Choosing Music for a Tridentine Requiem Mass

Some years ago I wrote a short article entitled "Choosing Music for a Tridentine Nuptial Mass." As a follow-up, I thought it worthwhile to consider some particulars on choosing music for a Tridentine Requiem (Funeral) Mass. First though a few key points:

1. Make sure you explicitly state in your will that you desire to have a Tridentine Requiem Mass and should not be given a Novus Ordo funeral for any reason. Use those words: "for any reason." For practical purposes, list the parishes or chapels you attend that could offer this and which you would find acceptable (e.g. a reverent priest who will pray for your soul, ample parking for those attending, driving distance not too drastic for people, distance not excessive from the funeral plot where you will be buried, etc).
2. Make it clear in your will that you are only to be buried and not cremated. Again state "for any reason." We know that cremation is not permitted for Catholics, despite what modern clergymen are prone to say.
3. Most importantly, appoint an executor for your will that you know will see to your final wishes. Even if you state that you wish to have a traditional Requiem Mass and be buried, it is possible for the executor to deny your wishes and have you cremated with no funeral. Appoint an executor who will undoubtedly see to the completion of your wishes. 

As to choosing the music to help your executor and the priest when it comes to your funeral, there is thankfully little that needs to be done. Most of the music is already mapped out for you.  There is an Ordinary proper to the Requiem and the Propers themselves leave little room for other musical selections.  At best, you can select Communion music since the Proper is relatively short.  

"Help, Lord, the Souls Which Thou Hast Made" is always a good choice, as it is about Purgatory.  "My Shepherd Will Supply My Need" arr. by Virgil Thomson is a lovely setting of Psalm 23.  There is some flexibility with the procession out of the church as well.  The prescribed chant is "In Paradisum", which could be chanted or sung polyphonically or chorally. 

You may find these PDFs from the Institute of Christ the King very helpful as well.  The first is the burial service.  Typically there is no procession to the church, so you will want to start with the "Subvenite" as the processional piece and then proceed from there.  The second is the Ordinary and Propers for the Mass.  

Lastly, consider putting in your will a request for Gregorian Masses to be said immediately after your death. Indicate where and how to order them (here are some helpful links) and state the approximate cost of each. Other traditional orders beyond that list do offer Gregorian Masses and accept the stipend in the mail. Orders like the Traditional Carmelites in Clear Creek come to mind as doing so.

Many thanks to a long-time friend, Daniel, for his invaluable contributions here.

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Laetabundus: The Ancient Sequence for Candlemas

This very ancient Sequence was excluded from the Roman Missal in 1570 but survived in other traditions including Gallican, Sarum, Dominican and Carmelite liturgies. It is sung at various points during the Christmas-tide, from the Masses of Christmas Day to as late as Candlemas, Feb. 2. To introduce this sequence, Dom Prosper Gueranger wrote:

"As a conclusion to our Feast, we give two favourite Pieces of the Middle-Ages, whereby our Fathers expressed their joy on this glorious Solemnity. The first is a Sequence, which is to be found in all the Roman-French Missals. For a long time, it was thought to have been written by St. Bernard: but, we have seen it in a Manuscript of the 11th Century, and, consequently, it must have been written earlier than the date usually assigned to it."

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3 Traditional Catholic Radio Stations

Magnificat Radio

This station is run by a family who attends the Society of St. Pius X in the Midwest.  They also share very short but helpful reflections on the feastdays of the liturgical year on their Facebook page.  Follow their page to receive them.

Latinritemass.net

Thie channel offers various Traditional Catholic talks.

Sensum Fidelium YouTube Channel

While not a radio station, Sensum Fidelium publishes excellent, traditional sermons nearly daily on YouTube.  Listen to the latest sermons for timely reflections pertinent to a Traditional Catholic.

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Ave Maria by Robert Parsons

Probably the most beautiful Ave Maria I've ever heard.

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Tota Pulchra Es Recording

Tota pulchra es is an old Catholic prayer, written in the fourth century. It is one of the five antiphons for the psalms of Second Vespers for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. The title means "You are completely beautiful" (referring to the Virgin Mary). It speaks of her immaculate conception. It takes some text from the book of Judith, and other text from Song of Songs, specifically 4:7

Tota pulchra es, Maria, et macula originalis non est in te. Vestimentum tuum candidum quasi nix, et facies tua sicut sol. Tota pulchra es, Maria, et macula originalis non est in te. Tu gloria Jerusalem, tu laetitia Israel, tu honorificentia populi nostri. Tota pulchra es, Maria.


