pipe organ

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is there a CD that can be played before mass that has quiet pipe organ music?
That stuff our old organist use to do before mass to warm up and set the atmosphere while folks were praying?

Mike
 
I have the boxed set of Werner Jacob’s recordings of virtually all of Bach’s organ works. If you can tolerate the fact that Bach was the first preeminent musician of the Lutheran reformation, then this would most definitely fit your needs.

I just went to Amazon to make sure I spelt his name correctly. If you punch his name in the search window, it’s the first item that comes up.
 
There should not be recorded music being played during (or before, I think) Mass.
 
I don’t believe the GIRM speaks on this matter. So long as what’s recorded is tasteful and appropriate there shouldn’t be an issue. We’ve had recorded hymns to lead singing at my church when there’s been no musicians available (or known to be in the building).
 
MusicMan said:
I don’t believe the GIRM speaks on this matter. So long as what’s recorded is tasteful and appropriate there shouldn’t be an issue. We’ve had recorded hymns to lead singing at my church when there’s been no musicians available (or known to be in the building).
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Here is what one had to say about re-recoded music during the Mass:

ewtn.com/library/Liturgy/zlitur59.htm

One could certainly play the recordings prior to Mass however…
 
That is one professor’s analysis of the rubrics and documents related to liturgy. It is not liturgical law.

Unless forbidden, I can’t see an issue with using an appropriate recording as a prelude, or even to support congregational singing, so long as 1.) It’s appropriate music, 2.) It doesn’t overwhelm or overpower the congregation, and 3.) Every effort has been made to employ or recruit pastoral musicians.

And the thing of it is that 1.) and 2.) are concerns we need to have with live music.

I would encourage the OP to obtain the Werner Jacob set. So much good music from Bach is recorded there. I am so smitten by Bach’s Prelude and Fugue in C Major from the Little Preludes and Fugues that I had it at my wedding, and I program the wind band transcription every four years. I believe the Little Preludes and Fugues are on CD 16.
 
MusicMan said:
That is one professor’s analysis of the rubrics and documents related to liturgy. It is not liturgical law.

Unless forbidden, I can’t see an issue with using an appropriate recording as a prelude, or even to support congregational singing, so long as 1.) It’s appropriate music, 2.) It doesn’t overwhelm or overpower the congregation, and 3.) Every effort has been made to employ or recruit pastoral musicians.

And the thing of it is that 1.) and 2.) are concerns we need to have with live music.

I would encourage the OP to obtain the Werner Jacob set. So much good music from Bach is recorded there. I am so smitten by Bach’s Prelude and Fugue in C Major from the Little Preludes and Fugues that I had it at my wedding, and I program the wind band transcription every four years. I believe the Little Preludes and Fugues are on CD 16.
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I would not be too quick to downplay Fr. McNamara, especially since he was quoting authoritative documents of the Holy See. I would just as well not have recorded music and just go with live music. So far as I can tell, none of what Fr. McNamara quoted has been abrogated.

In fact, the same question came up about six years ago at an FDLC meeting. The secretary to the Bishops Committee on Liturgy (now Worship) told us that this was forbidden and should not be done. The same scenario that the OP raised was brought forth and the secretary said no.
 
MusicMan said:
That is one professor’s analysis of the rubrics and documents related to liturgy. It is not liturgical law.

Unless forbidden, I can’t see an issue with using an appropriate recording as a prelude, or even to support congregational singing, so long as 1.) It’s appropriate music, 2.) It doesn’t overwhelm or overpower the congregation, and 3.) Every effort has been made to employ or recruit pastoral musicians.

And the thing of it is that 1.) and 2.) are concerns we need to have with live music.

I would encourage the OP to obtain the Werner Jacob set. So much good music from Bach is recorded there. I am so smitten by Bach’s Prelude and Fugue in C Major from the Little Preludes and Fugues that I had it at my wedding, and I program the wind band transcription every four years. I believe the Little Preludes and Fugues are on CD 16.
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In this context they carry the exact same weight unless they have been abrogated. There are documents that control aspects of the Mass in addition to the GIRM. I suspect though that most priests and liturgists will not be able to footnote their positions as this priest did. Most will just be anecdotally aware that recorded music is a no-no at Masses.
 
That Q&A was answered by a University professor, and despite his credentials, it was not promulgated by the Roman authority. It has no force of law.
 
MusicMan said:
That Q&A was answered by a University professor, and despite his credentials, it was not promulgated by the Roman authority. It has no force of law.
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LOL!! :rolleyes:

Did you happen to note the sources he cited? The ones that were already “promulgated?”

Man, these discussions get laughable real quick – everyone’s an expert on the Church!
 
The sources he cited do not forbid the use of recorded music, with the exception of the citation of the Italian Bishop’s Conference. Fr. McNamara is drawing his own interpretation of what the documents say.
 
