O
OraLabora
Guest
I guess to that I have to answer “yes… but”. We’re talking two different cultural traditions. And I believe the Latin Church has been her own worst enemy when it comes to chant.
First of all the system of codified chant that exists both post and pre-Vatican II isn’t that ancient, it dates to the late 19th Century as I mentioned above, the propers in particular. Second, creeping clericalism in the Church put us in a situation, by the mid-20th century, where the laity did not chant at all. The propers were chanted by the choir or schola, and the responses, by the altar servers. Only in dialogue Masses did the laity respond. And those weren’t, AFAIK, sung Masses. Those who chanted were those on their way towards becoming clergy, or were already clergy.
There are two aspects to Gregorian chant that need to be considered (as opposed to vernacular plainchant). One, a chorister needs to be able to read (if not comprehend) Latin quite fluently. Second, is the chant itself with its different notation system, its lack of metre, the need for all voices to blend into one: these are things that require learning and constant practice. A choir has to develop its voice. Again I’m talking propers, and more complex settings of the ordinary. Not the simple settings, nor the priests chanted parts which are much simpler.
Besides that is the pool of people available is not what it used to be. In the past, the altar servers, the choristers and the priest himself were often products of, or currently in seminary where it was taught from a young age. I imagine in the East, it is much more ingrained in the culture than the West where it was among the clerics. I went to Catholic school in Montreal in the 60s; before the new Mass was promulgated. None of us were ever taught even the slightest notion of chant My mother, born in 1918, never learned the slightest notion of chant even though she went to convent, , other than maybe a few adoration chants like Tantum Ergo. Why? No need for it for a laywoman. Many of our servers around here now are elderly adults… who never learned chant.
It really isn’t a Vatican II issue, but a clericalism issue, IMHO.
First of all the system of codified chant that exists both post and pre-Vatican II isn’t that ancient, it dates to the late 19th Century as I mentioned above, the propers in particular. Second, creeping clericalism in the Church put us in a situation, by the mid-20th century, where the laity did not chant at all. The propers were chanted by the choir or schola, and the responses, by the altar servers. Only in dialogue Masses did the laity respond. And those weren’t, AFAIK, sung Masses. Those who chanted were those on their way towards becoming clergy, or were already clergy.
There are two aspects to Gregorian chant that need to be considered (as opposed to vernacular plainchant). One, a chorister needs to be able to read (if not comprehend) Latin quite fluently. Second, is the chant itself with its different notation system, its lack of metre, the need for all voices to blend into one: these are things that require learning and constant practice. A choir has to develop its voice. Again I’m talking propers, and more complex settings of the ordinary. Not the simple settings, nor the priests chanted parts which are much simpler.
Besides that is the pool of people available is not what it used to be. In the past, the altar servers, the choristers and the priest himself were often products of, or currently in seminary where it was taught from a young age. I imagine in the East, it is much more ingrained in the culture than the West where it was among the clerics. I went to Catholic school in Montreal in the 60s; before the new Mass was promulgated. None of us were ever taught even the slightest notion of chant My mother, born in 1918, never learned the slightest notion of chant even though she went to convent, , other than maybe a few adoration chants like Tantum Ergo. Why? No need for it for a laywoman. Many of our servers around here now are elderly adults… who never learned chant.
It really isn’t a Vatican II issue, but a clericalism issue, IMHO.
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