Form there are rules about what you may or may not sing depending on the solemnity of the Mass being offered, but the guidelines for the Novus Ordo are pretty vague.

    Any help that you can render would be much appreciated!
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,215
    This statement is a change from the rubrics regulating the old Mass. In the rules specified in 1958 (in "De Musica Sacra et Sacra Liturgia", which is available on the main CMAA site), a Mass had to use all of the sung propers and ordinary, or none of it. So it would be fully "sung" ("cantata") or else "said" ("lecta" = 'read'). At said Masses, hymns could be sung at the four times indicated.

    In practice, this strict separation was not always observed. In some places, the Mass ordinary was sung in "low" Masses, and this was accepted. Sometimes practices contrary to the written law get approved locally and gain legal status as "customs".

    This statement in Musicam Sacram changes the law to permit this practice and encourages a gradual introduction of the sung Mass ordinary and propers into said Masses, while retaining the permission to use hymns at those four times in said Masses.

    In paragraph 29-30 or so, Musicam Sacram lays out a recommended program for gradually introducing the sung Mass ordinary and propers leading eventually to a fully sung Mass.

    Note that MS was issued before the revised Mass came out, so it doesn't address some aspects arising later.
    Thanked by 1HannaMontanner
  • SkirpRSkirpR
    Posts: 854
    Simply put, in the Novus Ordo under current legislation, one may sing some or all of both the Proper or the Ordinary. Frequently, we encounter none of the Propers being sung, and even if not ideal, it is valid. By all means, strive to sing all the Propers, but if you can't sing them all (for whatever reason) there's no burden to leave anything else out to satisfy legislation.

    I wish that for the Extraordinary Form, the Ecclesia Dei commission would officially and universally extend permission to chant "some" of the Propers at Low Mass... The result of the traditional all-or-nothing legislation - at least in my diocese - is that Low Masses with hymns abound and Missa Cantatas are much less common. I'm not saying the rules for the Missa Cantata and High Mass should be relaxed, but that chanting some of the Propers be permitted at Low Mass.
    Thanked by 3CHGiffen HannaMontanner hilluminar
  • hartleymartin
    Posts: 1,447
    I can't agree with you more.
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