Sacred vs. non-sacred music during mass

[sheri_g]

My daughter has been invited to play the piano during Thanksgiving mass. The music director wants her to play Beethoven’s 7 Variations on God Save the King (the tune is the same as My Country Tis Of Thee but there won’t be any singing) during the collection. I recently found out elsewhere that music that isn’t “sacred” isn’t supposed to be played during the mass. Does anyone know what the definition of “Sacred Music” is? I don’t want her to play if this would be a liturgical abuse.

 

[just_4_him]

sheri g.:

My daughter has been invited to play the piano during Thanksgiving mass. The music director wants her to play Beethoven’s 7 Variations on God Save the King (the tune is the same as My Country Tis Of Thee but there won’t be any singing) during the collection. I recently found out elsewhere that music that isn’t “sacred” isn’t supposed to be played during the mass. Does anyone know what the definition of “Sacred Music” is? I don’t want her to play if this would be a liturgical abuse.

This is a difficult question because the more recent guidance has muddied the waters. A recent cyrograph allows for a wide range of musical expression that does not meet the Tradition of sacred music.

Musicae Sacre vatican.va/holy_father/pius_xii/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-xii_enc_25121955_musicae-sacrae_en.html

does an excellent job explaining the purpose and goals of all musical and artistic expression within the liturgy. MS 30-34 may help you with your decision.

1. These laws and standards for religious art apply in a stricter and holier way to sacred music because sacred music enters more intimately into divine worship than many other liberal arts, such as architecture, painting and sculpture. These last serve to prepare a worthy setting for the sacred ceremonies. Sacred music, however, has an important place in the actual performance of the sacred ceremonies and rites themselves. Hence the Church must take the greatest care to prevent whatever might be unbecoming to sacred worship or anything that might distract the faithful in attendance from lifting their minds up to God from entering into sacred music, which is the servant, as it were, of the sacred liturgy.
2. The dignity and lofty purpose of sacred music consist in the fact that its lovely melodies and splendor beautify and embellish the voices of the priest who offers Mass and of the Christian people who praise the Sovereign God. Its special power and excellence should lift up to God the minds of the faithful who are present. It should make the liturgical prayers of the Christian community more alive and fervent so that everyone can praise and beseech the Triune God more powerfully, more intently and more effectively.
3. The power of sacred music increases the honor given to God by the Church in union with Christ, its Head. Sacred music likewise helps to increase the fruits which the faithful, moved by the sacred harmonies, derive from the holy liturgy. These fruits, as daily experience and many ancient and modern literary sources show, manifest themselves in a life and conduct worthy of a Christian.
4. St. Augustine, speaking of chants characterized by “beautiful voice and most apt melody,” says: “I feel that our souls are moved to the ardor of piety by the sacred words more piously and powerfully when these words are sung than when they are not sung, and that all the affections of our soul in their variety have modes of their own in song and chant by which they are stirred up by an indescribable and secret sympathy.”[17]
5. It is easy to infer from what has just been said that the dignity and force of sacred music are greater the closer sacred music itself approaches to the supreme act of Christian worship, the Eucharistic sacrifice of the altar. There can be nothing more exalted or sublime than its function of accompanying with beautiful sound the voice of the priest offering up the Divine Victim, answering him joyfully with the people who are present and enhancing the whole liturgical ceremony with its noble art.

 

[CatholicNerd]

sheri g.:

My daughter has been invited to play the piano during Thanksgiving mass. The music director wants her to play Beethoven’s 7 Variations on God Save the King (the tune is the same as My Country Tis Of Thee but there won’t be any singing) during the collection. I recently found out elsewhere that music that isn’t “sacred” isn’t supposed to be played during the mass. Does anyone know what the definition of “Sacred Music” is? I don’t want her to play if this would be a liturgical abuse.

Here is a useful collection of just about everything the Church has had to say about Sacred Music for the past 101 years…

adoremus.org/MotuProprio.html
adoremus.org/DiviniCultus.html
adoremus.org/MusicaeSacrae1955.html
adoremus.org/SacrosanctumConcilium.html
adoremus.org/MusicamSacram.html
adoremus.org/VoluntatiObsequens.html
adoremus.org/Chirograph-SacredMusic.html

The GIRM also contains some stunning statements. Read. Be informed. Pray that the Holy Spirit opens the hearts of our bishops and priests.

 

[chicago]

It’s pretty commonly accepted that patriotic songs can be used on National holidays for a country. The same is done for times such as Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day. So, in the context, I wouldn’t see anyting wrong with this at all. Even EWTN uses such songs on holidays.

 

[bob]

sheri g.:

My daughter has been invited to play the piano during Thanksgiving mass. The music director wants her to play Beethoven’s 7 Variations on God Save the King (the tune is the same as My Country Tis Of Thee but there won’t be any singing) during the collection. I recently found out elsewhere that music that isn’t “sacred” isn’t supposed to be played during the mass. Does anyone know what the definition of “Sacred Music” is? I don’t want her to play if this would be a liturgical abuse.

The music director needs to be replaced. He ought to know better.

Example of inappropriate music - Beautiful though it is, you cannot play “Hawaiian Wedding Song” by Elvis at a wedding mass. It is not considered sacred music.

 

[pnewton]

I do not see any problems with an appropriate patriotic song. My favorite is “America” because it is in the form of a blessing. What is forbidden is any secular song. Sometimes this can be somewhat a judgement call. The principal of locality should apply. The local priest can make a call on what is appropriate, within the bishop’s diocesan guidelines.