From Sacred Song to Ritual Music: Twentieth-Century Understandings of Roman Catholic Worship Music

by Michael Joncas

From Sacred Song to Ritual Music identifies the shifts in understanding that have led to significant changes in Roman Catholic worship music theory and practice during the twentieth century. In this guide, nine documents are chosen to answer five questions for the What is Roman-Catholic worship music? What is its purpose? What are its qualities? Who makes it? and How should it be played? Father Joncas documents the changing attitudes about Roman Catholic worship music in papal, conciliar, and curial documents for the Roman Rite throughout the world, and then narrows his focus to bishops' conference and scholarly documents produced in the United States. The nine documents he examines are Trale sollecitudini , Musicae sacrae disciplina , De musica sacra et sacraliturgia ad mentem litterarum PiiPapae XII Musicae sacrae disciplina" et "Mediator Dei," Sacrosanctum Concilium , Musicam Sacram , Music in Catholic Worship, Liturgical Music Today, The Milwaukee Symposia for Church A Ten-Year Report, and The Snowbird Statement on Catholic Liturgical Music. He concludes with reflections on the theories and practices marking the United States' liturgical renewal. From Sacred Song to Ritual Music clearly identifies for Roman Catholic church musicians, pastors, and liturgists the revolution that has occurred both in theory and in practice this century. Father Joncas shows that these nine documents are a source of inspiration and encouragement for all who generate, participate in, lead, sustain, and evaluate the worship music of the Roman rite in its journey "from sacred song to ritual music." Jan Michal Joncas is assistant professor of theology at the University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, Minnesota. He holds liturgy degrees from the University of Notre Dame and the Pontifical Liturgical Institute. He has served in parish work and campus ministry and is a composer and editor of liturgical music. "

Paperback

First published May 1, 1997

Reviews

[Steven H · Rating 5 out of 5]

SOME THOUGHTFUL CONSIDERATIONS ABOUT CATHOLIC LITURGICAL MUSIC

Fr. Jan Michael Joncas is assistant professor of theology at the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota; he is a composer and editor of liturgical music.

He said in the Preface to this 1997 book, "What are the shifts in understanding, signaled in various papal, conciliar, curial, bishops' conference, and collaborative scholarly documents, that have led to such changes in Roman Catholic worship music practice during the twentieth century?... (1) What is Roman Catholic worship music? (2) What is the purpose of Roman Catholic worship music? (3) What qualities should Roman Catholic worship music exhibit? (4) What people are to make Roman Catholic worship music? ... I limit my documentation of changing attitudes about Roman Catholic worship music to papal, conciliar, and curial documents for the Roman Rite throughout the world..."

He suggests that in Catholic worship, "approaches to the mystery of God in terms of beauty... have been comparatively underdeveloped. This deficiency has had an impact on Roman Catholic worship life and may be remedied by attention to the theological aesthetics developed by Eastern theologians and contemporary thinkers..." (Pg. 49)

He observes, "Just as some Catholic worshipers were shocked when guitars were introduced as accompaniment instruments in Roman Rite worship in the 1960s, so others may be shocked today by accordions at a so-called polka Mass or a bank of synthesizers at a youth Mass... the cultural context for judging appropriate Roman Rite worship music both clarifies and complexifies the pastoral dimension..." (Pg. 66)

He concludes, "the treasury of sacred music consisting of Gregorian chant, Ars Nova and Renaissance polyphony, Baroque, Classical, and Romantic Masses, Requiems, and motets has almost completely disappeared from Rome Rite worship. Concentrated efforts must be engaged if elements of this repertoire are to be retained in Roman Rite worship as living prayer rather than museum curiosities... we seem to be entering a time of retrenchment in which the energy for local preparation of worship and the monetary resources for hiring professional pastoral musicians is disappearing. New initiatives for the liturgical and musical formation of the assembly and its ministers are a clear need." (Pg. 113-115)

This book will be of interest to Catholic lay leaders and music leaders, interested in broadening their liturgical musical experience.