You are all beautiful, Mary, and the original stain [of sin] is not in you. Your clothing is white as snow, and your face is like the sun. You are all beautiful, Mary, and the original stain [of sin] is not in you. You are the glory of Jerusalem, you are the joy of Israel, you give honour to our people. You are all beautiful, Mary.

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The Benedictines of Mary: "Angels and Saints at Ephesus"

As you may be aware the Benedictines of Mary, Queen of the Apostles are about to release their second album- Angels and Saints; set for release on May 7!  Please listen to some excerpts above as well as some insightful interviews with members of the community.

Last Nov./ Dec., the Sisters’ debut album, ADVENT AT EPHESUS, with De Montfort Music/Decca, spent six weeks at #1 on Billboard’s Classical Music Chart, and the Sisters ended up as the #1 Classical Traditional Artist of 2012, according to Nielson’s Soundscan. (That has NEVER happened for a group of cloistered nuns.) Featured on NPR, USA Today, People Magazine and The Washington Times as well as countless other critically acclaimed press outlets, the Benedictines of Mary have created another beautiful recording of their music.

The sisters' second album, a year-round collection, will entertain and inspire, featuring 17 English and Latin pieces sung a cappella for the feasts of the holy saints and angels. Recorded once again at their Priory in the heartland of America, this new album is a dynamic yet pure fusion of their contemplative sound. The sisters call to mind the glory of the future vision of God in the company of all of His angels and saints.

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Hymn: Abroad the Regal Banners (Vexilla Regis)

Vexilla Regis was written by Venantius Fortunatus (530-609) and is considered one of the greatest hymns of the liturgy. Fortunatus wrote it in honor of the arrival of a large relic of the True Cross which had been sent to Queen Radegunda by the Emperor Justin II and his Empress Sophia. Queen Radegunda had retired to a convent she had built near Poitiers and was seeking out relics for the church there. To help celebrate the arrival of the relic, the Queen asked Fortunatus to write a hymn for the procession of the relic to the church.

The hymn has, thus, a strong connection with the Cross and is fittingly sung at Vespers from Passion Sunday to Holy Thursday and on the Feast of the Triumph of the Cross. The hymn was also formerly sung on Good Friday when the Blessed Sacrament is taken from the repository to the altar. The text given below is the full text of Fortunatus' hymn, but verses 2, 4, and 7 are omitted when the hymn is used liturgically. The last two verses which form the concluding doxology are not by Fortunatus, but is rather the work of some later poet.

VEXILLA Regis prodeunt; fulget Crucis mysterium, quo carne carnis conditor suspensus est patibulo.1	ABROAD the regal banners fly, now shines the Cross's mystery: upon it Life did death endure, and yet by death did life procure.
Confixa clavis viscera tendens manus, vestigia, redemptionis gratia hic immolata est hostia.	-
Quo vulneratus insuper mucrone diro lanceae, ut nos lavaret crimine,2 manavit unda et sanguine.	Who, wounded with a direful spear, did purposely to wash us clear from stain of sin, pour out a flood of precious water mixed with blood.
Impleta sunt quae concinit David fideli carmine, dicendo nationibus: regnavit a ligno Deus.	That which the prophet-king of old hath in mysterious verse foretold, is now accomplished, whilst we see God ruling the nations from a Tree.
Arbor decora et fulgida, ornata Regis purpura, electa digno stipite tam sancta membra tangere.	O lovely and refulgent Tree, adorned with purpled majesty; culled from a worthy stock, to bear those limbs which sanctified were.
Beata, cuius brachiis pretium pependit saeculi: statera facta corporis, praedam tulitque tartari. 3	Blest Tree, whose happy branches bore the wealth that did the world restore; the beam that did that Body weigh which raised up Hell's expected prey.
Fundis aroma cortice, vincis sapore nectare, iucunda fructu fertili plaudis triumpho nobili.	-
Salve, ara, salve, victima, de passionis gloria, qua vita mortem pertulit et morte vitam reddidit.	-
O Crux ave, spes unica, hoc Passionis tempore! * piis adauge gratiam, reisque dele crimina.	Hail Cross, of hopes the most sublime! Now, in the mournful Passion time; * grant to the just increase of grace, and every sinner's crimes efface.
Te, fons salutis Trinitas, collaudet omnis spiritus: quos per Crucis mysterium salvas, fove per saecula. Amen. 4	Blest Trinity, salvation's spring may every soul Thy praises sing; to those Thou grantest conquest by the Holy Cross, rewards supply. Amen.
*In Festo Exaltationis Sanctae Crucis: in hac triumphi gloria!	*Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross: On this triumphant day.

