New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-08-28
GREG0RIAN STUDIES.
Difficulties Thai Threaten - TIE
Roman and Benedictine Uses.


and choirmasters of the Catholic churches, not Only
in this country. but al the world, concerning
the practicabnIty of The reformatory measures
which Plus Y has prescribed in the matter OF the
hturgic music OF the Roman church. This skep-
tcism attaches quite IS much to the performance
Of the ancient plain song as 10 che artistic music
which the papai Instructions expressly authorise
in the ordinary of the nIass and In other places.
The service which the Pope seems TO have had
in view is an ideal one but IL is doubtful il hum
dred churches could be found in all ChrIstendon
wealthy enough to maintain the extensive institu-
tons essential its realization. In it's perfect
estate it would that the variable portions OF
the mass Go confne ourselves to the i'm
portant HturgicaI office would be sung correctly
and beautifully according to the ancient codces.
and the ordinary Cbut with the changes demanded
by the various feasts) in the music written by
masters OF the Palestrina school Now. so far as
artistic music is concerned. it will be banned in
more than nine-tenths of the Catholic churches
throughout the world If the prohibition against
women as choristers is adhered TO. Only in choir
schools Ike those maintained by the English ca
thedrals can boys be trained who shall be capabIs
OF singing the compositions of the masters in the
a capelia' style Whether this music is by Pal
estrina himself by his feeble imitators who came
INTO prominence for brief space by reason OF ths
Cecilian movement OF a generation ago makes
little difference, That fact was recognized by tina
leaders OF the CeciIan Society who. when Piux TX
followed his predecessors of centuries and set tho
example which his successors also have followed
took what may be described as the inevitable and
popular side. Whatever they may have thoughe
from a dosmatic point of view as to the right OF
women to sing Hturgical music. they did not urge
the contention which Ptux x has urged. but
tented themselves with attempt to Danish frivo-
Ious and profane music (operatic echoes and ths
hke) from the sanctuary and correct abuses of IN.
Hturgcal text The efforts of Piux TX were fruitful
or good. but the results were not permanent There
Is nothing strange in this; hstory-the history OF
more than thousand years-has only repeated it
self The number OF efforts which have been pue
rorth TO reform the musical service the Catholio
Church cannot be told They go back as far as
the fourth century at least and have seen
that the only act relating to the musical portion
Of the service the part of the cauouized Pope
who Is generally credited with the establishment OF
the body Of sacred song which his latest successor
would Ike to see restored to restrict severely
the musical practice OF the celebrant at the altar
The Church has but followed the way OF the world.
which Is to demand and get what it wants
II the introduction of such artistic music as has
the sanction OF Plus X and the Sacred Congre-
cation of Rites is practically impossible to the
Church at large COR. If not impossible. undesira-
LIE IN the eyes of many musicians the only alter
native left is full of difficulties that are all but in
sUrmountable. This alternative is the adoption OF
the Gregorian chant for all the service+for the
ordinary as well as the proper OF the mass and for
yespers. Here it will surprise many to learn the
difficulty is scarcely smaller for the priest than for
the assisting ayman- Oficiants organists choir
masters and singers have all been duu1founded by
the decree that henceforth (that is. until another
Pope reverses PiuX y or he reverses HIMSELF the
official chant Of the Church shall be not that most
widely used for the last three hundred years, bug
that which the Benedictine monks with Infinite
pains have recovered from the ancient goddess 1t
is because of this feature in the new regulations
that we hear OF the meeting of a GregOrian Con-
sress; of priests from many cities making pill
grimage to Rome TO learn from headquarters what
It IS that is wanted and how to meet the want
OF projected visits TO the United States of Bene-
dictine monks to instruct priests at special sum
mer schools; and. TO cap the climax of a gramo-
phone to record and repeat the performances OF a
Gregor!an mass as 1t was sung before the Gre
goriaE Congress.
Heretofore the careless world has been permitted
to believe that the Gersorian chant univer-
sally the same. Whence then this disturbance?
Is there so great difference between the use which
has obtained for centuries and that which Piux y
has commanded in the Notu Proprio of April p
Of this year? If what is the difrerence2 This
study IS attempt to answer these questions in
a popular way. the outset attention NAV bs
called to the singular fact (for singular il Is how
ever viewedD that while Piux y approves artist,
music of the kind that saved the Church
by Paestrina Gf the historical record is correct)
he in the next breath condemns that version the
Gregoriau chant which the PaIestrina was
helpful in introducing the Church at the
command; of a predecessor Of Plus \. To under
stand what is meant by this 1t is necessary to
review chapter of musical history which is
to be found in the handbooks.
There has never been a time when there was
exact uniformity either of liturgy or nturEicsI
music in the Church. Uses adapted to the wants or
tastes of different peoples. or different churches
among the same people. have always existed and
always been tolerated That there has always been
also desire Tor uniformity, and that the AntiDho-
nariCm Romanum. Incorrectly attributed to Greg
DRY the Great. is striking monument to such a
desire IS i1controvertble- For centuries however.
the lack of a universally Ineligible and definite
system OF notation made such uniformity inpos-
sib!e Ii was not until late in the eleventh century
that the Church chants were Transcribed in a man
uer that presented anything beyond their general
melodc contours To the trained reader. Before thar
time the notation but a system of rnnemoni,
hints. ingeniously devised or refresh the
memory OF a cauticle first learned by ear Fvsrv-
body knows how important q role the memory has
played in the preservation OF history. laws and
poetry; but everybody does not know that ages
after the invention Of writing the priests OF the
Roman Church We're Obliged To learn over a thou
sand chants. many of which were TO be sung but
once year. all with OILY such 2 memory help as
was found in the neUmes which have been men
toned in the preceding studies Of this series Here
is table of these neumes from old manuscript
which. since IL is arranged in verse. indicates thar
rhythm and metre had TO help the student IN the
Mfddle Ages TO remember the names OF the
symbols;
s.,.4... - 7.s.i.. As,..
r.s..s.,, So, C.. -, -