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Views from the Choir Loft

The Sacral Language of Liturgiam Authenticam as Applied to Choral Diction

Dr. Alfred Calabrese · November 11, 2015

jp stained glass tall FEW WEEKS AGO ONE OF OUR PRIESTS gave a homily on sacred language. In it, he said the following:

“The Church has its own language and its own culture. The culture of the Church is about being a ‘native speaker.’ Are you a part of this culture or just a visitor?” Later, he went on to say, “What is this language? It is the language of Jesus Christ.” This got me thinking.

Liturgiam Authenticam (2001) is the Fifth Instruction for the “Right Application of the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy” of the Second Vatican Council. It provides, as part of Pope John Paul II’s focus on liturgical renewal, a formulation of the principles by which vernacular translations of the texts of the Roman liturgy are to be created. One of its abiding principles is that liturgical language is a sacred language different than ordinary speech. It is unique and proper to divine worship.

Consequently it should cause no surprise that such language differs somewhat from ordinary speech. Liturgical translation…will facilitate the development of a sacral vernacular, characterized by a vocabulary, syntax and grammar that are proper to divine worship…
(Liturgiam Authenticam §47).

And on choosing the kind of vocabulary to be used:

…words that lack such a sacral character are not to be used instead;
(Liturgiam Authenticam §50.c)

Although this document refers to the kind of vernacular translations to be promulgated in liturgical books, a sacral language can be fostered and developed within our choirs in the area of choral diction. If the language of our Catholic culture is truly sacred, then it behooves us, choristers and conductors alike, to develop our singing diction in a manner that is set apart, exalted, and special. This should become our native language.

It is not an approach that merely makes the text clear or intelligible. It’s more than a good ‘t’ at the end of a word, or a clear starting ‘gl’ at the beginning of the Gloria. It means heightening the formulation of vowels and consonants and moving these away from every day pronunciation. A pet-peeve of mine is the American pronunciation of ‘R’. In both Latin and English pronunciation I insist on a flipped or even rolled ‘R’. (Only in purely “American” styles, such as a folk song, do we dispense with the flipped ‘R’). Over aspirated consonants such as [s] or [t] are not attractive and sound uncared for. Specific attention to the matching of pure vowels, without the intrusion of regional diphthongs, is crucial to achieving a sacral choral language. Conductors should never give up trying to create beautiful sounds with the five basic Latin vowels. A great choral sound can be built on the foundation of a pure and united [u] (“oo”) vowel, and much harm can come when the [Ɛ] vowel (such as in the final syllable of Kyrie) is allowed to sound like [Ɛ:I:i] (“ay-ee”). An overly bright ‘E’ vowel [i] is usually an unwelcome sound. If the regional dialects of our singers are left unchecked, more than a poor choral ‘blend’ will be the result. The language of everyday speech becomes the norm, and the exalted, special, and sacral language of Jesus Christ is lost.

Many untrained singers balk at this approach. They may not hear the difference, or may think it’s a lot of extra work, or may not understand why it’s so important. Vigilance is the key. Not only will this attention to unity of sound produce a healthier and more beautiful result, but as in everything that we do to prepare for the liturgy, only our very best will suffice. We should be native speakers of a sacral and beautiful language that is “…worthy of the mysteries being celebrated.” (Apostolic Letter of John Paul II,Vicesimus Quintus Annus, 20; 1988).

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. Alfred Calabrese

Dr. Alfred Calabrese is Director of Music and Liturgy at St. Rita Catholic Church in Dallas, TX. He and his wife have two children.—(Read full biography).

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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    14th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)
    Our choir is on break during the month of July. However, on the feasts website, the chants have been posted for the 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C), which is this coming Sunday: 6 July 2025.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Bugnini’s Statement (6 November 1966)
    With each passing day, more is revealed about how the enemies of the liturgy accomplished their goals. For instance, Hannibal Bugnini deeply resented the way Vatican II said Gregorian Chant “must be given first place in liturgical services.” On 6 November 1966, his cadre wrote a letter attempting to justify the elimination of Gregorian Chant with this brazen statement: “What really gives a Mass its tone is not so much the songs as it is the prayers and readings.” Bugnini’s cadre then attacked the very heart of Gregorian Chant (viz. the Proprium Missae), bemoaning how the Proprium Missae “is completely new each Sunday and feast day.” There is much more to be said about this topic. Stay tuned.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    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

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
    Antiphons Don’t Match?
    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).
    —Corpus Christi Watershed

Random Quote

It should be borne in mind that there is no preference expressed in the liturgical legislation for either “versus populum” or “ad orientem.” Since both positions enjoy the favor of law, the legislation may not be invoked to say that one position or the other accords more closely with the mind of the Church.

— ‘Congregation for Divine Worship (Vatican City), 10 April 2000’

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  • Now Available! • “Hymns of Cardinal Newman: Kevin Allen’s Legendary Choral Settings”
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