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Views from the Choir Loft

Music That Hurts

Aurelio Porfiri · April 29, 2015

854 Aurelio Porfiri ARTICLE MUSIC N RECENT YEARS, we have spoken—or bad mouthed—a lot of liturgical music. 1 In doing so, we have often cited documents everywhere to support opposing or irreconcilable theses. Less often, perhaps, have we spoken of liturgical music with regard to its aesthetic value; meaning morality of perception in beauty.

Liturgical music is called to represent the unrepresentable—the HOLY OF HOLIES, the MYSTERIUM—namely, God Who has chosen to become human flesh in order to get closer to men. This choice did not intend just a “lowering” of divinity to human level as such, but an “elevation” of the human to the divine. It was not simplification but exaltation. That’s why the effort of those who make music for the liturgy is an effort to go beyond, not to achieve. We need a liturgical music that hurts, that is able to make blood come out from the vein of the Word because it is IN-VITING. To “invite” is an interesting verb with numerous meanings, ranging from wanting to forcing. Trying to force the etymology of the word “invite,” we would say that the Word must become even more alive (the Latin “vita” means life) and vital to the roar of this blood from the aesthetic wound that music has caused.

That’s why liturgical music is THE OTHER, not the music of everyday life; because, as Pope Francis teaches, 2 we must search for a “syntony,” not an identity. It is very important to reflect on this difference in similarity: as in music harmony, C, E and G form a consonant chord, but are not identical. Liturgical music is in the limen, the threshold which leads into the other dimension and is a key that opens the door to what’s beyond, forcing us (and thus it hurts) to meet with the UNAPPROACHABLE that was not afraid to approach us.

(Ps 69: 9) “For zeal for your house consumes me, and the insults of those who insult you fall on me.”

The zeal for the house of God is a kind of devouring that makes us bleed, exposing us to the opposition of a world seeking the “Other” in others (having more and more); in the excess and not the access. Here is found the noble—the highest role of liturgical music—too often mortified in stupid formulas to please weary souls and protect them from the desire of a death that alone can give true life.

More articles by Aurelio Porfiri can be found on The Castaway.



NOTES FROM THIS ARTICLE:

1   Or “sacred music”; “church music”; “ritual music”; “music for worship”; whatever pleases you.

2   Cf. Anniversary of the First Mass in the Vernacular (7 March 2015).

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 Aurelio Porfiri

Renowned as composer, conductor, theorist, author, pedagogue, and organist, Aurelio Porfiri has served the Church on multiple continents at the highest levels. Born and raised in Italy, he currently serves as Director of Choral Activities and Composer in Residence for Santa Rosa de Lima School (Macao, China).

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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    Luis Martínez Must Go!
    Sevilla Cathedral (entry dated 13 December 1564): The chapter orders Luis Martínez, a cathedral chaplain, to stay away from the choirbook-stand when the rest of the singers gather around it to sing polyphony—the reason being that “he throws the others out of tune.” [Excerpt from “The Life of Father Francisco Guerrero.”]
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Urgent! • We Desperately Need Funds!
    A few days ago, the president of Corpus Christi Watershed posted this urgent appeal for funds. Please help us make sure we’re never forced to place our content behind a paywall. We feel it’s crucial that 100% of our content remains free to everyone. We’re a tiny 501(c)3 public charity, entirely dependent upon the generosity of small donors. We have no endowment and no major donors. We run no advertisements and have no savings. We beg you to consider donating $4.00 per month. Thank you!
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Booklet of Eucharistic Hymns” (16 pages)
    I was asked to create a booklet for my parish to use during our CORPUS CHRISTI PROCESSION on 22 June 2025. Would you be willing to look over the DRAFT BOOKLET (16 pages) I came up with? I tried to include a variety of hymns: some have a refrain; some are in major, others in minor; some are metered, others are plainsong; some are in Spanish, some are in Latin, but most are in English. Normally, we’d use the Brébeuf Hymnal—but we can’t risk having our congregation carry those heavy books all over the city to various churches.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    Pope Pius XII Hymnal?
    Have you ever heard of the Pope Pius XII Hymnal? It’s a real book, published in the United States in 1959. Here’s a sample page so you can verify with your own eyes it existed.
    —Corpus Christi Watershed
    “Hybrid” Chant Notation?
    Over the years, many have tried to ‘simplify’ plainsong notation. The O’Fallon Propers attempted to simplify the notation—but ended up making matters worse. Dr. Karl Weinmann tried to do the same in the time of Pope Saint Pius X by replacing each porrectus. You can examine a specimen from his edition and see whether you agree he complicated matters. In particular, look at what he did with éxsules fílii Hévae.
    —Corpus Christi Watershed
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    A reader wants to know why the Entrance and Communion antiphons in certain publications deviate from what’s prescribed by the GRADUALE ROMANUM published after Vatican II. Click here to read our answer. The short answer is: the Adalbert Propers were never intended to be sung. They were intended for private Masses only (or Masses without music). The “Graduale Parvum,” published by the John Henry Newman Institute of Liturgical Music in 2023, mostly uses the Adalbert Propers—but sometimes uses the GRADUALE text: e.g. Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul (29 June).
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