MusicMan said:
The sources he cited do not forbid the use of recorded music, with the exception of the citation of the Italian Bishop’s Conference. Fr. McNamara is drawing his own interpretation of what the documents say.
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He also cites the document promulgated by Pope Pius XII, or, are you going to discount that as well?
  1. The use of automatic instruments and machines, such as the automatic organ, phonograph, radio, tape or wire recorders, and other similar machines, is absolutely forbidden in liturgical functions and private devotions, whether they are held inside or outside the church, even if these machines be used only to transmit sermons or sacred music, or to substitute for the singing of the choir or faithful, or even just to support it.
    However, such machines may be used, even inside the church, but not during services of any kind, whether liturgical or private, in order to give the people a chance to listen to the voice of the Supreme Pontiff or the local Ordinary, or the sermons of others. These mechanical devices may be also be used to instruct the faithful in Christian doctrine or in the sacred chant or hymn singing; finally they may be used in processions which take place outside the church, as a means of directing, and supporting the singing of the people.
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This instruction has not been abrogated. While the documents in later years make exceptions for Masses with Children, that is the exception and not the norm.

The music must be live, not memorex. Are you also going to discount the fact that even the Secretary to the Bishops Committee on Liturgy also said that recorded music was not allowed?
 
As Fr. McNamara didn’t take significant opportunity to expound on Pope Pius’s Encyclical, I saw no point in reading it. However, with that being taken in to consideration, I agree with the position that there is a legal Church document forbidding recorded music during the liturgy. I don’t know if you are correct that subsequent documents have not abrogated it; I’ll have to take your word for it.

However, neither Fr. McNamara’s analysis nor Pope Pius’s Encyclical forbid a recording of music preceeding the liturgy, therefore allowing recorded organ music to be played as a prelude.
 
MusicMan said:
As Fr. McNamara didn’t take significant opportunity to expound on Pope Pius’s Encyclical, I saw no point in reading it. However, with that being taken in to consideration, I agree with the position that there is a legal Church document forbidding recorded music during the liturgy. I don’t know if you are correct that subsequent documents have not abrogated it; I’ll have to take your word for it.

However, neither Fr. McNamara’s analysis nor Pope Pius’s Encyclical forbid a recording of music preceeding the liturgy, therefore allowing recorded organ music to be played as a prelude.
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Consideration nothing. You are relying on your own interpretive powers to render the answer you want to believe – not the one the evidence leads us to.

Again I don’t think most priests would be aware of these documents. They would just know that it’s verboten to have pre-recorded at a Mass except under very specific conditions.

Pre-recorded music outside (before) the Mass? That’s entirely different but that’s not what we have been discussing in the past half-dozen postings.
 
If you’re going to cite a source, it best be complete. Fr. McNamara’s source was incomplete. If you are pointing to Pope Pius’s Encyclical as your evidence, cite that. Don’t give us a red herring and ask us to assume something.
 
It has been my experience in the past that getting to the point where you have no live musicians will often inspire those who would otherwise be reluctent to step up and do their part. Turn off the recordings for a few masses and see if someone doesn’t come out and say well I can play if no one else is going to…

Not to mention, you might be facing copyright issues with re-broadcasting someones pre-recorder music in too public a setting. That isn’t covered under the private use of your purchasing the recordings.
 
MusicMan said:
If you’re going to cite a source, it best be complete. Fr. McNamara’s source was incomplete. If you are pointing to Pope Pius’s Encyclical as your evidence, cite that. Don’t give us a red herring and ask us to assume something.
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Just because he promulgated it, that does not necessarily mean that it is an encyclical. The document comes from the former Congregation for Sacred Rites, now known as the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments.

You can find the link here:

adoremus.org/1958Intro-sac-mus.html

You are the one making the red herring statements. The Church has already given us an answer. We need to humbly submit ourselves to this response and obey it.
 
Original poster asked regarding recordings for playback “before Mass.” Since “before Mass” is specifically outside the liturgy of the Mass, there is no objection, prohibition, reprobation or whatever attached to such a practice either in canon law or the general instruction before mentioned, nor has any congregation on the liturgy forbidden it.
Now, will someone please suggest recordings of sacred music performed on pipe organ so that we may be finished with this.
Thank you one and all.

Brother Matthew
 
The document from 1958 actually says something rather interesting:
However, such machines may be used, even inside the church, but not during services of any kind, whether liturgical or private, in order to give the people a chance to listen to the voice of the Supreme Pontiff or the local Ordinary, or the sermons of others. These mechanical devices may be also be used to instruct the faithful in Christian doctrine or in the sacred chant or hymn singing; finally they may be used in processions which take place outside the church, as a means of directing, and supporting the singing of the people.
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It does not say, though, that it could necessarily be used in the manner that the OP is suggesting unless some sort of instruction on how to sing a particular piece is going to be made. To my knowledge, this section of the document has not been abrogated.
 
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