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Good King Wenceslas (Feast of St. Stephen) Hymn

In honor of this 2nd Day of Christmas and today's Feast of St. Stephen:

 


"Good King Wenceslas" is a popular Christmas carol about a king who goes out to give alms to a poor peasant on the Feast of Stephen (the second day of Christmas, December 26). During the journey, his page is about to give up the struggle against the cold weather, but is enabled to continue by the heat miraculously emanating from the king's footprints in the snow. The legend is based on the life of the historical Saint Wenceslaus I, Duke of Bohemia (907-935), known in the Czech language as Svatý Václav.

The lyrics of the carol are by English hymn-writer John Mason Neale, Warden of Sackville College, East Grinstead, Sussex (18181866). He may have written his carol sometime earlier, since he carried on the legend of St. Wenceslas on which it is based in his Deeds of Faith (1849). Neale was known for his devotion to High Church traditions. According to older Czech sources, Neale's lyrics are a translation of a poem by Czech poet Václav Alois Svoboda, written in Czech, German and Latin.

The tune is that of "Tempus Adest Floridum" ("It is time for flowering"), a 13th-century spring carol, first published in the Swedish/Finnish Piae Cantiones, 1582.

In or around 1853, G. J. R. Gordon, her majesty's envoy and minister in Stockholm, gave a rare copy of the 1582 edition of Piae Cantiones to Reverend Neale and to Reverend Thomas Helmore (Vice-Principal of St. Mark's College, Chelsea). The book was entirely unknown in England at that time.
Neale translated some of the carols and hymns, and in 1853, he and Helmore published twelve carols in Carols for Christmas-tide (with music from Piae Cantiones). In 1854, they published a dozen more in Carols for Easter-tide. The inspirational copy of Piae Cantiones is now said to be in the British Museum.

The lyrics of Neale's carol bear no relationship to the words of "Tempus Adest Floridum". A text beginning substantially the same as the 1582 "Piae" version is also found in Carmina Burana as CB 142, where it is substantially more carnal.

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Musicae Sacrae: Encyclical of Pope Pius XII

We must be concerned that the Most Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is always said with the highest piety, honor, and respect.  For this reason, the Church takes great care in Her use of the Sacred Vessels, Her ceremonies, and Her Sacred Music. All Catholics committed to traditional worship should be familiar with the encyclical of His Holiness Pope Pius XII on Sacred Music.

The subject of sacred music has always been very close to Our heart. Hence it has seemed appropriate to us in this encyclical letter to give an orderly explanation of the topic and also to answer somewhat more completely several questions which have been raised and discussed during the past decades. We are doing so in order that this noble and distinguished art may contribute more every day to greater splendor in the celebration of Divine worship and to the more effective nourishment of spiritual life among the faithful.

2. At the same time We have desired to grant what many of you, venerable brethren, have requested in our wisdom and also what has been asked by outstanding masters of this liberal art and distinguished students of sacred music at meetings devoted to the subject. The experience of pastoral life and the advances being made in the study of this art have persuaded Us that this step is timely.

3. We hope, therefore, that what St. Pius X rightly decreed in the document which he accurately called the "legal code of sacred music may be confirmed and inculcated anew, shown in a new light and strengthened by new proofs. We hope that the noble art of sacred music--adapted to contemporary conditions and in some way enriched--may ever more perfectly accomplish its mission.

4. Music is among the many and great gifts of nature with which God, in Whom is the harmony of the most perfect concord and the most perfect order, has enriched men, whom He has created in His image and likeness. Together with the other liberal arts, music contributes to spiritual joy and the delight of the soul.

5. On this subject St. Augustine has accurately written: "Music, that is the science or the sense of proper modulation, is likewise given by God's generosity to mortals having rational souls in order to lead them to higher things."

Click here to read Musicae Sacrae.

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Veni Sancte Spiritus (Pentecost Sequence)

  Gregorian chant notation from the Liber Usualis (1961), pp. 880-881. Latin lyrics sung by the Benedictine monks of Santo Domingo de Silos. 

