Order of priority for which parts of the Mass to sing

[Ahlman]

In Musicam Sacram from 1967, we read the following:

1. The distinction between solemn, sung and read Mass, sanctioned by the Instruction of 1958 (n. 3), is retained, according to the traditional liturgical laws at present in force. However, for the sung Mass (Missa cantata), different degrees of participation are put forward here for reasons of pastoral usefulness, so that it may become easier to make the celebration of Mass more beautiful by singing, according to the capabilities of each congregation.

These degrees are so arranged that the first may be used even by itself, but the second and third, wholly or partially, may never be used without the first. In this way the faithful will be continually led toward an ever greater participation in the singing.

1. The following belong to the first degree:

(a) In the entrance rites: the greeting of the priest together with the reply of the people; the prayer.

(b) In the Liturgy of the Word: the acclamations at the Gospel.

(c) In the Eucharistic Liturgy: the prayer over the offerings; the preface with its dialogue and the Sanctus; the final doxology of the Canon, the Lord's Prayer with its introduction and embolism; the Pax Domini; the prayer after the Communion; the formulas of dismissal.

1. The following belong to the second degree:

(a) the Kyrie, Gloria and Agnus Dei;

(b) the Creed;

(c) the prayer of the faithful.

1. The following belong to the third degree:

(a) the songs at the Entrance and Communion processions;

(b) the songs after the Lesson or Epistle;

(c) the Alleluia before the Gospel;

(d) the song at the Offertory;

(e) the readings of Sacred Scripture, unless it seems more suitable to proclaim them without singing.

Are these rules still valid? I know many parishes where the only parts sung at Mass are the ones belonging to group 3 (except for the readings). This seems a little upside-down. However, are you really obliged to sing for instance the greeting and collect in order to be able to sing the Kyrie and Agnus Dei?

 

[VociMike]

Yes, they are still valid - nothing has superceded them. And yes, a great many parishes have things exactly upside down.

 

[japhy]

Yeah, even though this document was promulgated before the 1969 liturgy, it was not abrogated or superseded. It’s still the way things should be!

 

[Ahlman]

The thing is, I would very much like to use Musicam Sacram to show people that you should give prior to sing the ordinary of the Mass rather than entrance, offertory, communion and recessional hymns. However, I find it hard to convince those people that this also means that all the presidential prayers has to be sung. In my parish, singing of the presidential prayers is usually what marks solemnities, and it simply would be strange if this was the first things to sing in an ordinary daily Mass. Are there any other sources than Musicam Sacram, writtan after the promulgation of the current missal, that mentions this?

 

[japhy]

Are there any other sources than Musicam Sacram, writtan after the promulgation of the current missal, that mentions this?

Music in Catholic Worship (a USCCB document), but it’s not authoritative and in some places blatantly opposes Musicam Sacram.

 

[benedictgal]

Music in Catholic Worship (a USCCB document), but it’s not authoritative and in some places blatantly opposes Musicam Sacram.

Sing to the Lord doesn’t fare much better. While it does manage to get the ordering right, it pretty much is a paper tiger as far as the other stuff is concerned. It was supposed to have promulgated Liturgicam Authenticam, but, as we well know, that never happened.