Instrumental music, communion chant

[YoungTradCath]

Instrumental music alone does not licitly replace the communion chant, does it? I don’t think so. I ask because for the past two weeks, my parish has for some reason only been doing a very treacly, awful piano piece. Our organist has unfortunately PCSd (military town) and we do not yet have a replacement. There are no lyrics sung to accompany this awful piano piece, which I lament. Even though we have no organist, that is no excuse for not having a lyrical piece, because such does not rely on any instrument, so I do not understand this current situation here.

=p

 

[Cat]

Instrumental music alone does not licitly replace the communion chant, does it? I don’t think so. I ask because for the past two weeks, my parish has for some reason only been doing a very treacly, awful piano piece. Our organist has unfortunately PCSd (military town) and we do not yet have a replacement. There are no lyrics sung to accompany this awful piano piece, which I lament. Even though we have no organist, that is no excuse for not having a lyrical piece, because such does not rely on any instrument, so I do not understand this current situation here.

=p

You’re talking about an OF Mass, right?

Yes, I’m pretty certain that instrumental pieces (meditations) can replace a hymn or chant during Holy Communion.

I’m certainly no expert on liturgy, but I know that our diocese is considered very conservative and that the bishop has made it his business to make sure that the OF Masses are celebrated correctly according to the rubrics and reverently.

Over the last eight years at various Masses, I have been asked by the priest to merely play something on the piano, rather than having a congregational hymn, during Holy Communion. I’ve also been asked by liturgical directors to do this. It’s not something that is done every Mass–usually we have a congregational hymn. But there are certain Masses where it is difficult for the congregation to sing a hymn, and this option is apparently allowed.

I have also heard it done by the organist in our parish, who is very knowledgeable and experienced.

I know a lot of people who really like instrumental music during Holy Communion because they would prefer to pray quietly during Holy Communion, especially after they have received the Lord. Some people find it distracting to have to sing during Holy Communion. I like instrumental music during Communion.

I would suggest that you ask the pianist about the piece that they are playing. You are calling it treacly, but perhaps if you knew the title, context, and words (if there are any), you would have a different reaction.

It is somewhat difficult for a pianist to find music appropriate for meditation during Communion. So much of sacred piano music is not meditative. Much of the classical music is “secular;” e.g., Mozart or Mendelssohn, or “theatrical” (e.g., music that is part of an opera).

A pianist can play Bach, but believe it or not, there are many many Christians who find Bach “nervous” or jangling. My husband is one of these. I tend to agree with him when Bach is played on a piano–it doesn’t have the same “holy” feeling that it has on an organ or with other Baroque instruments.

Also, Bach music is difficult. Even the elementary two-part inventions (which are strictly secular–they were meant to be exercises for children) are hard enough that the average pianist would not sit down and play them in church without some serious practice!

I have not had a lot of luck finding good piano transcriptions of Catholic hymns. I’ve heard other pianists play them during Mass, but as preludes or postludes, not Communion meditations. Again, piano pieces tend to be kind of "loud’ for Holy Communion.

I have about six arrangements of hymns or classical pieces (religious) that I use when asked to play during Holy Communion. Thankfully this doesn’t happen to me very often, so those six pieces keep get recycled, and hopefully no one minds!

Good luck finding a replacement organist. Pretty rare these days.

 

[YoungTradCath]

Yes, I quite like instrumental music during Holy Communion and might even prefer it if it was allowed. (Although I probably wouldn’t advocate for it nevertheless as this hasn’t been part of the Roman tradition)

But this seems to be the governing law for the Communion Chant in this country, GIRM 87:

In the Dioceses of the United States of America, there are four options for singing at Communion: (1) the antiphon from the Missal or the antiphon with its Psalm from the Graduale Romanum, as set to music there or in another musical setting; (2) the antiphon with Psalm from the Graduale Simplex of the liturgical time; (3) a chant from another collection of Psalms and antiphons, approved by the Conference of Bishops or the Diocesan Bishop, including Psalms arranged in responsorial or metrical forms; (4) some other suitable liturgical chant (cf. no. 86) approved by the Conference of Bishops or the Diocesan Bishop. This is sung either by the choir alone or by the choir or a cantor with the people. However, if there is no singing, the antiphon given in the Missal may be recited either by the faithful, or by some of them, or by a reader; otherwise, it is recited by the Priest himself after he has received Communion and before he distributes Communion to the faithful.

=/

Btw, the parish is going to very soon pay for organ lessons for a young man and woman.

 

[Transformer]

In the Dioceses of the United States of America, there are four options for singing at Communion: (1) the antiphon from the Missal or the antiphon with its Psalm from the Graduale Romanum, as set to music there or in another musical setting; (2) the antiphon with Psalm from the Graduale Simplex of the liturgical time; (3) a chant from another collection of Psalms and antiphons, approved by the Conference of Bishops or the Diocesan Bishop, including Psalms arranged in responsorial or metrical forms; (4) some other suitable liturgical chant (cf. no. 86) approved by the Conference of Bishops or the Diocesan Bishop. This is sung either by the choir alone or by the choir or a cantor with the people. However, if there is no singing, the antiphon given in the Missal may be recited either by the faithful, or by some of them, or by a reader; otherwise, it is recited by the Priest himself after he has received Communion and before he distributes Communion to the faithful.

