The Recovering Choir Director

This recent article by László Dobszay – available in PDF format – has not yet made the rounds of Internet circulation; however, given the density of information, the incisive observations, and the proposals contained therein, it deserves to be given a wide reading. Most interesting are the proposals and solutions that he gives concerning a revival of Gregorian chant at even the smallest chapel, excerpted below.

At the moment, his proposed solutions concerning use of the vernacular within a strictly liturgical context would seem to be better suited for the 1970 Missal. However, others seem quite sensible to incorporate into both forms. His apologia for reviving the sung Office is not to be overlooked either.

1. We start from the fact that Gregorian chant is the natural musical language of the liturgy, that is, the music which was born in and from the liturgy, the sung liturgy itself. If it is to take “pride of place” within the liturgy, the entire relationship between music and rite needs essentially to be stood on its head. The task is not arbitrarily to stick some Gregorian pieces into the already mixed music material of the Mass. Rather, the Mass should be sung primarily on Gregorian tunes, and any other music should organically integrated into this texture. It is necessary to formulate a plan of how to celebrate the Mass (and other services) with Gregorian music, and how to fit any kind of other music to such a framework. I am not suggesting that only Gregorian chant should have a place in the Roman liturgy; but that the starting point should be, in principle, a celebration with Gregorian chant.

2. A scheme is needed, not only for cathedrals and other places of worship with large resources, but also for every Mass in every church. This scheme should not exclude the congregation from the liturgical chant.

3. Ideally, such a plan would find a way to incorporate as many items of the liturgy as possible. (I explained in my book, The Bugnini-Liturgy and the Reform of the Reform (Front Royal VA, 2003) that the alius cantus congruus permitted by the General Introduction of the New (Pauline) Missal is a compromise detrimental to such reform, indeed a “worm in the bud”. It is necessary that the Proper and the Ordinary could both be sung on all occasions: appending a sung Salve is not enough.)

The solution I propose is a graduated plan:

1. Concerning the tunes.

1.1. The simplest scheme is to recite the liturgical texts in recto tono (perhaps with an optional soft organ accompaniment?). An appropriate folk hymn can be attached to this.

1.2. Good reciting tones can also be adapted in the same way.

1.3. The best way forward for parish use is to adapt model-melodies, taking into consideration the nature of each liturgical function. Such would be: the responsorium breve in the case of responsorial parts; simple Office antiphon models in antiphonal parts; a few melismatic alleluia-refrains in the course of the
whole liturgical year with their verses sung to reciting-tones; three or four well-selected strophic tonus communis for hymns, sequences, and the like.

1.4. When a schola or good cantor is present, the “official” melodies could be attached to the simple tunes sung by the congregation.

1.5. A schola or cantor may sing some items with their specified tune from the Graduale or Antiphonarium Romanum. I would add that the “pentatonic” (Central-European) versions are easier than the “diatonic” ones (Graduale Triplex etc.); their melodic shapes are very clear, and easier to teach in a short time even to non-professional singers. They are also by no means inferior to the others in beauty, authenticity and spiritual value.

1.6. There are surely some churches where well-trained singers and congregations are able to sing several pieces or the full service according to the Graduale (Antiphonale) Romanum. The proposal concerning the pentatonic variants is also valid here.

1.7. If liturgical chant (Gregorian or composed on that model) is given a regular place in the main parts of liturgy, there would still remain opportunities for folk hymns or motets (or, indeed, polyphonic compositions written to the official liturgical texts).

2. Concerning the language:

2.1. Paragraph 36 (§2) of the Constitution declared by SC (my italics):

36. 1. Particular law remaining in force, the use of the Latin language is to be preserved in the Latin rites. 2. But since the use of the mother tongue, whether in the Mass, the administration of the sacraments, or other parts of the liturgy, frequently may be of great advantage to the people, the limits of its employment may be extended. This will apply in the first place to the readings and directives, and to some of the prayers and chants, according to the regulations on this matter to be laid down separately in subsequent chapters. Nevertheless steps should be taken so that the faithful may also be able to say or to sing together in Latin those parts of the Ordinary of the Mass which pertain to them.

