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Gregorian: Impossible?
by Francis Nyan Graphics by Patricia Rozario-Tan |
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“GREGORIAN CHANTS DURING MASS? No choir in Singapore will be able to get everyone to sing like that. In fact, not even every choir can sing like that...”
A careful reading of church documents on the use of music will reveal that Gregorian chant has a special place in church liturgy. Yet we find in Singapore, our church choirs seem to offer everything but this form of music deemed “foundational” by the Church herself. It is unfortunate that most parish musicians are not aware of where and how to use Gregorian chants and instead routinely reach for some other “suitable song”. More often than not, the text of the “suitable song” is not even one that has been approved by the Bishops’ Conference. A musical supermodel Gregorian chant (or plainchant) is the only musical style that receives unqualified support in the Catholic Church’s documents on the liturgy. In 1903, Pope St. Pius X wrote the Motu Proprio1 “Tra Le Sollecitudini” on Sacred Music which established the primacy of Gregorian Chant. Exactly 100 years later in 2003, Pope John Paul II brought this document to the forefront with his Chirograph for the Centenary of the Motu Proprio “Tra Le Sollecitudini” on Sacred Music (November 22, 2003), in which he wrote: 7. Among the musical expressions that correspond best with the qualities demanded by the notion of sacred music, especially liturgical music, Gregorian chant has a special place. The Second Vatican Council recognized that “being specially suited to the Roman Liturgy” it should be given, other things being equal, pride of place in liturgical services sung in Latin. St Pius X pointed out that the Church had “inherited it from the Fathers of the Church”, that she has “jealously guarded [it] for centuries in her liturgical codices” and still “proposes it to the faithful” as her own, considering it “the supreme model of sacred music”. Thus, Gregorian chant continues also today to be an element of unity in the Roman Liturgy. Like St Pius X, the Second Vatican Council also recognized that “other kinds of sacred music, especially polyphony, are by no means excluded from liturgical celebrations”. It is therefore necessary to pay special attention to the new musical expressions to ascertain whether they too can express the inexhaustible riches of the Mystery proposed in the Liturgy and thereby encourage the active participation of the faithful in celebrations. Therefore, there is qualified support for other styles and other instruments, but qualified nonetheless. Strictly for monks? Thus, plainchant is still the music of choice for Mass, and that’s why so many popes (Pope St Pius X, Pope Pius XII, Pope Paul VI and Pope John Paul II) repeatedly underlined its importance and significance. Surely, the issue cannot be so easily brushed off as a Roman lack of comprehension about our “modern situation” (If so, would that not then apply to all other missives from Rome?) So why do our local choirs still avoid it? |
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Next  It’s catchy – but is it sacred scripture?
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| 1 Motu Proprio: “on his own accord”, that is, he wrote as he saw fit without consulting others. |