Latin text

English version

Veni, Sancte Spiritus, et emitte caelitus lucis tuae radium. Veni, pater pauperum, veni, dator munerum veni, lumen cordium. Consolator optime, dulcis hospes animae, dulce refrigerium. In labore requies, in aestu temperies in fletu solatium. O lux beatissima, reple cordis intima tuorum fidelium. Sine tuo numine, nihil est in homine, nihil est innoxium. Lava quod est sordidum, riga quod est aridum, sana quod est saucium. Flecte quod est rigidum, fove quod est frigidum, rege quod est devium. Da tuis fidelibus, in te confidentibus, sacrum septenarium. Da virtutis meritum, da salutis exitum, da perenne gaudium,

Come, Holy Spirit, send forth the heavenly radiance of your light. Come, father of the poor, come giver of gifts, come, light of the heart. Greatest comforter, sweet guest of the soul, sweet consolation. In labor, rest, in heat, temperance, in tears, solace. O most blessed light, fill the inmost heart of your faithful. Without your grace, there is nothing in us, nothing that is not harmful. Cleanse that which is unclean, water that which is dry, heal that which is wounded. Bend that which is inflexible, fire that which is chilled, correct what goes astray. Give to your faithful, those who trust in you, the sevenfold gifts. Grant the reward of virtue, grant the deliverence of salvation, grant eternal joy.

Veni Sancte Spiritus, sometimes called the "Golden Sequence," is a sequence prescribed in the Roman Liturgy for the Masses of Pentecost and its octave, exclusive of the following Sunday (Trinity Sunday).  It is usually attributed to either the thirteenth-century Pope Innocent III or to the Archbishop of Canterbury Stephen Langton, although it has been attributed to others as well.

Veni Sancte Spiritus is one of only four medieval Sequences which were preserved in the Missale Romanum published in 1570 following the Council of Trent (1545-63). Before Trent many feasts had their own sequences.

This hymn is not to be confused with Veni Creator Spiritus, which (if said on Pentecost or New Years) remits the temporal punishment of sin (i.e. produces an indulgence)

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Catholicism in the Romantic Period of Music

This post continues where Catholicism in the Classical Period of Music left off

By 1830, the style of music had shifted again and the style of the Romantic period came into full bloom.  Lasting for seventy years until 1900, the Romantic Period was a further departure from the unequivocal Catholic music of the past; though for the most part, the music of the period was still acceptable.  After 1900, music began to quickly swirl into a downward decline as evident in the Rite of Spring in 1913.

Below is a summary of several key figures from the Romantic period and with them, selections of music appropriate for a Catholic's ears.  Keep in mind this is just a small selection of the many composers of the period.

Franz Schubert - Mass in G

Franz Schubert, despite living a short life that ended before 1830, had a tremendous impact upon the Romantic movement.  Johannes Brahms, for example, helped champion the work of Schubert after Schubert's death.

The Catholic Encyclopedia writes of him:

During 1811 and 1812 he produced many instrumental pieces, also a "Salve Regina" and a "Kyrie". He left the Choir School in November, 1812, and took up work as a schoolmaster in order to avoid conscription. His "First Mass in F" was finished on 22 July, 1814, and performed by the Lichtenthal choir under the direction of Holzer. Competent critics have pronounced this mass as perhaps the most wonderful first work by any composer save the case of Beethoven's "Mass in C". Schubert conducted the second performance at the Augustinian church on 26 October, his brother, Ferdinand, presiding at the organ. During the same year he produced a symphony and a "Salve Regina";, as well as some songs and instrumental pieces.

His famous "Erl King", dates from November, 1815, as does his "Mass in G" — wonderful for a boy of eighteen. His compositions for 1816 include a "Salve Regina", a "Stabat Mater", a "Tantum Ergo", and a "Magnificat", as also two symphonies, and some delightful songs including the "Wanderer". He conducted the music at high Mass at the Alterehenfelder church on Easter Sunday, 1820, and in the same year produced an Easter cantata and an opera. His productivity from 1821 to 1824 was enormous, "Rosamunde" and his "Mass in A flat" being of permanent value. His glorious "Ave Maria" dates from 1825, apropos of which he writes that at the time he was filled with overpowering devotion to the Blessed Virgin.

