Wedding music

[Sarabande]

For the procession, ideally is one song, not 3 choppy pieces for family, bridesmaids, and bride.

We also suggest one composition for the bridesmaids and the bride at the cathedral, and point out that two pieces are not needed. (As well as easier for the musicians in terms of having to count the number of attendants so as to finish a piece to start the next one.) Although most brides usually use two compositions, but it still works out well. The way it is structured at the cathedral, it doesn’t feel choppy. They are not given the option to have a separate piece for family because of the size of the cathedral and the logistics in making it work.

Another piece that works extremely well for use as one processional is Charpentier’s “Te Deum Fanfare”. The way our organist worked the organ for both the bridesmaids and the bride was incredible. I was blown away with it and the flow is perfect.

 

[Guitar]

We also suggest one composition for the bridesmaids and the bride at the cathedral, and point out that two pieces are not needed.

It’s interesting that two pieces seem to be the norm elsewhere, it’s quite uncommon here. I’ve only come across it at weddings where I’ve played two processionals myself.

The double procession has, however, been a diplomatic solution once or twice where somebody in the family seems to think the marriage won’t be valid without the Wagner and someone else really really really doesn’t want it. The Brian Hesford short arrangement of Brahms’ St Anthony Chorale followed by the Wagner works well (in a church where it is permitted, of course, and bear in mind I don’t just play Catholic weddings within Mass). The St Anthony can be made “smaller” than the Wagner and still sound nice, so the bride stills gets a “fanfare”, and in most suburban churches it only takes once through the Wagner main theme to get the bride in and so that’s all we have to hear of it. The bride only has to wait at the back door until she hears the second piece start, so it’s not too hard to coordinate.

 

[4eyes]

I cannot remember all the other pieces we had, except the processional was Jesu Joy of Man’s Desiring, and the recessional was Alleluia Christ is Risen. Sounded nice to me.

 

[moonletters]

I was wondering what exactly is meant by sacred music? I’d like to hire a string quartet, and have them do a rendition of a song that I love for the bride’s march. It’s actually a song that we listened to as teenagers when we first started dating, and more recently, the lyrics of which he used to propose. Would anything that does not include chanting the Lord’s name be considered secular? (Which is kind of funny, because since my father and I love Gregorian chants we’re including it in the mass-which I’d also like to be in Latin…but we have kinks to work out with that one.) For example, P.O.D. is considered Christian music, but I wouldn’t play it at mass, let alone my wedding. Are traditional songs considered “sacred?” If so, why? What makes them so?

Thanks for answering!

 

[benedictgal]

I was wondering what exactly is meant by sacred music? I’d like to hire a string quartet, and have them do a rendition of a song that I love for the bride’s march. It’s actually a song that we listened to as teenagers when we first started dating, and more recently, the lyrics of which he used to propose. Would anything that does not include chanting the Lord’s name be considered secular? (Which is kind of funny, because since my father and I love Gregorian chants we’re including it in the mass-which I’d also like to be in Latin…but we have kinks to work out with that one.) For example, P.O.D. is considered Christian music, but I wouldn’t play it at mass, let alone my wedding. Are traditional songs considered “sacred?” If so, why? What makes them so?

Thanks for answering!

Sacred music is pretty much what is used for the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. It needs to have a liturgical character and conform to Catholic doctrine and theology. That is why the Church doesn’t allow stuff like Wind Beneath My Wings, Endless Love, or other secular music.

This exerpt from an article which appeared in Adoremus might help you to understand, as it treats the subject of wedding music:

Here is the crucial issue: this is not just a social affair, it is the mystical, magnificent Eucharistic liturgy. It is a sacred event, and subject to the same considerations as any other Mass. Hymns must have a suitable sacred text, be appropriate to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, and be musically sacred in nature. There are some particular issues, however, including the choice of wedding marches and, if there is a soloist, appropriate choice of special solo pieces.

…Solos for weddings are an interesting topic. For many years I played in Protestant churches, some of which permitted non-sacred pieces, and some of which did not. When asked for popular songs, love songs, or ballads, the pastor at the Lutheran church where I spent many years as Music Director always said, “Sacred music in church; save the secular pieces for the reception”. That was the end of the discussion. And so it should be! No matter how the couple may plead for “our song”, it belongs at the reception, not at Mass.

