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Chant in Church Feb 8, 2009
A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to attend a Gregorian Chant Intensive workshop sponsored by the Church Music Association in America (CMAA). With approximately 55 students in attendance, we spent a sold week learning how to read chant notation, sing in Latin, and how to implement the ancient chants into the liturgy. More and more parish music directors are coming to understand the importance and beauty of singing Latin chant in liturgy. Oftentimes the congregation has questions about this "new" music:
Why do we sing Latin chant? We sing Latin chant as a congregation partly because as Roman Catholics, that is our musical heritage. Lutherans can trace their musical roots back to the glorious German chorales of J.S. Bach and others. Episcopalians have a fine tradition of singing Anglican chant for their psalms and canticles. Many Baptists look to spirituals as their musical heritage. In the same way, we as Roman Catholics (i.e. Catholics of the Latin rite) have Gregorian chant as the foundation of our music. In the 6th century, Gregorian chant was collected and codified by Pope Saint Gregory the Great, after whom it was later named. We Catholics can be very proud of this music, which is not only the foundation of our church music even to this day, but which also is the font from which all Western music (sacred and secular) sprang. We simply cannot ignore chant as an "anachronism."
Must we sing chant? We sing chants partly because that is our heritage as Roman (or Latin rite) Catholics. We also have the approval, in fact the insistence, of the Universal Church for this repertoire to be taught to congregations. The Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy of Vatican II states, "The musical tradition of the universal Church is a treasure of inestimable value, greater even than that of any other art" [#112]. "The Church acknowledges Gregorian chant as specially suited to the Roman liturgy; therefore, other things being equal, it should be given pride of place in liturgical services" [#116]. The rubrics in the new Sacramentary (called the General Instruction) read: "It is desirable that (the faithful) know how to sing at least parts of the Ordinary of the Mass in Latin" [#41]. Even the U.S. bishops (in Sing to the Lord, 2008) confirm: "Each worshiping community in the United States, including all age groups and all ethnic groups, should, at a minimum, learn the Kyrie, Sanctus, and Agnus Dei.” [#75]. It's pretty clear that Latin chant is not optional. The good news is that most of us already know how to sing the Kyrie and Agnus Dei. Stay tuned for more on Gregorian Chant.
Soli Deo Gloria!
Jay Terpstra
Director of Music
MORE ON CHANT Feb 15, 2009
Last week in the Gaudium et Spes, I introduced Gregorian Chant in terms of what it is, why it is still around, and how we use it in the modern. Today, I’d like to add a few more thoughts on it’s use and how we, as a worshipping community, can learn to appreciate it more fully.
If we must sing chant, do we have to like it? It's obvious from an objective view of our musical heritage and from Vatican and U.S. documents that we Roman Catholics should know and sing at least a basic repertoire of Gregorian chants in Latin. This is harder in some parishes than in others. Certain congregations around the country have maintained a vital repertoire of chant, easily singing hymns such as Pange lingua gloriosi and Mass parts such as Sanctus and Agnus Dei. Most parishes have lost complete touch with this sacred repertoire that is so distinctly Catholic. Many adults and children have never heard chant, don't know how to read Latin syllables, and find the effort to sing them not worthwhile. They don't like chant because it's so strange to them. This is understandable, since the Catholic musicians in the U.S. threw out chant in a misguided attempt to be overly-relevant in the 1970s and 80s. Fortunately, the Church (and her musicians and liturgists) are rediscovering the beauty and sacred primacy of chant. But what practical help is available for the "person in the pew?"
How can we come to appreciate Gregorian chant? There's no doubt that Gregorian chant is music of lasting value — it's been around for over 1400 years. Claims of it being irrelevant would have been just as false in the 17th century as they are now. Chant is just about the only purely sacred music we have today – we find it only in church, and only in praise of God – secular chant doesn't exist. But how can we come to learn and appreciate Latin chant?
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First of all, make a firm commitment to learn the chant that's offered in our parish. It's likely not as difficult as you might think – after all, didn't elementary school children learn and sing the entire Requiem Mass at parish funerals just a few generations ago?
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Use the tools at your disposal. If liturgy sheets or hymnal pages are available and cited, be sure to have the text and music in hand as you sing. Chant has no tricky rhythms; it's just one note after another. Seeing where the notes rise, fall or remain the same is about all that's necessary to read chant music.