The three Shakespearean songs of 1826 are still of interest. In 1827 he was gratified with a eulogy from the dying Beethoven, whom he visited in his last illness, and whose remains he followed to the grave. He subsequently wrote an opera, a number of songs, and the second part of the "Winterrreise". Early in June, 1827, he was elected a member of the musical society of Vienna, and in 1828, produced his marvelous "Symphony in C", his "Mass in E flat", an oratorio, a hymn to the Holy Ghost, a string quartet, a "Tantum Ergo" in E flat, and a lovely "Benedictus".

His last appearance in public was on 3 November, 1828, when he went to hear his brother's new "Requiem": he died a fortnight later, and his obsequies were celebrated in the little Chapel of St. Joseph in Margarethen. On 21 November, the body was interred at Wahring, close to the grave of Beethoven, and on 23 December his solemn month's mind was celebrated in the Augustinian Church, when a "Requiem" by Huttenbrenner was performed. The corpse was re-interred in the central cemetery, Vienna, on 23 September 1888. Schubert produced a phenomenal amount of music, his songs alone numbering about six hundred and three.

Schubert died at the young age of 31 in 1828.  Over the course of his life, Schubert composed 2 Masses, 8 1/2 symphonies (the final one was half finished at the time of his death), and hundreds of songs.     Below is a playlist featuring his Mass in G.



Sir Edward Elgar - Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1

Despite living in England, Sir Edward Elgar was a Roman Catholic and not Anglican as many would incorrectly assume.  Edward was the fourth of seven children to William and Ann Elgar.  His mother, Ann, had converted to Catholicism shortly before Edward's birth, and Edward was baptised and brought up as a Roman Catholic, to the disapproval of his father, William.

For a number of years he was assistant to his father, William Elgar, as organist of St George's Roman Catholic Church, Worcester, and succeeded him for four years from 1885. During this period he wrote his first liturgical works for the Church, beginning with his three motets Op. 2 (1887) for four-part choir (Ave Verum Corpus, Ave Maria and Ave Maris Stella), and followed by a setting of Ecce sacerdos magnus for the entry of the Bishop on an official visit to St. George's in 1888.

Sir Elgar's wife was disinherited by her family for marrying a Roman Catholic.  But, Elgar remained a life long Catholic and a composer of beautiful music despite opposition.  He is well known and championed as the one to bring classical music back to England, since before him there were few prominent composers.  In fact, there had been a stretch of over a hundred years without such a prominent composer as Sir Edward Elgar in England.

Below is his well known Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1.



Conclusion

The Romantic Period also saw a rise in humanism and secularism.  For example, Johannes Brahms allegedly believed in no religion and was at best partial to Martin Luther.  This period, despite some great performances, existed in a culture that had grown further and further away from God and from the Church.

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Catholicism in the Classical Period of Music

This article continues where Catholicism in the Baroque Period of Music left off.

By 1750, the style of music produced by the world's greatest composers began to shift noticeably.  Prior to this time, the composer was typically employed by a member of a royal family or the Holy Church.  Composers produced beautiful and uplifting music that transcended even themselves.

Yet, by 1750 the composer was now being seen as a celebrity in his own right.  By this time it was not uncommon for the composer to be a traveling entertainer across Europe and even the greater civilized world.  And with the transformation in image and style, so too the music shifted from primarily religious to secular music.

However, the secular music of the time still stands in stark contrast to the so-called "music" of the present era.  At least the music of the Classical composers could rightfully be said to still seek the Good, True, and Beautiful.  And many composers still found time to compose great musical treasures for the Church.  The Classical period lasted until approximately 1830.

Below is a summary of several key figures from the Classical period and with them, selections of music appropriate for a Catholic's ears.

JC Bach and CPE Bach - Assorted Works

The father of both JC Bach and CPE Bach was none other than the famous Baroque composer JS Bach.  JS Bach had over 20 children, many of which became musicians and went on to compose pieces in the Classical Period (1750 - 1830) that would also become quite famous.   CPE Bach (b 1714 - d 1788) wrote over 50 orchestral pieces and over 100 chorale pieces. 

Below is his Magnificat in D Minor.



Joseph Haydn- Assorted Works

Were it not for the following two composers, Joseph Haydn (b 1732 - d 1809) may have become the most renowned composer of the Classical period.  Over the course of his life, he composed 50 piano sonatas, 20 operas, and 104 symphonies.  Some of Haydn's most famous pieces include his Symphony #45 (Farewell Symphony), Symphony #94 (Surprise Symphony), Symphony #101 (Clock Symphony), and his 104th Symphony, one of the Lond Symphonies and his last one written.