I strict reading of the GIRM, as YoungTradCath said, would seem to exclude instrumental music at Communion, but I’m not actually sure that’s the correct reading. Would it be illicit if, for instance, the cantor sang the text of the Communion Chant, taking about 15 seconds, and then an instrumental was played? I feel like we need someone with more expertise in this thread.

I know a lot of people who really like instrumental music during Holy Communion because they would prefer to pray quietly during Holy Communion, especially after they have received the Lord. Some people find it distracting to have to sing during Holy Communion. I like instrumental music during Communion.

This is one fact that makes it so ideal to have the schola sing the Communion Chant itself. Having to sing yet another hymn at this particular point in the Mass is often taxing on a congregation.

 

[YoungTradCath]

I strict reading of the GIRM, as YoungTradCath said, would seem to exclude instrumental music at Communion, but I’m not actually sure that’s the correct reading. Would it be illicit if, for instance, the cantor sang the text of the Communion Chant, taking about 15 seconds, and then an instrumental was played? I feel like we need someone with more expertise in this thread.

This is one fact that makes it so ideal to have the schola sing the Communion Chant itself. Having to sing yet another hymn at this particular point in the Mass is often taxing on a congregation.

Well, no, that would not be illicit since the solo instrumental music can technically be covered as being an extension of the lyrically-“covered” instrumental music.

I agree with your second point.

 

[sacredcow]

wow…this is great that you are taking such an interest…have you spoken to the pastor? I have found it quite beautiful to chant songs acapella, especially the older ones that most people know. All you need is a pitch pipe or hit an organ or piano key to get started.

Even if you are not the greates singer, I am sure you could at least get a song started.

 

[MarkThompson]

Instrumental music alone does not licitly replace the communion chant, does it? I don’t think so. I ask because for the past two weeks, my parish has for some reason only been doing a very treacly, awful piano piece. Our organist has unfortunately PCSd (military town) and we do not yet have a replacement. There are no lyrics sung to accompany this awful piano piece, which I lament. Even though we have no organist, that is no excuse for not having a lyrical piece, because such does not rely on any instrument, so I do not understand this current situation here.

=p

I do not think you are looking at it in quite the correct fashion. Instrumental music is not “replacing” the antiphon or hymn; rather, no antiphon or hymn is being sung at all, and instrumental music is simply being played to cover the silence. Thus, while it is true that there is no express permission to “replace the communion chant” with instrumental music, it is permitted not to sing anything in the first place, and there is a general permission to fill silence with appropriate instrumental music. This latter point is demonstrated both by the existence of negative prohibitions on playing instrumental music at such times as the consecration, which would have been unnecessary were instrumental music generally prohibited except where expressly permitted, and also by a good sense of liturgical continuity – as we (ought to) know, covering silence with instrumental playing is a longstanding tradition in the Latin Mass, and there is no reason to think that this practice would be abrogated in modern times.

Incidentally, Sing to the Lord (¶ 193) observes that during Communion “Instrumental music may also be used to foster a spirit of unity and joy.”

 

[YoungTradCath]

I do not think you are looking at it in quite the correct fashion. Instrumental music is not “replacing” the antiphon or hymn; rather, no antiphon or hymn is being sung at all, and instrumental music is simply being played to cover the silence. Thus, while it is true that there is no express permission to “replace the communion chant” with instrumental music, it is permitted not to sing anything in the first place, and there is a general permission to fill silence with appropriate instrumental music. This latter point is demonstrated both by the existence of negative prohibitions on playing instrumental music at such times as the consecration, which would have been unnecessary were instrumental music generally prohibited except where expressly permitted, and also by a good sense of liturgical continuity – as we (ought to) know, covering silence with instrumental playing is a longstanding tradition in the Latin Mass, and there is no reason to think that this practice would be abrogated in modern times.

Incidentally, Sing to the Lord (¶ 193) observes that during Communion “Instrumental music may also be used to foster a spirit of unity and joy.”

Can you point me to a reference that allows the dispensation of singing some sort of song or saying of the communion antiphon?

 

[MarkThompson]

Can you point me to a reference that allows the dispensation of singing some sort of song or saying of the communion antiphon?