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Listen. Don't close your ears, but seriously and attentively listen to the cantor, choir and those around you who seem to know the chant. This will certainly help your own singing.
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Enjoy the calm beauty and holiness of chant. Let the sacred mood engendered by this music fill your soul as it did Christians for 14 centuries. Be a part of that hallowed continuum.
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Lastly, sing as much as you are comfortable. No one wants to force anyone to sing, but your singing should be a sign of your interior participation and love of the community. Work gradually at singing together.
Get ready! Next week, we will have our first lesson in singing Latin.
Soli Deo Gloria!
Jay Terpstra
Director of Music
MORE ON CHANT Feb 22, 2009
Last week I promised that we would have our first lesson in singing Gregorian Chant so I thought we would start with a Latin Pronunciation Guide.
There are several ways to pronounce Latin. Church Latin, referred to as Roman, closely follows Italian pronunciation rather than Classical Latin pronunciation.
Latin requires good pronunciation and articulation:
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Proper pronunciation of vowels and consonants.
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Proper word accents. The general rule:
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In a word of two syllables, the accent is placed on the first syllable.
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In words of three or more syllables, the accent is placed on the second –to-last syllable if that syllable is long; otherwise it is placed on the third-to-last syllable. Most chant books normally include accent marks on words of more than two syllables.
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Remember to read Latin punctuation like English: observe commas, colons, and periods.
Vowels and Diphthongs
One of the difficulties with Roman pronunciation of Latin is that most English speakers tend to turn pure Latin vowels into diphthongs. This is especially true of the Roman letters E (eh) and
O (aw), which are often pronounced as diphthongs: E as in Day (deh-ee) and O as in go (go-oo). Sing or speak the following vowel sounds remembering to hat Latin vowels have a single, pure sound.
A = ah pater as in father, not as in can
E = eh puer, salve as in bed, not as in day
I = ee in, fecit as in feet, not as in big
O = o (aw) Domino as in law or for, not as in go
U=oo ubi, bonus as in soon, not as in sun
Y = ee Kyrie same as I, as in feet
When two or more vowels occur together in a Latin word, care must be taken to pronounce each vowel separately. For example:
Diei dee-eh-ee
Filii fee-lee-ee
Eorum eh-aw-room
Coutuntur caw-oo-toon-toor
Ait ah-eet
Pauper pah-oo-pehr
Practice. Practice. Practice.
Soli Deo Gloria!
Jay Terpstra
Director of Music
Musical Notes Sept 1-2, 2007
The acclamations are a direct result of Vatican II’s recovery of the priesthood of all the baptized and the essential nature of the liturgy as the celebration of all the people. They are actions in the form of song. As the ancient adage states, to sing is to pray twice. When we sing we become more present, more attentive, more participative, and more powerful. When we sing, we enfold all the other members of the assembly with our voice, and communicate our choice to participate fully in the liturgical action, and vice versa. We sing the acclamations, then, not only to address God but also to direct personal support to one another in living out our identity and mission as the Body of Christ.
In order to keep the liturgy fresh and alive, we sometimes change the service music at different times of the year, such as the beginning of Lent or Advent, or to kick off a new season. Today we begin using a new musical setting of the acclamations at the 5:00 p.m. Saturday mass, and the 8:00, 9:00, and 11:00 a.m. Sunday masses. The Gloria begins on page 227 of the Gather hymnal and the Holy, Holy, Memorial Acclamation, Great Amen, and Lamb of God follow. Please take a moment to look these over so that we can more effectively celebrate the liturgy.
Soli Deo Gloria!
Jay Terpstra
Director of Music
Musical Notes Sept 22-23, 2007
Every now and then, I think it’s a good idea to review what John Welsey wrote in the preface to Sacred Melody, 1761
Directions for Singing
I. I. Learn these tunes before you learn any others; afterwards learn as many as you please.
II. II. Sing them exactly as they are printed here, without altering or mending them at all; and if you have learned to sing them otherwise, unlearn it as soon as you can.
III. III. Sing all. See that you join with the congregation as frequently as you can. Let not a slight degree of weakness or weariness hinder you. If it is a cross to you, take it up, and you will find it a blessing.