He is often called the "Father of the Symphony" and "Father of the String Quartet" because of his important contributions to these musical forms. 

It is inspiring to note that despite living in this Enlightenment period, Haydn was a devout Catholic who often turned to his rosary when he had trouble composing, a practice that he usually found to be effective. He normally began the manuscript of each composition with "in nomine Domini" ("in the name of the Lord") and ended with "Laus Deo" ("praise be to God"). 

Below is his The Heavens are Telling from the the Oratorio The Creation as sung by King's College, Cambridge.



Mozart and Beethoven- Assorted Works

What really could be said to add to the works of either Mozart or Beethoven?  Both are considered the two most well known composers in history.  Each has composed such a monumental number of pieces that to attempt a brief overview would do them both a great dishonor.  I simply wish to provide one video featuring Mozart's Coronation Mass and a second one featuring his Requiem Mass.  Both are among the great gems he has left to the Church.  May they be played for the honor of God in the context of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass widely and often!

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Catholicism in the Baroque Period of Music

With the onset of the Renaissance, the Western World saw not only improved medicine, transportation methods, and artwork but also music.  Before the Renaissance, the vast majority of music was developed within and for the Sacred Liturgy and the Divine Office.  Most notably among these forms was Gregorian Chant, the chants of the Orthodox Church, and Old Roman Chant.

In 1600 until approximately 1750, music changed yet at least for this period (unlike later periods), the vast majority of the music written was still written and performed for the honor and glory of God.  Later periods saw music become a form of entertainment and devoid of its divinely commissioned role in ordering our senses to understand and appreciate the true, good, and beautiful.

Below is a summary of several key figures from the Baroque period and with them, selections of music appropriate for a Catholic. 

Johann Pachelbel - Canon in D Major



Pachelbel's birthdate has been lost to history; however, his baptismal date of September 1, 1653, would seem to indicate that he was born in late August of the same year. Over the course of his life before his death in 1706, Pachelbel composed a large body of sacred and secular music, and his contributions to the development of the chorale prelude and fugue have earned him a place among the most important composers of the Baroque period.

The above piece features one of Pachelbel's chamber songs scored for three violins and basso continuo and originally paired with a gigue. When Baroque music faded from popularity in the middle of the 18th century, the works of Pachelbel were virtually forgotten until the middle of the 20th century. His Canon in D Major is one of his most recognizable pieces, and certainly a common piece at weddings in our present day.

Arcangelo Corelli - Christmas Concerto in G Minor



Born in 1653, Corelli would become one of Italy's most famous violinists during the Baroque Period. As with most of the greats in the development of music, his career in music began at an early age. By the age of 19, he was already renowned in Paris for his talent.

In 1685 Corelli was in Rome, where he led the festival performances of music for Her Royal Highness Queen Christina of Sweden. He was also a favorite of Cardinal Pietro Ottoboni, grandnephew of another Cardinal Pietro Ottoboni, who in 1689 became Pope Alexander VIII.

Corelli's contributions to the development of music extended beyond his compositions. His sphere of influence stretched far outside of Italy. Even Johann Sebastian Bach studied the works of Corelli.

Corelli composed 48 trio sonatas, 12 violin and continuo sonatas, and 12 concerti grossi. The piece above is taken from his Christmas Concerto in G Minor.

Johann Sebastian Bach - St. John's Passions





Much can be said of the great Johann Sebastian Bach. His influence far outreaches the previously two mentioned composers. Among those in the world today, Bach (next to Beethoven and Mozart) is one of the most widely known musicians. In the videos above, please listen to the beauty of his account of the Passion of our Lord According to St. John.

As a word of caution, when referring to Bach, refer to him either as JSB or Johann Sebastian Bach or JS Bach. JS Bach had over 20 children, many of which became musicians and went on to compose pieces in the Classical Period (1750 - 1830) that would also become quite famous. Among his children are JC Bach and CPE Bach. CPE Bach, for instance, wrote over 50 orchestral pieces and 100 chorale pieces!

George Frideric Handel - Zadok the Priest, Messiah





Born in 1685 and living until just after the end of the Baroque period, Handel is well recognized among Catholics who are familiar with sacred Advent music. His "Messiah" is one of the most widely performed pieces in Sacred concerts during Advent and for many families is a yearly tradition. The two pieces above are two of his most famous works and reveal the depth that Catholicism was rooted in music of the Baroque period. "Zadok the Priest" is so popular that is has been performed at every coronation of a king or queen ever since it was composed!

