Polyphony before chant?
  • Dan F.Dan F.
    Posts: 205
    I had a favorable experience today between masses. I'm in a new quartet at my parish and today we sang at mass for the second time ("Farrant/Perkins" Lord, for Thy Tender Mercy's Sake). We have a new pastor who is known for his love of chant and traditional liturgy, having come from a parish where he celebrated the EF regularly. So far, our director has continued the parish's typical program. I find much of the music good, but no Gregorian chant at all. The introit and communion chants are modal plainsong in English (pretty with organ) followed by a processional/communion hymn. Our DM is Lutheran and I get the idea that he finds Gregorian chant unappealing. So, I've been interested to see what (if any) changes begin to be implemented as our new pastor reaches his stride.

    Today Father stopped by to chat with the quartet. Since we're doing some polyphony, he says, he'll order us some books of the most beautiful Renaissance motets. His favorite is Ave Corpus Verum by Byrd. Oh, and don't worry about the cost. I'll just tell "Ted" in the office that I ordered them and not to bother my musicians. (!)

    I would love to dig into these beautiful pieces and thought this was a great gesture on Father's part. He even sang through the Farrant once with us as we checked how it sounded outside of the choir space. My question is, as you all have thought about implementing gradual changes toward better liturgies, have you tried the route of polyphony before chant? Is this easier because it can be viewed as a choir "anthem" and not imposing latin on the congregation? Will it help in moving toward greater appreciation of Gregorian chant?
  • Chris
    Posts: 80
    I think it's a fine idea. We started with occasional polyphony a few years back at Saint Mary's, and then gradually made it a staple at our Masses. This Advent we are gearing up to sing the Introits and Communios on a weekly basis and I'm hoping that our congregation and pastor will be more readily accepting of the chant because of the polyphony.
  • G
    Posts: 1,397
    Dan, congratulations on your new pastor, he sounds one in a million...
    Yes, people do seem more open to polyphony than to chant, IME.

    (Save the Liturgy, Save the World)
  • mahrt
    Posts: 517
    In the earlier years of my choir, it was the polyphony that attracted new singers to the choir; they just went along with the chant. That has changed, and prospective new singers more often than not are seeking to sing the chant.
  • Blaise
    Posts: 439
    Well, polyphony is very nice and beautiful, but somehow the DM needs to get the idea that he works for a Catholic Church, not a Lutheran one, and that he needs to consider that chant, as well, as polyphony, is part of the repertoire of the Catholic Church.

    Chant can also be included as the ordinary of the Mass. Write more later.
  • Blaise
    Posts: 439
    What I meant to add was, even with polyphony only, you still have a quality music program that is the envy of many, assuming that the ordinary of the Mass and the communion/recessional hymns are of sufficient quality. I also didn't read your statement about modal plainsong, since I was in a rush to go.
  • Dan F.Dan F.
    Posts: 205
    The plainsong introit and communion chants are very brief and immediately following by a hymn for the entrance and post communion. The chants are nice, but they feel brushed aside by whatever hymn follows them. The ordinary changes seasonally and is a mish-mash selected by our director, some I like, some not so much. The ordinary is no where near Gregorian chant-like.

    Pastor update. Twice now Father has casually dropped in the choir room during Wed. rehearsal, this past Wednesday he stayed and sang a while with us tenors (not intending to ever sing at mass as part of the choir). He then took in a perusal of the shelves "to see what we've got." He indicated a possible date for his installation mass and wondered if some the choir might be available to sing a motet. I like that he's making his presence and liturgical outlook known, but clearly has no intention to run over our DM or the choir.
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