Violin playing in Mass

[traditional_1]

Is solo violin music alowed in the traditional latin Mass? I was wondering.

Are the Masses by let’s say Mozart and Beethoven allowed in the traditional Latin Mass? Answers will be appreciated.

 

[mullenpm]

I remember one day (I don’t remember if it was on a weekday or a Sunday); but on the Daily Mass at EWTN there was a violin soloist. It may have been for a special occasion, I don’t remember.

The soloist played several times during the Mass and it was just beautiful and seemed entirely appropriate.:yup:

Also, during one Mass (at a different time) they even had two trumpet players.

Now, generally, I prefer the organ only but the addition of the violin was wonderful.:harp:

 

[Rolltide]

Is solo violin music alowed in the traditional latin Mass? I was wondering.

Are the Masses by let’s say Mozart and Beethoven allowed in the traditional Latin Mass? Answers will be appreciated.

Well yes, considering that’s what those pieces were composed for! The major issue is simply that most of the time, one cannot afford to have an entire orchestra at their Mass each week.

Try this out:
stagnes.net/music.html
stagnes.net/music-recordings.html

St. Agnes Catholic Church in Minnesota has developed a special music ministry. They make use of the Twin Cities Catholic Chorale, the St. Agnes Chamber Choir, the Schola Cantorum, and the high school Concert Chorale. St. Agnes usually features sung Masses with organ or Gregorian Chant, but about once per month will feature a full orchestra. They also produce cd’s of their work.

 

[mullenpm]

Rolltide, how fortunate are the parishioners of St. Agnes’ Church in Minnesota when I consider that recently I attended Sunday Mass at a church with a youthful choir accompanied by a piano and a guitar.uch: I thought the days of guitars at Mass were gone but, unfortunately, not.

:heaven::harp:

 

[Rolltide]

Rolltide, how fortunate are the parishioners of St. Agnes’ Church in Minnesota when I consider that recently I attended Sunday Mass at a church with a youthful choir accompanied by a piano and a guitar.uch: I thought the days of guitars at Mass were gone but, unfortunately, not.

:heaven::harp:

Well… there’s nothing wrong with a youthful choir… you just have to have the right TYPE of youthful choir! lol

I agree though… St. Agnes is MOST fortunate. By the way, the church is absolutely magnificent as well! Check out the amazing photos on their website!

 

[bpbasilphx]

Rolltide, how fortunate are the parishioners of St. Agnes’ Church in Minnesota when I consider that recently I attended Sunday Mass at a church with a youthful choir accompanied by a piano and a guitar.uch: I thought the days of guitars at Mass were gone but, unfortunately, not.

:heaven::harp:

I have nothing against guitars in theory, but the ability to strum three chords and use a capo do NOT a liturgical guitarist make.

 

[Joe_Kelley]

. .

Are the Masses by let’s say Mozart and Beethoven allowed in the traditional Latin Mass? Answers will be appreciated.

If I recall correctly they were officially forbidden in the 40’s and 50’s. But the prohibition was completely ignored.

 

[bpbasilphx]

Why would Mozart’s masses have been forbidden if they had been used liturgically up to that point?

As regards Beethoven’s Mass in C (his only setting), this is clearly a concert work. It’s really too long for a liturgical setting.

 

[PhilotheaZ]

Pope Pius X’s motu proprio on sacred music, Tra le Sollecitudini, may help answer your question. The document in its entirety can be found at adoremus.org/MotuProprio.html . Selected items that pertain to your questions follow.

First, with regard to instruments:

1. Although the music proper to the Church is purely vocal music, music with the accompaniment of the organ is also permitted. In some special cases, within due limits and with proper safeguards, other instruments may be allowed, but never without the special permission of the Ordinary, according to prescriptions of the Caeremoniale Episcoporum.

1. As the singing should always have the principal place, the organ or other instruments should merely sustain and never oppress it.

1. It is not permitted to have the chant preceded by long preludes or to interrupt it with intermezzo pieces.

Next, regarding other settings of the Mass: it seems that it would depend on whether the nature of the work is “theatrical” or more in keeping with sacred music (basically, the closer a musical style is to Gregorian chant, the more appropriate it is to be used in the liturgy):

1. The Church has always recognized and favored the progress of the arts, admitting to the service of religion everything good and beautiful discovered by genius in the course of ages – always, however, with due regard to the liturgical laws. Consequently modern music is also admitted to the Church, since it, too, furnishes compositions of such excellence, sobriety and gravity, that they are in no way unworthy of the liturgical functions.

Still, since modern music has risen mainly to serve profane uses, greater care must be taken with regard to it, in order that the musical compositions of modern style which are admitted in the Church may contain nothing profane, be free from reminiscences of motifs adopted in the theaters, and be not fashioned even in their external forms after the manner of profane pieces.

1. Among the different kinds of modern music, that which appears less suitable for accompanying the functions of public worship is the theatrical style, which was in the greatest vogue, especially in Italy, during the last century. This of its very nature is diametrically opposed to Gregorian Chant and classic polyphony, and therefore to the most important law of all good sacred music. Besides the intrinsic structure, the rhythm and what is known as the conventionalism of this style adapt themselves but badly to the requirements of true liturgical music.

 

[SenorSalsa]

Why would Mozart’s masses have been forbidden if they had been used liturgically up to that point?

As regards Beethoven’s Mass in C (his only setting), this is clearly a concert work. It’s really too long for a liturgical setting.

This is the key. Some Orchestral Masses were composed with the Orchestral part more in mind than the Mass part. And from the same Pius X motu proprio quoted above there is a line saying it is not allowed that a mass part goes on for such a length as to force the priest to be waiting at the altar before he can continue

 

[Joe_Kelley]

I have nothing against guitars in theory, but the ability to strum three chords and use a capo do NOT a liturgical guitarist make.

One might remember that Silent Night was written for the guitar for use one Christmas Eve when the organ failed.