The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-04-15
POPE Leo ON
SACRED MUSIC.
His Efforts TO Restore Purity
Of GrsgoTian Chant.
AGAINST RkTlSB0N SCORE.
Work Was Never Official Although Its
Warm Friends Tried Very Hard 10
Create That Impression
AGAINST RAT|sB0A SCORE.

ly In Rome with regard TO the Gregorian
chant. Whoever is interested In sacred
music knows that in 1868 publisher at
Riatisbon obtained from the Sacred Con-
grcgation OF Rites a S0-year priyieg. for
the printing with the necessary additions
of a graduate which had appeared in
Rome In 1914 and 1915 from the Aledicean
press.
The privilege having expired on October
81, 1900. some declaration from Roman au-
thorities was expected for the current
year, and in order to obtain this powerful
Influences had been brought TO bear with
the object of obtaining a renewal OF the
favor. The object OF this campaign was
70 bring about that the books of the
chant in question, which. OF account ot
the faVors or the sacred ConErcga ton,
had been looked upon as official. should
be imposed upon all the churches OF
Rome, except the churches of the reli-
gious communities.
IL was hoped that these books which
had only been recommended and had been
used even In Rome itself IN only a very
small number of churches might be i'm
posed upon them as official.
Al the French college OF Santa Clara,
at the Benedictine college at SAINT An
pecially at the Sistine chapel which is
the choir of the Holy Father himself.
other versions were performed above all
those of the medieval manuscripts.
This fact shows that there was no OBJ
legation 10 make Use OF the books that
professed TO be official. as the reviews OF
sacred music drawing their inspiration
from Ratisbon insisted Besides, Cardi-
nal Rampolla decided in the same way i'm
favor OF liberty whom the French bishops
consulted him.
R.-.ISBoN BOOKS IN DIsFAyoR.
Already Cardinal Mazella. prefect OF
the sacred congregation OF rites, in an ad-
dress to his subordinates has declared
explicitly, with the recommendation To in
form and instruct on the point those
whom it concerns, that there never has
been any question of imposing the Medi-
cean books upon any one" This is not
able because II is not customary at Rome
10 give formal orders In such matters.
Those books, as has been shown, did
not deserve the honor OF serving to bring
about the unity OF liturgical chant
through the whole church. inasmuch as
according to the opinion OF all impartial
ard disinterested investigators the Ratis-
bon books hold a very unfavorable place
among had editions
When in 1883, after deep research. the
fher Pothier appeared, which for the first
time restored TO the Catholic world the
Gregorian chant, the study of liturgical
chant took on an astonishing develop
ment. end the Musical Palacography'' OF
the Benedictine fathers OF Solesmes pro-
Nided proofs drawn from authentic
sources that the chant of the middle ages
was one and the same everywhere. until
disfig Grcments were added 20 II bv the
ignorant persons OF the seventeenth CEN
tury.
Moreover. n has been discoveres-a fact
which was not known IN 1S6s-that there
are In existence few editions OF the litur-
gical chant which violate the fundamont-
az and essential laws Of the Gregorian
chant SO much AZ the Medcean does.
Why, then, knowing the faults. the de-
hciencios of this edition have tho defend
ers of the Medicean chant instead Of
holding off, undertaken this unworthy
campaign against those who nave made
a serious study OF the subject and do not
wish to approve of n bad book?
An attempt has been made To represent
these conscientious men as adversaries
of ecclesiastical authority Luckily the
truth has been shown. Many prelates.
cardinals OF the Roman cliria. and Others
AS well. have pronounced themselves
openly against that edition which was
made without the requisite preliminary
studies.
WORK rs NOT PALISTRINA.
There is another reason OF which - is
interesting To follow the development In
Mcdicean edition asserted that the hook
had been composed bv pslestrina the
great Roman composer who died in 1894
without completing his work
II was asserted that Palistrinas s manu-
script. completed by other musicians. was
nothing else than the Graduale of lsi5
Now. "a prelate of he Roman curia Mgr
Rospghi pontlficsl master of ceremonies
and later promoted 20 he secretary of Tho
sacred congregation of rites. attacked
this proposition and proved that II was
Msr Respighi replied successfully 10
the reicincrs of his adversary. The Ger
man writer's mode of argument disclosed
literary methods that were more than
strange and Mgr. Respighi gave him in
the Berlin Germania a lesson In literary
manners that was well deserved.
ed German, Father Raphael Molitor of
Beureu had been preparing for years "A
work f0snded upon documents from the
archives on the same question. His con-
illusions are Identical with those OF Mgr.
ReSpighi.
The FIRST volume Of the work. which an
title The Reform OF Piant-chsnt at
Rome. about 1900" The fact that tho re.
searches ~ two investigators working in
depeudently reached the same conclusions
OF the investigation.
Mgr. Respighi was therefore right In
a asserting that Palestrina was I'm no WAY
responsible for the doplorable Medicean
Graduate.
The pope's plan TO bring back the chant
Of the church 90 It's Gregorian form was
opposed by powerful influences In 1892
the Holy Father encouraged the defend
ers Of the GreRoriar chant on the occa-
sion of An academic meeting In honor OF
81 Gregory tho Great in Rome.
There the Holy Father blessed the
scientific Investigations which tended 10
''richiamara tlcantO gregoriano ALA sua
nntics purita -"restore the Gregorian
chant 60 its ancient purity delightful
reward for Gregorian investigators.
when later Perosi, appointed by the
Holy Father master of the Slstiue cha pel
introduced there the Cregorian chant =
little ~ bellion was stirred up among his
singers which only ended when tho Holy
Father approved formally the measures
taken by his maestrodicappelis.
POPE FztTeRs GREGeRHAN- -Mpsft.
But now tho Holy Father has again
been obliged to intervene In order 90 put
Hn end 10 the agitation proceeding from
without in favor ~ the Ratisbon chant
which II was desired to have declared ob.
ligatory in all secular churches
The plan seemed 10 be about % sue
coed, hut the cardinal vicar. Monsignore
Respighi. claimed the right 80 decide
en qvestiels o. s4egtd mssig