WHATS ALL THE FUSS

ABOUT SOLEMNITY AND CHANT?

A Very Practical Approach to the Motu Proprio of St. Pius X on Sacred Music

Why Is The Mass To Be Chanted?

Why are priests vested? Why not street clothes? Why Latin? Why not vernacular?
The answer to all: the Church in its wisdom has learned to solemnize.

Unless We Solemnize, We Trivialize

We solemnize acts specifically to prevent trivialization. For example, an American
places his hand over his heart during the Pledge of Allegiance; in a court of law, the
judge is vested and the witness is sworn in with a hand on the Bible: these acts are
done to show respect, to deepen meaning, to help prevent the abuse that comes if
important things in life are treated as ordinary and common.
With regard to the Holy Mass: the traditions of ecclesiastical architecture, language,
music, incense, vestments and gestures all work together to keep the presentation
of the Liturgy from becoming trivial, common, mundane at least they should.

When Tradition Backfires

Welcome to the problems of Pope Saint Pius X. He found himself in the situation of
judging, clarifying, correcting or eliminating musical traditions that had become
corrupt, theatrical, saccharin, secular. In other words, he found himself in the same
mess of trite liturgical music that many of us have had to wade through in the last
thirty years but, with one key difference: With his Motu Propio, Saint Pius X left us a
road map, a quick and accurate way out of what has frequently become a musical
wasteland; and dont forget, this road map was designed by a saint!

Lets Re-Implement The Motu Proprio

Heres why: the Motu Proprio represents a philosophical vision consistent with the
ideals of the Roman Catholic Church all the way back to the first century.

Never Let The Music Sound Secular

The first papal legislation of sacred music occurred under Pope Saint Clement of
Rome (92-101 AD). He stressed several concepts: the solemnization melodies were
not to sound like the music of the street in either composition or performance style;
the religious melodic formulas were never to be used secularly nor was the delivery
style to be secular lest we be like wandering minstrels, like the tellers of tales of
high adventure. This principle was evident even in Old Testament liturgical
tradition.

Our Sacred Chant: A Continuation Of The Sacred Melodies Jesus Knew

Saint Clement also used his papal authority, as did Pope Saint Pius X, to impose the
Sacred Chant in the worship of the Church as it had been in the synagogue. In other
words many of the melodic fragments still used today in liturgical chant are
melodies that Christ Himself would have heard and chanted in the synagogue. Also,

1
although eighteen hundred years separated them, both popes understood the need
to use melodic material that had only a singular connotation: religious. (Along with
the subject of connotation it is appropriate to point out here a bit of etiquette, a bit
of special respect for the Sacred Liturgy: our liturgy is also chanted; e.g., we sing
secular songs but chant the Holy Liturgy).

If Some Art And Music Was Originally Secular In Style, Why Not Use Todays
Secular Music And Styles In The Liturgy?
Unfortunately, many have argued that since much of sacred music had secular
origins, we should not fear music in the Church that sounds secular; e.g., folk music,
operatic music or music played on electronic organs with sobbing tremolos that
sound like a soap opera. This prevalent argument is incorrect and is one of the major
excuses given for not even bothering to attempt to learn the official body of Church
music, that great treasury of inestimable value. The Church has always adopted
and adapted what is finest from all cultures: but, not while it has multiple
connotations: this is a fundamental reason for liturgical law.

Sacred Is Also A Legal Event

Ecclesiastical legislation covering liturgical music has always existed - since the first
century - in order to make sure that the music and its style of interpretation is easily
distinguishable from that of the theater, the bar, the secular gathering. Why?
The reason is that the Church has always known that the concept of the sacred is
learned, just as is the concept of the secular. Each has its own symbols, sounds,
scents. For example, how would you feel on your next trip if the United Airlines pilot
walked into the cockpit wearing a Roman cassock and surplice and placed a smoking
thurable on the dashboard while announcing that youll be airborne in thirty
seconds. Similarly, how would you feel if your next Holy Mass were celebrated by a
priest dressed as a rock musician - complete with a guitar, strobe lights and
marijuana smoke.

