This is wonderful. With this, we can actually embark on True Sung Mass that the Church asks us to have on Sundays. As we know no matter how many metrical hymns we have in Mass, we cannot have Sung Mass unless the priest sings his part and the congregation sings their part. I wish music directors put effort in helping the priests chanting their parts so the congregation can sing their parts, intead of spending time on endless number of hymns and hymns for Mass. When the priest lifts his voice and chants, I experienced the whole liturgy transformed.

I've noticed that there is still major confusion in some quarters as to why the new chants don't contain "Solesmes dots and dashes."

Here's an article that explains.

I've even seen some people suggesting that this decision is, somehow or other, the result of "modern chant scholarship."

However, as you can see by reading the above article, the Vatican Edition has NEVER contained the Solesmes rhythmic markings.

This is why we went to Vimeo. You can download them.

1) Singing is an act of joy, blessing, and solemnity that adds value and dimension to the words. It speaks to the primitive and mathematical and musical parts of the brain, as well as to the strictly linguistic and analytical parts. That's why even a stupid, badly acted opera or musical can easily move the viewer, whereas a play has to be really well written to seem even plausible. And of course, singing and chanting prayers to God is scriptural and ancient, and singing is an act of love, according to St. Augustine.

2) The impact of the spoken word wears off, so the Mass and the readings shouldn't be only spoken, or people will stop paying attention. :)

You might also point to recent studies on the need to teach things in several different ways of perception at once, if you want them to be able to recall anything afterward. Do things in a way that only appeals to one mode of perception or thought, and most of it gets lost in a blur of forgetfulness. All the ancient forms of Mass were designed, over thousands of years, to appeal to all the senses and all the different ways people think. Taking that away is like throwing away libraries and museums and computers, and insisting that everybody make do with a slate and some chalk.

Thanks Maureen and FNJ,

These are great observations. This are likely the best way to illustrate the power of the sung word, rather than reading rubrics.

Since posting yesterday, I found these quotes in STTL paragraphs 19-21.

19. The importance of the priest’s participation in the Liturgy, especially by singing,
cannot be overemphasized. The priest sings the presidential prayers and dialogues of the Liturgy
according to his capabilities,33 and he encourages sung participation in the Liturgy by his own
example, joining in the congregational song. “If, however. . . the priest or minister does not
possess a voice suitable for the proper execution of the singing, he can render without singing
one or more of the more difficult parts which concern him, reciting them in a loud and distinct
voice. However, this must not be done merely for the convenience of the priest or minister.”34

20. Seminaries and other programs of priestly formation should train priests to sing with
confidence and to chant those parts of the Mass assigned to them.
...
At the very least, all priests should be comfortable singing those parts of the Eucharistic Prayer
that are assigned to them for which musical notation is provided in the Roman Missal.35

emphasis mine

The only reason that STTL came to mind is that our priest is recommending that other people read it in preparation for the new translations.

Question: What priestly parts in the Roman Missal are provided with musical notation? Are these the ones in the videos?

Thanks,

Mark

I'm somewhat surprised no one's mentioned the portions of CCW's "Sacred, Beautiful, Universal" video wherein Rv. Jeff Keyes articulates very succinctly WHY celebrants' cantillations of orations prove the most potent element among many that are essential to catholic ritual and worship. Rather than have tons of typed or spoken exegesis on blogs, liturgy committees or in unauthorative documents such as SttL, just insert those excerpts and say "do this."
Because of political realities, I still direct an ensemble that sings predominantly contemporary music. Don't get hung there. But, we also have a vicar who cantillates 95% of the orations at that Mass. Anyone could take or leave the sandwich menu, the ensemble orchestration, or the Ordinary settings, but they could not mistake or dismiss the fact that they would know they'd been at a Roman Catholic Mass because of that one huge element: sung orations. Our pastor, BTW, also cantillates often and with great precision.