Antonio Vivaldi- Gloria



Antonio Vivaldi, one Fr. Vivladi, was a unique example of the union between the life Baroque composer and the life of a priest. Born in Venice, Vivaldi went on to be ordained a priest of the Holy Catholic Church.Vivaldi composed hundreds of instrumental pieces and is remembered for, among other works, his Four Seasons. The Four Seasons are regarded by some as the most recorded piece in all of classical music.

His Gloria, which is featured in the above video, is also one of his most famous pieces. The Gloria e Imeneo was originally written for the Nuptial Mass of His Royal Highness Louis XV.

Conclusion

The music of the Baroque Period was deeply united with a sense of the divine within music. Each of these composers not only wrote secular music, but each wrote music set aside solely for God's honor. Even the secular pieces they composed were constructed in a way to move the listener to a deeper sense of respect for the True, the Good, and the Beautiful.

Many of these pieces are available for purchase on Amazon.

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Stabat Mater

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Old Roman Chant

While many are aware that Gregorian Chant remains the official music of the Catholic Church, considerable attention should also be focused on Old Roman Chant.  To illustrate the style of Old Roman Chant, we begin with the following video of the Graduale of the Christmas Midnight Mass.

The encyclopedia Britannica describes Old Roman as "[a] repertory of liturgical melodies written in Rome between the 11th and the 13th century and discovered about 1890".  Staying true to its name, the chant originated and largely remained in use in Rome although there is some indication that it spread to central Italy and possibly the areas of present-day Great Britain and Ireland.  

Notably, Gregorian Chant and Old Roman Chant not only share similar melodic qualities but also the same liturgical texts.  For example, the video above of the Gradual chanted in Old Roman Chant uses the Gradual text which is commonly chanted using Gregorian Chant.  In fact, Gregorian Chant is closest to Old Roman Chant than to Ambrosian chant, Mozarabic chant, and Gallican chant.  It is believed that Gregorian Chant and Old Roman Chant split into different styles after 800 AD since the feast of All Saints, a later addition to the liturgical calendar, has markedly different chants in the two traditions.

Liturgica.com offers a good overview of Old Roman Chant:

The two principal positions regarding Old Roman Chant result from the fact that there are no manuscripts from before the 13th century that accurately and indisputeably represent the form, and thus (at best) accurately documenting the chant form would be a function of "oral tradition." What comprised Old Roman Chant tends to be seen two ways. What might be described as the “academic liturgical” view essentially begins with the thesis that the Roman chant that was completed by about 750 is inaccessible to us in its original form. Further, it is only the Roman chant that was transmitted to the Franks after 754 AD and was modified in significant ways by them (giving us what we know as Gregorian chant), that is accessible to us via extant manuscripts. In the Roman Catholic chant manuscript corpus, it is known that the five manuscripts labeled as “Old Roman Chant” are dated from the late 11th to the mid-12th centuries. Thus, by general agreement, the Old Roman and Gregorian sources each represent a development or modification of the same original, the Roman chant of around 750. Little, if anything, however, is said by proponents of this view about the nature of the liturgical chant sung in the Church of Rome up to that time and it is no surprise that their interpretation of Old Roman Chant sounds like a simplified Gregorian chant. Examples are recordings by Schola Hungarica.

In contrast, what might be described as the “historical reconstructionist” view begins with the common sense assumption that the early church exemplified a high degree of homogeneity, and therefore since early Christian music forms were based on older Greek music forms, it can be safely assumed that Old Roman Chant had its roots in, and probably sounded very similar to pre-Byzantine chant in the early church period. Most of the proponents of this understanding of Old Roman Chant have begun with the oldest manuscripts they have available, and informed by a variety of "extra-musical" datum, set out to try and recreate Old Roman chant--this is an undertaking akin to playing classical compositions on original instruments with the goal or recreating the original sound intended by the composer. In addition, this approach considers manuscripts outside the traditional Roman Catholic corpus to be valid, and since the earliest have notation akin to Byzantine notation, are not afraid to involve Byzantine musicologists to try to understand and recreate the sound. Thus it is no surprise that their interpretation of Old Roman Chant sound somewhat like early Byzantine chant. Examples are recordings by Marcel Peres and Ensemble Organum.