…The wedding marches are an interesting topic, sure to spark debate. It has become really traditional to use the Bridal Chorus from Wagner’s opera Lohengrin for the Procession, and the Wedding March from Mendelssohn’s ballet Midsummer Night’s Dream for the Recession. Observe the words “opera” and “ballet”. Both of these marches were written for the theater stage. Both are fine pieces of music, but are tied into stories of fantasy, murder, sex, and other delights. Are they suitable for Catholic weddings? It should be an easy answer, but it is not. Back in the 1930s or so when the Society of Saint Gregory published its Black List and White List of Catholic Music, those marches were absolutely forbidden, sent to the Black List, and no more discussion, thank you. Today it is left to the local Ordinary (the head of your diocese). Some places have no restrictions, since that music has become so traditional, but some still forbid them. Some have made no statements one way or the other.

Are those pieces truly traditional? I remember attending a marvelous performance of the Mendelssohn ballet. When all the odd creatures came dancing out of the forest, a woman behind me gasped, “They’re playing There Goes the Bride! Why are they playing There Goes the Bride?” In the popular culture, those two pieces are universally known, incorrectly, as Here Comes the Bride, and There Goes the Bride. Most Americans, alas, are unfamiliar with classic opera and ballet and do not know the dramatic references in the music. Even trained musicians I know will call the Bridal Chorus by its Here Comes the Bride alias.

There may be some who will shrug about my quoting from Adoremus, but, they pretty much follow what the Church teaches.

Why not suggest that the couple use this special song for the moment they make their grand entrance into the reception hall? That is a suggestion we used to make to the couples whenever they wanted to insert secular music.

 

[Sarabande]

I was wondering what exactly is meant by sacred music? I’d like to hire a string quartet, and have them do a rendition of a song that I love for the bride’s march. It’s actually a song that we listened to as teenagers when we first started dating, and more recently, the lyrics of which he used to propose. Would anything that does not include chanting the Lord’s name be considered secular? (Which is kind of funny, because since my father and I love Gregorian chants we’re including it in the mass-which I’d also like to be in Latin…but we have kinks to work out with that one.) For example, P.O.D. is considered Christian music, but I wouldn’t play it at mass, let alone my wedding. Are traditional songs considered “sacred?” If so, why? What makes them so?

Thanks for answering!

I’m at work, so I can’t write too much, but I don’t have Internet access at home right now, so I wanted to respond. I’m sure many of the others here will also give more complete answers.

Sacred music, in terms of Catholic liturgy, is music composed for use in the mass. This can be chant (although there was chant which had secular text and would not be used during mass), hymns (by this I mean either congregational hymns or other kinds of “hymns” such as Franck’s “Panis Angelicus”), motets, instrumental works that are religiously inspired (there are many organ works that I know of which would fall under this – can’t remember the titles of the works off-hand). Music composed to be played for mass would be considered sacred. There are also religious compositions which may or may not be appropriate for mass or for a wedding mass depending on the context of the piece. For instance, some religious oratorios, although religious, may not be appropriate to perform for within a mass. But again, it all depends on each piece of work.

Not all “traditional” songs are considered sacred. Some traditional pieces such as Wagner’s Bridal Chorus (aka Here Comes the Bride) are not considered sacred music because it is from his opera Lohengrin. It is also not considered absolute music because it isn’t just pure music – it has a secular connotation due to the fact that it came from an opera which is a secular piece of work. Absolute music is music that has neither a sacred or secular connotation. It’s non-objective, doesn’t tell a story nor is it written to evoke or represent either a secular story or to describe, musically, the sacred. Just pure music. Pachelbel’s Canon in D is an example of this.

 

[Joannm]

For anyone who may be interested, Marty Haugan (yes I know some folks don’t like his music), wrote words for Pachabel’s Canon in D that are specifically compoed for use at a Wedding Mass. Here is a link but let it download fully first or else it keeps cutting off.

groups.imeem.com/TIKjO1PJ/music/6NoVYYoX/marty_haugen_gathered_in_the_love_of_christ_canon_in_d

I am not sure how to attatch links so I hope this works