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Pope Saint Paul VI (3 April 1969): “Although the text of the Roman Gradual—at least that which concerns the singing—has not been changed, the Entrance antiphons and Communions antiphons have been revised for Masses without singing.”

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Views from the Choir Loft

Banish All Guitars and Pianos from the Church

Dr. Peter Kwasniewski · March 28, 2013

IVEN the increasingly obvious failure of much of contemporary church music to embody the spirit of sacredness and the link with Tradition that Vatican II demands of all new compositions for the liturgy, it is surprising that there are still so many places left in the Catholic world where one can find guitars and pianos, those quintessentially secular instruments, furnishing accompaniment and interludes. This is all the more surprising, given that it has never been difficult to discern the mind of the Church on this matter.

Summarizing the view of the Popes prior to the Second Vatican Council, Venerable Pius XII teaches in his encyclical Musicae Sacrae of 1955: “Besides the organ, other instruments can be called upon to give great help in attaining the lofty purpose of sacred music, so long as they play nothing profane, nothing clamorous or strident, and nothing at variance with the sacred services or the dignity of the place” (n. 59).

The post-conciliar Instruction on Sacred Music, Musicam Sacram, of 1967, hones this judgment as follows: “One criterion for accepting and using musical instruments is the genius and tradition of particular peoples. At the same time, however, instruments that are generally associated with and used only by worldly music are to be absolutely barred from liturgical services and religious devotions. Any musical instrument permitted in divine worship should be used in such a way that it meets the needs of the liturgical celebration, and is in the interests both of the beauty of worship and the edification of the faithful” (n. 63).

At the time this document was written, guitars played in the folk style were strongly associated with worldly music—the music of the counterculture—and not with sacred music in church, which was the hallowed domain of the pipe organ, and on special occasions, strings and wind instruments.

In an Address to the Italian Association of Saint Cecilia on 18 September 1968, Pope Paul VI had this to say: “The primary purpose of sacred music is to evoke God’s majesty and to honor it. … Since that is the essential function for sacred music, what ground is there for allowing anything that is shabby or banal, or anything that caters to the vagaries of aestheticism or is based on the prevailing excesses of technology? … Vocal and instrumental music that is not at once marked by the spirit of prayer, dignity, and beauty, is barred from entrance into the world of the sacred and the religious. The assimilation and sanctification of the secular, which is today a distinguishing mark of the Church’s mission in the world, clearly has limits; this is all the more the case when the issue is to invest the secular with the sacredness proper to divine worship.”

Now, the piano—or, to give it its full and telling name, pianoforte—is a percussion instrument, a concert hall and jazz festival mainstay, a lounge and bar-room fixture. It was developed exclusively in the world of secular entertainment music in the classical period by musicians like Beethoven who were looking for a penetrating sound that would carry well through a concert hall. The whole point of the “Hammerklavier,” the precursor to today’s instrument, was to seize the listener and pin him to the music for its own sake. We are dealing here with a worldly instrument that announces to its audience: “I’m playing now for your entertainment, so sit back and (—fill in the blank—-) [sip your drink; tap your toes; read the newspaper; chat pleasantly with your companion; or, in Liszt’s day, swoon before the virtuoso].

For its part, the acoustic folk guitar was never an instrument used in church. In the baroque period the theorbo and lute were occasionally used as accompanying instruments with strings and organ, but the solo guitar, even played in a classical style, was simply not part of the tradition—much less a guitar played in the strumming and syncopated style of folk-music or pop music. In the late 1950s this instrument meant one thing and one thing only: secular entertainment music. That is why the strictures of the documents quoted above (to which more quotations could be added) apply so unequivocally to it; and these are strictures than no Church document has ever repudiated or relaxed.

Let us recall a fine saying of Blessed John Paul II: “Christians should rediscover the newness of the faith and its power to judge a prevalent and all-intrusive culture” (Veritatis Splendor, n. 88).

Opinions by blog authors do not necessarily represent the views of Corpus Christi Watershed.

Filed Under: Articles Last Updated: January 1, 2020

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About Dr. Peter Kwasniewski

A graduate of Thomas Aquinas College (B.A. in Liberal Arts) and The Catholic University of America (M.A. and Ph.D. in Philosophy), Dr. Peter Kwasniewski is currently Professor at Wyoming Catholic College. He is also a published and performed composer, especially of sacred music.

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President’s Corner

    Liturgical Round (“Canon”) in C-Major
    Those who direct children’s choirs are always on the lookout for repertoire that’s dignified, inspired, and pleasing—yet still within reach of young choristers. Such directors will want to investigate this haunting liturgical round (PDF download) which has been married to the KYRIE from Mass VI (EDITIO VATICANA). I have provided an accompaniment, but it’s only for use during rehearsal; i.e. when teaching this round to your choristers. I also provided an organ accompaniment for the KYRIE—which some know by its trope (Kyrie Rex Genitor)—so that your congregation can take part when this round is used as a choral extension during Mass.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Latin Liturgy Association
    We note with pleasure that Mrs. Regina Morris, president of the Latin Liturgy Association, has featured—on page 4 of Volume CXXIX of their official newsletter—the three (3) terrific versions of the Stations of the Cross found in the Brébeuf Hymnal. One of the main authors for the blog of the Church Music Association of America said (6/10/2019) about this pew book: “It is such a fantastic hymnal that it deserves to be in the pews of every Catholic church.”
    —Corpus Christi Watershed
    “Music List” • 28th in Ordinary Time (Year C)
    Readers have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I’ve prepared for 12 October 2025, which is the 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. As always, the Responsorial Psalm, Gospel Acclamation, and Mass Propers for this Sunday are conveniently stored at the dazzling feasts website alongside the official texts in Latin.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    New Bulletin Article • “12 October 2025”
    My pastor requested that I write short articles each week for our parish bulletin. Those responsible for preparing similar write-ups may find a bit of inspiration in these brief columns. The latest article (dated 12 October 2025) talks about an ‘irony’ or ‘paradox’ regarding the 1960s switch to a wider use (amplior locus) of vernacular in the liturgy.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “American Catholic Hymnal” (1991)
    The American Catholic Hymnal, with IMPRIMATUR granted (25 April 1991) by the Archdiocese of Chicago, is like a compendium of every horrible idea from the 1980s. Imagine being forced to stand all through Communion (even afterwards) when those self-same ‘enlightened’ liturgists moved the SEQUENCE before the Alleluia to make sure congregations wouldn’t have to stand during it. (Even worse, everything about the SEQUENCE—including its name—means it should follow the Alleluia.) And imagine endlessly repeating “Alleluia” during Holy Communion at every single Mass. It was all part of an effort to convince people that Holy Communion was historically a procession (which it wasn’t).
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Canonic” • Ralph Vaughan Williams
    Fifty years ago, Dr. Theodore Marier made available this clever arrangement (PDF) of “Come down, O love divine” by P. R. Dietterich. The melody was composed in 1906 by Ralph Vaughan Williams (d. 1958) and named in honor of of his birthplace: DOWN AMPNEY. The arrangement isn’t a strict canon, but it does remind one of a canon since the pipe organ employs “points of imitation.” The melody and text are #709 in the Brébeuf Catholic Hymnal.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“Since the English is not meant to be sung, but only to tell people who do not understand Latin what the text means, a simple paraphrase in prose is sufficient. The versions are not always very literal. Literal translations from Latin hymns would often look odd in English. I have tried to give in a readable, generally rhythmic form the real meaning of the text.”

— Fr. Adrian Fortescue (1913)

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