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Views from the Choir Loft

Cake or Frosting?

Andrew Leung · August 27, 2015

CTL Cake AST WEEK, I posted about the danger of confusing Praise and Worship and the actual Worship, the Liturgy. My post and the article on the LifeTeen blog led to some intense discussions. The discussions were mainly on the meaning of the term “Worship”. The term itself might have different meanings based on different religions and dictionaries. But in the Roman Catholic tradition, it has always meant the Liturgy, that is the Mass, Liturgy of the Hours, Sacraments, Exposition and Benediction. Because of that, the term “Worship” should not be watered down to just any prayer meeting, like praise with guitars and drums.

During our discussion, this following line came up:

I find praise and worship odd when the Blessed Sacrament is not present.

I do not wish to discuss whether praise music should be sung during Exposition and other liturgies because that is not the point of this post. I would like to focus on the sentence above objectively. I have heard similar lines from people many times when I was in Steubenville. I totally understand what my friend was trying to say and some of you might think what I am about to do is just me being too picky. But bear with me.

After I read the line, I felt there is something wrong with it and it is disturbing. I tried to look at the sentence objectively and analyze the structure of the sentence: “praise and worship” is the subject and “Blessed Sacrament” is the object of the line. If the Eucharist is the source and summit, shouldn’t this sentence be reverse? Saying that the Eucharist makes praise and worship better is basically saying that praise and worship is the cake and the Eucharist is the frosting. But the truth is, the Eucharist is the cake, the source and summit, and praise and worship is the frosting, devotion that leads us to Christ.

Now, let’s apply the same idea to Sacred Music and the Liturgy. Sacred Music is the handmaid of the Liturgy. The Liturgy is the cake and Sacred Music is the frosting; Liturgical Music elevates the minds of the Faithful to God and add solemnity to the Liturgy.

OR MANY church musicians, now is the beginning of a new music season. We need to be careful not to reverse the cake and the frosting. We need to remember to “sing the Mass”, but not just “sing at Mass”. We must pray as we sing. It is not a performance, however, nice-looking frosting attracts people and “elevate people’s minds”; quality and certain level of perfection is still required. Similarly, quality and authentic Sacred Music (or as the Church said: Holy, Beautiful and Universal music) will lead people to our Lord.

Now would be a good time to learn or review how to Sing Prayerfully.

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 Andrew Leung

Andrew Leung currently serves the music director of Vox Antiqua, conductor of the Cecilian Singers, and music director at Our Lady of China Church.—(Read full biography).

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Corpus Christi Watershed

Quick Thoughts

    Seven (7) Hymn Verses for November!
    In the month of November, we remember in a special way the souls in purgatory. The BRÉBEUF HYMNAL often includes text alone versions for its hymns; why is that? The short answer is: flexibility. The “text only” version allows each choirmaster to employ a myriad of melodies. For example, I recently set the English translation of “De Profúndis” with the DAVOST MELODY (PDF). We are singing this before November ends. Indeed, you can hear our volunteer singing this (in real life) if you click here.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Worst Hymn Pairing Of All Time?
    For hymns in the Brébeuf Portal not yet recorded by human voices, I’ve been attempting to create recordings on the pipe organ. My latest attempt (Mp3) is a hymn called “DAVOST.” It’s a nice tune, but it must be paired with just the right lyrics. Do sickening examples of hymn pairings exist? Oh, most certainly! To download the most ghastly pairing I know, try this one—if your stomach is strong enough. If such things interest you, check out: “Six Pernicious Hymn Pairings.”
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Jeff’s Attempt at Pipe Organ “Stops”
    I've been attempting to record some Brébeuf hymns on the pipe organ, but I know very little about registration (“stops”). You can listen to this morning's attempt, a recording of a tune called TRINITY COLLEGE. Do you know this tune? It's quite nice. Feel free to email me vis-à-vis the registration I chose. To quickly locate all instances of the TRINITY COLLEGE melody in the Brébeuf Hymnal, search the magic portal for “Trinity College.”
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“It would be a grave error to imagine that the principle orientation of the sacrificial action is towards the community. If the priest celebrates «VERSUS POPULUM», which is legitimate and often advisable, his spiritual attitude ought always to be «VERSUS DEUM PER JESUM CHRISTUM», as representative of the entire Church.”

— Official Vatican Statement (25 September 2000)

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