IV. IV. Sing lustily and with a good courage. Beware of singing as if you were half dead, or half asleep; but lift up your voice with strength. Be no more afraid of your voice now, nor more ashamed of its being heard, than when you sung the songs of Satan.
V. V. Sing modestly. Do not bawl, so as to be heard above or distinct from the rest of the congregation, that you may not destroy the harmony; but strive to unite your voices together, so as to make one clear melodious sound.
Soli Deo Gloria!
Jay Terpstra
Director of Music
Musical Notes Sept 29-30, 2007
In last week's Musical Notes, we saw the first five Directions for Singing, according to John Wesley as published in the preface to Sacred Melody, 1761. Almost 250 years later, these directions still apply to us today.
Directions for Singing, continued
VI. VI. Sing in time. Whatever time is sung be sure to keep with it. Do not run before nor stay behind it; but attend close to the leading voices, and move therewith as exactly as you can; and take care not to sing too slow. This drawling way naturally steals on all who are lazy; and it is high time to drive it out from us, and sing all our tunes just as quick as we did at first.
VII. VII. Above all sing spiritually. Have an eye to God in every word you sing. Aim at pleasing him more than yourself, or any other creature. In order to do this attend strictly to the sense of what you sing, and set that your heart is not carried away with the sound, but offered to God Continually; so shall your singing be such as the Lord will approve here, and reward you when he cometh in the clouds of heaven.
I always thought that Wesley left out number VIII, so I made up my own: “Enjoy singing, as it truly is a gift from God.”
Soli Deo Gloria!
Jay Terpstra
Director of Music
Musical Notes November 17-18 2007
Today we celebrate and honor our parish musicians, as this is the weekend we celebrate St. Cecilia, the patron saint of musicians and Church music. Her feast day, celebrated both in the Catholic and Orthodox Church, is November 22. She is one of seven women, excluding the Blessed Virgin, commemorated by name in the Canon of the Mass. It was long supposed that she was a noble lady of Rome who, with her husband Valerian(us), his brother Tiburtius, suffered martyrdom, C. 230, under the emperor Alexander Severus.
The martyrdom of Cecilia is said to have followed that of her husband and brother by the prefect Turcius Almachius. The officers of the prefect then sought to have Cecilia killed as well. She arranged to have her home preserved as church before she was arrested. At that time, the officials attempted to kill her by locking her in an overheated bathhouse. However, the attempt failed, and she was to be beheaded. The executioner attempted to decapitate her three times unsuccessfully, at which time he fled. Cecilia survived another three days before succumbing.
St. Cecilia is regarded as the patron Saint of music because of the story that she heard heavenly music in her heart when she was married, Cecilia was singing in her heart a hymn of love for Jesus, her true spouse. It was this phrase that led to her association with music and musicians. She is usually represented in art with an organ or organ-pipes in her hand.
Prayer to St. Cecilia
O God, Who doest gladden us with the annual fest of blessed Cecilia, Thy virgin and martyr, grant that, as we venerate her in our liturgy, we may also follow her example in godly living. Through our Lord.
Thanks to all our Parish Musicians for your selfless acts of stewardship and with your countless hours of time and your immeasurable talent.
Soli Deo Gloria!
Jay Terpstra
Director of Music
Musical Notes December 1-2, 2007
An important principle guiding the type of music to be sung during the season of Advent is found in the General Instruction to the Roman Missal (GIRM): “In Advent the organ and other musical instruments should be used with a moderation that is consistent with the season’s character and does not anticipate the full joy of the Nativity of the Lord.” In other words, a certain restraint should mark the music during this season. However, this restraint does not have the penitential character of Lent. Instead, its intent is to express a kind of “fasting” before the “feasting” which will enable us to enter more consciously into the waiting which marks Advent. We may certainly sing songs which express joy and expectation (many of the Advent readings do this very thing), but the music overall should be characterized by a sense of holding back until the time for full celebration arrives.
With this in mind, we have the option and opportunity to change the musical settings of the acclamations. At most of the weekend masses we will use the “Missa Emmanuel” setting by Richard Proulx. The texts to the acclamations have been set to the familiar Advent tune “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”. Purple worship aids with this setting can be found in each missalette in hopes that you will fully participate in the celebration of the Mass this Advent season.
Soli Deo Gloria!
Jay Terpstra
Director of Music