Rules Against Inappropriate Behavior

Fortunately, both the airline and the church have rules against behaviors as
inappropriate as the above. Unfortunately, the airline probably cares more about
enforcing its rules of appropriateness than the post-conciliar Church, and maybe
the pre-conciliar Church as well: after all, the problems of Vatican II didnt come out
of thin air.

Liturgical Law Frees Us From Conflicting Associations

One of the major purposes of liturgical law is to free us from conflicting associations.
Once a tune or vestment or architectural style is easily confused with the secular it
is no longer useful ecclesiastically until its secular connotation has died out.
Similarly, if the secular use came first, its original association must die out first
before it is usable to the Church. For example, though well written, some claim that
Handels Hallelujah Chorus was originally a song with secular words; but, since few
of us would know it within that connotation it is acceptable for ecclesiastical use.
However, if someone popularized the original secular words, it would no longer be
acceptable for Church use because of the concept of mixed connotation; we would
have to wait until its secular connotation again died out before its liturgical use
would again be acceptable.

2
Style Of Rendition Must Not Be Secular
The same connotation problem exists when we deal with the style of the rendition of
a musical composition. For example, if we sing Gregorian Chant in a secular way;
e.g., loudly, with vibrato, as though it were opera, or gutturally with sloppily
executed intervals as though it were folk music, we secularize it: the style of musical
delivery makes it ugly and profane.

The Plague
The problem of ugly, incorrect performance-practice seemed to have plagued much
of the era before the Motu Proprio; and, like original sin, it continues to plague us.
Saint Pius tried to clean it up, and, where his Motu Proprio was implemented with
true conviction, it seemed that the good taste and marvelous mind of this Saint
would prevail. But, of course, there were always many who thought that they knew
better than the pope and continued to secularize the Sacred Liturgy and impede its
effectiveness.

A Parallel
Once upon a time, a stewardess announced to an airplane full of people that their
flight would be delayed for thirty minutes because the pilot did not like all the smoke
coming out of the engines. A half-hour later, she repeated the announcement. Later,
with complete frustration, the stewardess stated that since the pilot was still
concerned with the smoke coming from the engines and since they were now an
hour late they would be changing pilots instead of engines! In the Liturgy we
frequently face the same attitude: instead of solving our liturgical problems we just
ignore them.

The I-Dont-Care Branch Of The Church

The members of the IDC branch of the Church are the real virus both at the time of
St. Pius X and now. They are a pushy minority of clergy, religious, and laity. They
dont care about Tradition. They dont care about long term consequences. They
simply do whatever they want to do. Theres a certain sociopathy about them:
theyre only interested in the advancement of their own ideas and careers; they
have a need to dominate; the Church serves only as a vehicle for them. They dont
care about the long-term welfare of the Church.

Get Through With The Liturgy So We Can Pray

Another version of the IDCs, is the type that is so bored he only wants to get
through with the liturgy. Remarks like, lets get the Chant over with so we can
pray tip you off as to whom these people are. They havent a clue that perfectly
done liturgy with a contrite and great-full heart is the highest form of prayer.
Usually, with re-education, these people can be brought out of their apathy; but,
beware, their defenses are high. They will try to block re-education with remarks like,
real priests dont need to chant the Liturgy, thats just for Anglicans, or, thats just
for monks, or, who cares, I have more important things to do. Always remember,
there is nothing more important to do! It is the Sacred Liturgy that is the first and
foremost work of the Church: everything else follows from it. This type of IDC
personality is frequently too bored, too unmotivated, to think things through
properly. Consequently because its easier hell side with whomever is dominant.
Beware when he sides with the pushy type of IDCs who could care less about the
long term welfare of the Church.

3
What Catholics Want
Fortunately, the vast majority of the clergy and people of Saint Pius Xs time as well
as our own are good natured, humble, and wish to save their souls as well as those
of others. They want a simple, beautiful Liturgy: something of worth to inspire their
children and their neighbors as well as themselves. Catholics were used to having
decisions made for them in favor of the most scholastically correct approach.

