New-York tribune., 1920-06-13

creasing. The present attempt to re-
store congregational singing will not
be objected to by the Holy See, as the
women form part of the congregation.
This is where they may be of the ut
most use. They may not form part of
the official choir any more than they
can be servers at the altar. At a low
mass the congregation should make
all responses, ETC., with the server,
the people. This is permissible, al
though many churches are now teach
ing their congregations to say the
Kyre, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus and
Agnus Del, as we'll as all responses at
all low masses, the server thus lead
ing the people Alright and not becoming
their sponsor. In the same way the
official choir should lead the people to
sing and not sing for them.
"The present Pope, like his preds-
cessor, also objects to mixed choirs.
The introduction Of mixed choirs
forms part of the history Of the de-
cadent period of church music. They
made their appearance with the secu-
teenth and succeeding centuries and
must have saved the choirmaster con-
siderable trouble, although l have
heard such masses given better by a
male choir of men and boys than by a
mixed choir. Brompton Oratory is
one of many instances where this has
prevailed | remember Richard Strauss
remarking that the music at Brompton
Oratory was the best in Europe.
The congress has accomplished
many things, but it is merely be-
ginning. It has shown that all con-
gregational singing must be in unison
zone heart, one mind and one voice
glorfying God") and that the best uni
sonous music is that known as Gre
gorian music, which comes from the
age of melody and not Of harmony
BY the acceptance Of the ancient
not invented by the Solesmes Bene-
dictines, strangers may be brought
together and, without rehearsal, sing
, together as one.
1t is not expected that the con-
gregation should ever sing the vari-
able parts of the mass, known as the
introit, gradual, TRACT, alleluia, Of
fertory and commune, which change
every day and must be sung, as was
the case in olden times, by a specially
trained choir or 'schola.' These parts
are quite difficult and tax the skill of
experienced musicians.
At the Church of the Blessed Sac
rament there are nine paid singers
and each week we have to learn these
parts anew. This is equivalent to
learning so many new motets each
week, on par with Bach and his
Sunday cantatas.
The Ordinary or Common parts OF
the mass did not change for about a
thousand years, and the Sanctus, for
inc po1
day as on Easter Day. The Ferial
so-called, responses is another case in
point Not until the fifteenth century
or thereabouts, when the desire for
variety prevailed, owing probably to
the discovery Of diaphony and poly
phony, did any other forms of these
responses make their appearance, and
when they were, to all intents and
purposes the same, with few addi-
tional notes to "grace" the occasion OF
| a great feast, and now we have THREE
sets Of such responses. Naturally this
sort of thing discourages congrega-
tional singing more than aught else
So long as the Credo, for instance
was always the same there was nc
question but that the people would al
make their profession of faith at one
| and the same time. With the advent
ton is requested to worship in silence
Although we know have four credos
and until 1903 there was but one, i,
appears to me that the people should
have no serious difficulty in learning
them all, as they are syllable, save ir
! the amen.
We also have eighteen masses. AL
though the Church still speaks of 6
mass by the first words of the introit
such as 'Missa Cihavit,' 'Missa Re
quiem.' 'Mssa Statuit.' etc, we have
come>to speak of mass as applying tc
the Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, sanctus, etc
use the term mass, therefore. as com
monty accepted These eighteen masses
are quite easy to learn. but as the same
mass is used throughout Lent as ir
Advent, and ordinary Sundays have
| Mass XI, Eastertide Mass l, while
mass for the other solemn feasts car
be chosen from the many available,
see no reason why the people shoulc
| not be able to learn this small numbe,
| ~. a