Some additional remarks:

a) The majority of the translations now used in churches are both unconducive to worship and unsuitable for singing. New translations are needed, that, according the requirements of Liturgiam Authenticam, put the precise meaning of the sacred texts into the singers’ mouths, and in a biblical-liturgical style. Experience shows that the best base text for the biblical excerpts are the old traditional translations modernized to the necessary, minimal degree.

b) If Gregorian is regarded as a musical idiom, there is no obstacle to adapting it to different languages. Naturally, the sacred text should not be adapted to the music, but vice versa. A new variant of the Gregorian music would thus emerge, and also a style of music in the given mother-tongue. Since Gregorian is not only a repertory and a musical language, but also an exemplar, the possibility should therefore not be excluded that it may inspire new compositions akin to it. (The definition of the
requirements of such compositions may be the object of another paper.)

c) The use of the vernacular is reasonable, first of all, in the chants of the Proper. There is no difficulty attached to learning, singing and understanding the few items of the unchanged Ordinary in Latin. But Gregorian cannot have “pride of place” unless it is regularly used for the Propers.

d) The Propers for the Year contain several hundred pieces. They could be taken back into use only if, firstly, a relatively few model-melodies were adapted to all texts, and, secondly, if there was alternative provision for the use of a smaller collection of chants (primarily for congregations who are beginners in the singing of the liturgy); the pieces of this collection would be attached to the liturgical seasons (cf. Graduale Simplex), and thus the tradition of “Cantus per anni circulum” would not be lost.

2.2. The same Constitution which permitted in certain cases the use of vernacular, made it obligatory for the faithful to pray or sung all parts of the Mass pertaining to them in Latin. Accordingly, in parallel with vernacular chants for the Proper and Ordinary, it is mandatory for churches also to introduce the singing of responses and the Ordinary in Latin. Thus rules are needed for all churches to fix the frequency of usage of a Latin Ordinary. Though the Missa de Angelis is the most popular Latin ordinary (and its survival is desired), from the viewpoint of Gregorian traditions, and also that of pastoral expedience,. I would recommend rather the universal use of the Missa Mundi (Kyrie 16, Gloria 15, Sanctus-Agnus 18 of the Liber Usualis, plus the Ambrosian Credo).

2.3. In the presence of a schola or cantor a combination of Latin and vernacular may also be envisaged. There are good symbolic, liturgical and artistic reasons for the use of the Latin version side by side with the vernacular variant of the same piece. For example a Latin intonation before a vernacular introit makes plain that the given chant is the voice of the Church universal in space and time, but now resounding in a local church. Taking this further, the Latin version sung before or after a simple antiphon in the vernacular may enhance not only the liturgical, but also the artistic value of the service (e.g.: To Thee, o Lord… (simplex) – psalm verses… – To Thee, o Lord – doxology – Ad te levavi aninam meam (Graduale
Romanum).

2.4. If the canonical Latin texts are available in simple settings alongside their ornate melodies, a well-instructed congregation could join the singing of the Propers in Latin.

2.5. The combination of langugages was not unknown in the ancient church. In our days when there is no universal world language, this practice is still more desirable. Where a schola or a solo singer capable of higher artistic achievement is present, Latin items could be included in a liturgy mainly otherwise sung in the vernacular. (For example: before or after the congregation sings the Communion chant in a simple vernacular setting, it is given by the choir in its Latin version.) It would also be appropriate, if such Latin “insertions” were sung near the sanctuary (instead of in a gallery), and the singers wore liturgical vestments.

2.6. It should be obligatory for major churches (and, on exceptional days, also in smaller churches) for the full service to be sung in Latin with all the traditional chants for the relevant feast, while the translations are, of course, distributed.

More on this to follow, with some audio examples.