Gregorian: Pride of Place?

[Rocky8311]

What exactly does it mean when Sacrosanctum Concilium says that:

other things being equal, Gregorian Chant should have pride of place in the liturgy?

Both of the boldened statements are ambiguous to me. Thanks!

 

[mercygate]

What exactly does it mean when Sacrosanctum Concilium says that:

other things being equal, Gregorian Chant should have pride of place in the liturgy?

Both of the boldened statements are ambiguous to me. Thanks!

To my thinking this means that unless there is some big huge reason to avoid Gregorian Chant, it should be retained and used often in our liturgies. I would call this language not so much “ambiguous” as “flexible.” To use the condition “other things being equal” as an excuse to suppress Gregorian chant altoghter is disingenuous – at least that is how I read it.

 

[VociMike]

Nobody seems to know what “other things being equal” was intended to mean. I read it as “where possible”.

As to “pride of place”, I think Benedict XVI’s statement in Sacramentum Caritatis sums it up: "Finally, while respecting various styles and different and highly praiseworthy traditions, I desire, in accordance with the request advanced by the Synod Fathers, that Gregorian chant be suitably esteemed and employed as the song proper to the Roman liturgy."

Suitably esteemed and employed. That’s less than “exclusively esteemed and employed” but it’s more than “treated equally with all other musical styles”.

 

[VociMike]

To my thinking this means that unless there is some big huge reason to avoid Gregorian Chant, it should be retained and used often in our liturgies. I would call this language not so much “ambiguous” as “flexible.” To use the condition “other things being equal” as an excuse to suppress Gregorian chant altoghter is disingenuous – at least that is how I read it.

Yes, especially when the previous line says “The Church acknowledges Gregorian chant as specially suited to the Roman liturgy”. (underline added)