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Views from the Choir Loft

The Fully Sung Mass

Lucas Tappan · March 28, 2017

LMT St. Augustine Painting N THE WAKE of the 50th anniversary of Musicam sacram earlier this month, sacred music seems to have enjoyed a small (and probably short lived) bit of interest on the international horizon, especially following Pope Francis’ words to mark the occasion. I find the Church is rather good at waxing eloquently on principals, writing a document here or there of encouragement, and then promptly moving on to the more important matter of forgetting about them. However, if St. Augustine was right and cantare amantis est (singing belongs to the one who loves), then it behooves us to once again learn to love and thereby take up the Church’s eternal hymn of praise.

Of course, this begs us answer the question, will the Church come alive in the West simply by singing Her Sacred Liturgy? I believe Augustine answered properly when he wrote that “singing belongs to the one who loves,” as opposed to “love belongs to the one who sings.” Nevertheless, loves seems to require the gift of music. If that is true, then Holy Mass would require it, too, in its fullest expression. This seems to have been the goal of the Second Vatican Council, the fully (and beautifully) sung Roman Liturgy. I would argue this has been the goal of CC Watershed as well and I am happy to be a part of that, and in this vein, I would like to offer a piece of practical advice to priests and musicians alike.

I find in general that priests and musicians focus the majority of their energy on Sunday Masses, which as a principle is sound and worthy (although it carries with it the assumption that the spoken Mass, used on a daily basis, is the base line standard for the celebration of Mass instead of being an impoverishment of the greatest act of worship man can offer to God). However, we find ourselves in an odd era where the majority of those attending Sunday Mass are no longer what we might call practicing disciples. Their goal is to be entertained while getting in and out as quickly as possible, which bodes ill for any worthy celebration of Mass.

On the other hand, the children in your Catholic school are still very impressionable and are actually being formed by what they experience at Mass, rather than reacting to it. Why not gradually implement the fully sung Mass with them? They will soon consider it normal (your battle will be with others) and you will have skipped the Sunday battle at least for a while. For priests who are afraid that chanting adds three extra minutes onto the Mass, just cut a few minutes off of your 10 minute daily homily in the spirit of Pope Francis.

In all honesty, you will never be able to avoid all liturgical conflict. At the same time, you do have parishioners who are longing for a fuller expression of the Sacred Liturgy and you might be starving their spiritual lives the longer you hold off. I would also like to offer a few websites you should know of that will be an enormous help in the process of establishing the Sung Mass.

Chants from the Roman Missal: This website is maintained by ICEL and contains the music (modern notation) for all of the chants in the Roman Missal. There are also a number of accompaniments for congregational chants. (I would, however, caution against using the Missal’s English Chant Ordinary. It is based upon the Missa Iubilate Deo, and is very confusing for those who already know the setting in Latin, a larger number than one might think.)

Free Settings of the Mass Ordinary: CC Watershed offers a number of free plainsong settings of the Mass Ordinary for immediate download and with accompanying practice videos.

If you are a pastor, you will ultimately need to hire a competent church musician (at a competent wage) to assist you in this work. While the above sites offer easy ways for you to begin the Sung Mass in your parish today today, they present only a base line standard. Strive for greatness!

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 Lucas Tappan

Dr. Lucas Tappan is a conductor and organist whose specialty is working with children. He lives in Kansas with his wife and four children.—(Read full biography).

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Quick Thoughts

    Introit • Candlemas (2 February)
    “Candlemas” • Our choir sang on February 2nd, and here's a live recording of the beautiful INTROIT: Suscépimus Deus. We had very little time to rehearse, but I think it has some very nice moments. I promise that by the 8th Sunday after Pentecost it will be perfect! (That Introit is repeated on the 8th Sunday after Pentecost.) We still need to improve, but we're definitely on the right track!
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Simplified Antiphons • “Candlemas”
    Anyone who desires simplified antiphons (“psalm tone versions”) for 2 February, the Feast of the Purification—which is also known as “Candlemas” or the Feast of the Presentation—may freely download them. The texts of the antiphons are quite beautiful. From “Lumen Ad Revelatiónem Géntium” you can hear a live excerpt (Mp3).
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Tempo?? • 𝘏𝘰𝘭𝘺 𝘎𝘰𝘥, 𝘞𝘦 𝘗𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘛𝘩𝘺 𝘕𝘢𝘮𝘦
    Once, after Mass, my pastor said he really loved the hymn we did. I said: “Father, that's Holy God, We Praise Thy Name—you never heard it before?” He replied: “But the way you did it was terrific. For once, it didn't sound like a funeral dirge!” Last Sunday, our volunteer choir sang that hymn. I think the tempo was just about right … but what do you think?
    —Jeff Ostrowski

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There is a lack of that kind of organization which favors mature judgment. Move on, move on, get it out. Schemata are multiplied without ever arriving at a considered form. The system of discussion is bad … Often the schemata arrive just before the discussions. Sometimes, and in important matters, such as the new anaphoras, the schema was distributed the evening before the discussion was to take place … Father Bugnini has only one interest: press ahead and finish.

— Cardinal Antonelli (Peritus during the Second Vatican Council)

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