Now that I think about it, I suppose the minimum technically required is for the priest to speak the Communion antiphon. (I’m not sure he even has to do it in an audible voice, but presumably so.) Unfortunately, I think most people have always found “spoken antiphons” to be quite lame – random, disconnected psalm verses which are over practically before they’ve started, and have no sort of introduction, no conclusion, no “amen,” and nothing for the people to do. I suspect this is why the practice of “saying the communion antiphon” never caught on anywhere, and frankly we are probably better off for it. Better to retain liturgical continuity with the TLM by having the antiphon only said inaudibly unless it is sung. At my parish we sing the proper Communion antiphon from the gradual, but all in all I’d have to say that I’d much rather it be omitted entirely (or said inaudibly) than just spoken to the congregation. Hopefully they will eventually correct the GIRM to reflect this, as being both better liturgy and already the overwhelming practice (sensus fidei, I suppose).

At any rate, you are right, I believe, that omitting the three seconds of speaking the verse is technically incorrect. This still has nothing at all to do with the instrumental music; the issues simply aren’t connected.

 

[YoungTradCath]

Now that I think about it, I suppose the minimum technically required is for the priest to speak the Communion antiphon. (I’m not sure he even has to do it in an audible voice, but presumably so.) Unfortunately, I think most people have always found “spoken antiphons” to be quite lame – random, disconnected psalm verses which are over practically before they’ve started, and have no sort of introduction, no conclusion, no “amen,” and nothing for the people to do. I suspect this is why the practice of “saying the communion antiphon” never caught on anywhere, and frankly we are probably better off for it. Better to retain liturgical continuity with the TLM by having the antiphon only said inaudibly unless it is sung. At my parish we sing the proper Communion antiphon from the gradual, but all in all I’d have to say that I’d much rather it be omitted entirely (or said inaudibly) than just spoken to the congregation. Hopefully they will eventually correct the GIRM to reflect this, as being both better liturgy and already the overwhelming practice (sensus fidei, I suppose).

At any rate, you are right, I believe, that omitting the three seconds of speaking the verse is technically incorrect. This still has nothing at all to do with the instrumental music; the issues simply aren’t connected.

Yes, that is my point, I think if nothing is sung then it is required for the priest to say the Communion antiphon from the Missal.

I vehemently disagree with your assigned value of speaking the communion antiphon if nothing is sung. I believe it is very important to have something said if nothing is sung, for it preserves the textual flow and integrity of the liturgy, while also making sure that the priest actually knows that the communion antiphon actually exists, because I’m not too sure very many priests even have a clue what Propers are. However, if you’re criticizing the format of the OF communion antiphons in the Missal versus the Gradual, then I would tend to agree. I think it’s rather pointless to have two kinds. It took me a while to even understand why, and while in principle I suppose there’s nothing wrong with it, in practice it just doesn’t work well. But I don’t advocate having an introduction or conclusion–that wouldn’t make much sense for a Proper antiphon or anything of musical nature, even if only said–nor do I advocate having the people do something “just because.”

But anyways, at Low Mass the Communion antiphon is said aloud. Is it not?

And I don’t even want to get into the music discussion past this, oh God please save us…

 

[pnewton]

I strict reading of the GIRM, as YoungTradCath said, would seem to exclude instrumental music at Communion, but I’m not actually sure that’s the correct reading.

If we read it strictly, then it preclulded neither instrumental music or silence. If it precludes one, it precluded the other. Note that it gives options for singing only, not for the* time* during communion.

 

[YoungTradCath]

If we read it strictly, then it preclulded neither instrumental music or silence. If it precludes one, it precluded the other. Note that it gives options for singing only, not for the* time* during communion.

My point is that something has to be sung, or, if there is nothing sung, said, at Communion time.

 

[TypesAndShadows]

In my parish, in a Mass where nobody is providing music or at least not music over Communion, a random brave parishioner usually starts clearly reading the appropriate antiphon (which are printed, along with the Responsorial Psalm, in the parish bulletin distributed as we enter), and most people typically join in once they realise what’s going on

Sometimes, the brave parishioner will start by saying “entrance antiphon” or “communion antiphon” as appropriate, and then start reading the verse from the bulletin. That gives everyone else a chance to get their act together and pick up their bulletin! I’m not sure how liturgically appropriate that is…

So, anyway, you could be that brave parishioner! You could start saying the communion antiphon before the music starts (although, I’d speak to your priest about whether he feels that is appropriate) and hope people join in.

 

[Cathryn]

In my parish, in a Mass where nobody is providing music or at least not music over Communion, a random brave parishioner usually starts clearly reading the appropriate antiphon (which are printed, along with the Responsorial Psalm, in the parish bulletin distributed as we enter), and most people typically join in once they realise what’s going on

Sometimes, the brave parishioner will start by saying “entrance antiphon” or “communion antiphon” as appropriate, and then start reading the verse from the bulletin. That gives everyone else a chance to get their act together and pick up their bulletin! I’m not sure how liturgically appropriate that is…

So, anyway, you could be that brave parishioner! You could start saying the communion antiphon before the music starts (although, I’d speak to your priest about whether he feels that is appropriate) and hope people join in.

Yes, this is what we do. According to the rubrics one or some of the people at Mass read it. We don’t announce it. We just read it immediately after the priest finishes his Communion. If no one reads it the priest must read it aloud.