Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-02-05
ON CATHOLIC MUSIC
REV. FATHER HoLLY,s SERMON
AT HOLY TRINITY CHURCH.

Rev. Father Norman Holy. professor of
church music at the Dunwoody Seminary,
New York city, preached at the Church of
tie Holy Trinity, In Georgetown, yesterday
morning, and took as his subject the recent
changes which the supreme pontir has or
dered In the matter of the music to be used
In the churches. Father Holly Is consulter
to the pontifical commission for the Vatican
edition of the liturgical books, and the only
American among the thirty composing the
commission He has just returned from
Rome, where he was fully instructed by the
pope as to the details of the notifications.
rather Holly, during the course of his ad-
dress, said: The motu proprio or docu-
ment wherein the pope made known his
wishes regarding the changes is not a mere
expression of preference on the part of the
pontfn. but is the strict law of the church,
and has been SO since its PRONUNCIATION on
November %. 1903. While all churches are
expected to comply with its terms as soon
as possible, In the case of country churches
ana missions where 1t is impossible to get
male substitutes for the present fema e
choirs, the present conditions will be al
lowed to continue until circumstances per-
NIT a change"
Father Holly then set out the specific
changes ordered in the motu proprio. First,
is the exclusion from the music of the
mass, yesperS and Eenedicton all music OF
operate tendency, no matter what its form,
and. in the words of the pope, anything
written in imitation of Italian opera In
stead of the for!d masses of the Gounod
type, there will be sung the chant, which
was once the only style of music allowed
in the church.
Continuing, Father Holly said that the
action of the pope was not an innovation,
but is n return to the forms of music that
for rod nfV in a
Ices Of the church, and were not abandoned
until the sixteenth century. The music to
be used is In the style known as the Gre
gorian chant, after Pope Gregory I, who
lived in the beginning of the seventh cen
fury. He Is not the composer or inventor,
but in recognition of his great work in sys-
tematiZing the music of the church the
chant later adopted was called in his honor.
Women to Be Excluded.
Father Holly said: ''The pope was positive
that women should be excluded from the
choirs and that hereafter only male voices
will be heard. The pope expressed the de-
sire that boys with treble voices be used
in those parts instead of men with falsetto
voices, and to this end he urged the estab
lishment of schools for the training of
choir boys
1.-The pope DESIRES" said Father Holly,
that congregational singing be introduced.
and that the congregation should join in
the responses at nlgn mass just as the
choir is accustomed to do now At beie-
diction they will be expected to join even
in those hymns sung by the choir which
are integral parts of the service.
"Stin another change is the exclusion of
all musical instruments, except the organ,
from the services Especially will this
rule be enforced in the case of brass tn
struments and those operated by percus-
sion, like the cymbals and drum. Soft
toned instruments may be permitted, II
application to use them lis made to the
bishop, and that dignitary approves. But
such permission cannot be general. Per-
mission must be asked on each occasion
when the use of the instrument is de-
sired OF course. the organ Is not in
cluded in this prohibition. Its use is much
favored by the pope"
Father Holly said In conclusion: THE
music of the church wilt be restored to the
position 1t occupied 300 years ago, where il
can best assist the service. While the pope
will grant reasonable time for the changes,
1t Is mistake to believe that he will not
stand firmly by his position and compel all
churches that can afford It to adopt the
new system.