Tradition And Documents Are On Our Side

Unfortunately, we again, historically, seem to be at a time when we have a pushy
minority trying to dictate frequently with usurped power to a few. We need to
remember that we with the documents and Tradition on our side have even more
right to call the tune. We now need to organize our educational approach along the
lines that have worked best. We can have anything we want if we are willing to
educate.

An Understanding Pope
Pope Saint Pius X understood this completely. He knew that the lack of appropriate
musical education of mainly the clergy, but also of the laity, was lowering the
standards and, consequently, the effectiveness of the Churchs precious
liturgical heritages ability to communicate her important salvific message.

How To Impede The Mass

The liturgical message of the Mass is often seriously impeded by those priests and
choirmen who do not take the learning of the notes, pitch and rhythm, seriously
enough. The connoted message to the listener is, he doesnt care, he can learn
Latin, Greek and Hebrew, but, he doesnt care enough about the Holy Mass to learn
a few simple notes!

The Clean Up Will Be Most Difficult

Pope Pius X also understood that cleaning up the abuses affecting sacred chant and
other Church music would be most difficult. His Motu Proprio of 1903 was an
attempt to rectify this situation. It is still the finest document on Sacred Music ever
issued. Unfortunately, it was frequently, and is still, routinely ignored. But for those
wise enough to listen, great strides were made. Hand-in-hand with the
implementation of the Motu Proprio went the teaching of the interpretive, Method of
the Monks of the Abbey of Solesmes. In order to facilitate the learning of the
Solesmes Method, the Ward Method was implemented around the world.

St. Pius Xs Wish: That All Could Chant

Finally the dream of the papacys Motu Proprio that special efforts are to be made
to restore the use of Gregorian Chant by the people, so that the faithful may once
again take a more active part in the ecclesiastical offices, as was the case in ancient
times, was becoming a reality. Then the crash! Vatican II brought, in most cases,
disastrous consequences for the Chant and for the musical education of priests,
religious, and parishioners even though the Council documents praise Gregorian
chant.

4
The Price Of Resistence To The Motu Proprio
Many clergy and laity had resisted the implementation of the Motu Proprio, they
didnt think that Pope Saint Pius X knew what he was talking about. We still had
many musically illiterate clergy and choirs. The chant was frequently done in a
trivialized way by people that didnt care. They thought they knew more than St.
Pius X. They thought that they were above learning what the pope wanted. Many
of these people still exist.

Music Clothes The Word

Consequently, the same musically illiterate clergy and choirs that gave us ugly Latin
Masses, now gave the world ugly vernacular Masses. They still didnt care. They
never did understand that the music was there to clothe the words with the correct
theological interpretation. They never did understand that the music was there to lift
the word out of its mundane, usual usage and reinvigorate it with spiritual meaning.
They never did understand that the words couldnt say it all, that the Church has
always looked to music as the most direct route to the brain; that physiologically
there are good reasons for this!

What Do We Do?
We all get serious. We restore what works. We have some humility, at least enough
to know that we cant explain everything with words! We stop trivializing Sacred
Music and the other Sacred Arts. We not only reinstate the Motu Proprio, but the
Solesmes and Ward Methods which facilitated its implementation; and, this time, we
dont give up! It takes consistent teaching over many generations to raise the
cultural level of all the people envisioned in the Motu Proprio.

Latin Needs To Be Taught In Each Parish

Liturgical Latin needs to be taught in each parish so that the treasure of the Liturgy
is available to all. The Jews also have realized this and teach liturgical Hebrew to all
in their synagogues. Take notice, its not a question of university level education. Its
just what people need to access the Catholic Tradition and pass it on to their
children. Indeed, the Liturgy is the first and foremost source of the Christian spirit.
It is a great tool at our disposal to teach the wholeness of the Faith.
By the way, this was the path followed by the great monks who converted Europe to
the Truth and Culture of the Catholic Church. They didnt write cathecisms, they
wrote Latin grammars using the liturgical texts and the Scriptures as their basic
tools. Even to this day choir boys, properly taught, learn to integrate the truths of
our faith through the learning of the Liturgy. The trick is to integrate!

