What constitutes sacred music?

[Ohiomom]

Can someone please explain to me what the rubrics are for music that is used in the mass?

Background: I was recently picking out music for my MIL’s funeral mass. When my 13-yr-old son suggested “On Eagles Wings,” he was surprised to see the scowl on my face. No offense to those who enjoy that hymn, but personally, I find it so saccharine and cliche, at the very least overplayed. I tend to like more traditional hymns, and I absolutely cringe at the assaulting noise of the Lifeteen masses–but that’s just my opinion. I realize that there are many who believe songs like that are completely inappropriate for mass. Is that just a preference, or is there a specific standard that most contemporary music doesn’t meet? Are there contemporary hymns that do meet that standard? If so, provide an example please.

I understand that many have very strong opinions regarding sacred music. Please be objective, specific, and most of all civil in your response. I have seen some of the discussions about sacred music get downright nasty. I’m just trying to explain the issue to my son.

You have gotten some great technical responses, but the short answer is that hymns are allowed, but that choice is at the bottom of the list of what is preferred. There are proper chants, now in English as well as in Latin, for the introit, gradual (or as it is now, the responsorial psalm), the offertory and communion. The preference is always to use those chants, in the vernacular or in Latin, and if needed an appropriate hymn can then be sung. What has happened is a combination of really bad music (some bad musically or at least trite) and or heretical (I am the bread of life…no I am not- Jesus is so I should not be singing in the first person that phrase). Basically, the “4 hymn sandwich” or the use of hymns instead of the proper chants has become the easy thing for too many and there were those who thought or were convinced Vatican II did away with the propers (as the proper chants are called). Due to all of that confusion, it was only due to the new translation and the resurgence of those reclaiming our musical heritage that have meant we now have, what Vatican II envisioned, the proper chants in several settings in the vernacular.

Check out these two web sites for a lot of accessible information and commentary about music. They both also post seminars that are open to “just regular folks” as wall as those who sing in choirs or are music directors etc.

chantcafe.com/

musicasacra.com/

For a funeral, as has been stated, the propers of the requiem would be the best and would avoid the tendency to canonize during the funeral.

 

[Cat]

Some posters have objected to the syncopation in “modern” hymns.

There are older hymns, and even ancient hymns, that have hemiola, which is a form of syncopation. I apologize that at this moment, I can’t think of any, but I run across them all the time when I play for Mass.

Syncopation is not un-sacred. It’s just a different arrangement of the notes.