There are a couple major purveyors of reconstructed Old Roman Chant these days, notably Marcel Peres and Schola Hungarica. I would say that Marcel Peres is better because he uses exclusively male voices, which is more historically accurate. Here are some samples of Marcel Peres and his Ensemble Organum. 

More Information

• Apel, Willi (1990). Gregorian Chant. Bloomington, IN Indiana University Press. ISBN 0-253-20601-4. 
• Hiley, David (1995). Western Plainchant: A Handbook. Clarendon Press. ISBN 0-19-816572-2. 
• Hoppin, Richard (1978). Medieval Music. W. W. Norton & Company. ISBN 0-393-09090-6. 
• Wilson, David (1990). Music of the Middle Ages. Schirmer Books. ISBN 0-02-872951-X.

We conclude with a final video of "Qui habitat in adiutorio altissimi" chanted in Old Roman style. This prayer is taken from the Adoration of the Cross on Good Friday.

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Asperges Me

Before the principal celebration of Sunday Holy Mass, the Roman Catholic liturgy calls for a ritual sprinkling of the congregation with holy water, an act symbolic of the cleansing of their spirits to receive the Eucharist. During this liturgy act, in all seasons but Eastertide when the Antiphon is "Vidi aquam," the music chanted is the "Asperges me." The Holy Mass antiphon's texts are, in succession, "Asperges me," an invocation for the Lord's cleansing with the hyssop plant as used by the Israelites (Exod. 12:21-23; Lev. 14:4-6, 49-57)

Here is a video of a beautiful rendition of this prayer:



Here is a video of the Asperges me as performed in the context of a Mass:



In both of these videos note the importance of both the priest and the Faithful kneeling during the Glori Patri at mention of the Holy Trinity. According to the Catholic Encyclopedia: “The ceremony [of the Asperges me and the Vidi Aquam] has been in use at least from the tenth century, growing out of the custom of early antiquity of blessing water for the faithful on Sundays.”

Was the usage of the Asperges Me changed with the 1955 rubrics? No. As explained by a Fish Eaters poster named MagisterMusicae, "The text and rules for the Asperges did not change between 1945 and 1962. The only difference is that the in 1955 the Asperges was omitted for Palm Sunday (because of the blessing of the Palms). The Asperges is done a single time on Sunday preceding the Principal Mass (provided it is a Sung or Solemn Mass). It may not be duplicated unless local custom allows. This follows SRC Decrees 3268 and 4051."

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Excerpt from Tra le Sollecitudini on Sacred Music by Pope St. Pius X

On 22nd November, 1903, the Feast of St. Cecilia, St. Pius X issued his Motu Proprio Tra le Sollecitudini on Sacred Music:

22. It is not lawful to keep the priest at the altar waiting on account of the chant or the music for a length of time not allowed by the liturgy. According to the ecclesiastical prescriptions the Sanctus of the Mass should be over before the elevation, and therefore the priest must here have regard for the singers. The Gloria and the Credo ought, according to the Gregorian tradition, to be relatively short.

Via Traditional Vocations Blog

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March of Silveri

The blog The New Liturgical Movement had a truly inspiring piece on the March of Silveri.  This inspiring musical piece used to be played at the elevation in the old solemn Papal Mass.  I re-post from that blog these two videos.  The video illustrates at 2:55 the March of Silveri during the Mass of Coronation of John XXIII.  

The second video [now removed was] of the Evening Prayer Vigil held by His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI for the conclusion of the Year of the Priest.  You will notice at 63:15 that the March of Silveri can be heard on the arrival of the Blessed Sacrament to St. Peter's Square.  For me, it reminds me of the joy felt by the Israelites upon the return of the Ark of the Covenant to them.  This could very well be the first time in decades that the March of Silveri was played in the context of a Papal Liturgy.

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Lamentations for Holy Saturday

Today a great silence reigns on earth, a great silence and a great stillness. A great silence because the King is asleep. The earth trembled and is still because God has fallen asleep in the flesh and he has raised up all who have slept ever since the world began... ..He has gone to search for Adam, our first father, as for a lost sheep. Greatly desiring to visit those who live in darkness and in the shadow of death, he has gone to free from sorrow Adam in his bonds and Eve, captive with him -- He who is both their God and the son of Eve.. "I am your God, who for your sake have become your son... ...I order you, O sleeper, to awake. I did not create you to be a prisoner in hell. Rise from the dead, for I am the life of the dead." [Ancient Homily for Holy Saturday]

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The Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ according to St. John (in Gregorian Chant)

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