The Ward Method

Do not worry! Mrs. Justine Ward, a wealthy New Yorker and personal friend of Pope
St. Pius X, designed the most complete system of music education for the Catholic
school system ever developed. She successfully operationalized into easy, fun-to-do,
instructions, all the elements necessary to have children and adults learn to sing the
sacred Chant and polyphony at the highest artistic levels. Nevertheless, you do not
need specialized music teachers to implement it. It was planned to be taught by the
usual classroom teacher.
The trick is to systematically integrate the Ward Method with daily class instruction
in Religion, Liturgy, Latin, Music and the other topics of normal schooling like Math

5
and History. No financial or scholarly shortcuts were taken during the drafting of this
method. This method is world renowned and justly so. For instance, the entire
country of France wished to adopt this system of instruction as their own. However,
they wanted to remove all liturgical texts the bulk of the instruction. Consequently,
Mrs. Ward refused permission.

Regional Conferences
Clergy and choirmen (remember, women are by law excluded from liturgical choirs)
need regional conferences on how to properly chant the Sacred Liturgy or the style
will become more and more secular and, consequently, less and less effective. The
teachers of Liturgical Latin also need conferences so that it is integrated with the
teaching of the Chant and incorporates the Latin used in the Liturgy each week. This
also needs to be co-ordinated with those teaching cathecism so that the liturgical
theme of each week is reinforced. The Sacred Liturgy must be the primary work of all
Catholics. This is not just an option!

The Chant Needs To Be Taught At All Levels

The liturgical music education needs to be started at all levels. However, with an eye
toward the future, liturgical music needs to be started by first grade. The Ward
Method accomplishes all of these goals. Three-week summer session scholarships
for priests, seminarians, music personnel, and classroom teachers of our Society are
available through Dr. Theodore Marier, Ward Center, Music Department, Catholic
University, 4th and Michigan Ave N.E., Washington D.C., 20064. Last summer three
of our seminarians: Dominic Carey, Basel Sarweh and Christopher Manuele
attended.

The Need For Liturgical Choirs Of Men And Boys

These choirs need again to be developed not only for the sake of beautiful liturgy
appropriately done, but, in fact, for the continuation of the Liturgy: they have always
been a primary source of vocations.

The Need For Good Minor Seminaries

We need good residential minor (for those of high school age) seminaries. Grades
six through eight (choir boy age) are crucial for vocational development. However,
the purpose of the high school seminary is to continue to provide a supportive
atmosphere for the vocation. In a parallel field, the National Science Foundation
learned that most children who expressed an interest in science for their vocation
were frustrated by attending high schools where teachers failed to keep up their
motivation and interest. Thus, they learned to dislike what they previously wanted.
We fear that something similar could be happening to our religious vocations.

Conclusion
Remember, for St. Pius X as well as for us, training clergy, boys choirs, and faithful
alike is more than just an option! Indeed, his Motu Proprio is Church law. Then, why,
in America, has the Motu Proprio been so frequently ignored? Well, as G.K.
Chesterton said, any relation between the American Church and Roman Catholicism
is purely coincidental!

6
About the author
Mr. Bahn was the only North American organist chosen for private tutelage by the
late Pierre Cochereau, Organist of Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris. His studies in
Gregorian Chant were done under Dr. Theodore Marier at Catholic University in
Washington, D.C., for whom he tutors during the summer sessions. Dr. Marier is one
of the most famous gregorianists of our age; he built the famous Choir of Men and
Boys (and choir school) at Americas most prestigious church: St. Pauls parish,
Harvard Square, Cambridge; his services were thought of as the finest in the land.
Mr. Bahn has toured over thirty-five countries and has been Music Director of
Californias two most prestigious churches: Saint Marys Cathedral, San Francisco
and Saint Basils, Los Angeles; he lives in New York City with his wife and son and
frequently tutors at our Seminary in Minnesota where the Motu Proprio is being fully
implemented!