CNP Feedback - Organ Music during Lent?

The "Feedback Box" on the CanticaNOVA Publications website has proven quite effective in promoting communications on a variety of subjects, and expressing concerns of liturgists and musicians. From time to time, we'll compile a few of these questions or comments and put them in public view, with the hope that others with similar concerns may benefit from their content.

A. Dear New York Organist:

Your question about organ music during Lent bears on an issue that is indeed often misunderstood. Let me help to clarify what is involved:

The only official direction that we as musicians and liturgists have regarding how liturgy is to be celebrated comes from the rubrics contained in official liturgical books ("rubric" coming from the Latin rubrum, referring to the "red" ink in which they were printed). While other documents (like Music in Catholic Worship) may comment on or revise (within limits) the way we celebrate liturgy, the official books relating to the Mass are the Roman Missal (comprised of the Sacramentary and the Lectionary), the Ceremonial of Bishops, and any particular "ritual books" that might have bearing on the Mass (e.g. the Anointing of the Sick during Mass, the special RCIA rites, the funeral liturgy).

The last revision of the Roman Missal was about 20 years ago. A new version (with its English translation) is currently being studied in Rome for possible release very soon. Its introduction, the General Instruction on the Roman Missal (GIRM), has already been released in its Latin form but does not take effect until the Missal itself is issued.

We are left then with the Ceremonial of Bishops, issued in 1989, as the most recent liturgical book from Rome. While this deals specifically with how a bishop celebrates those rites that pertain to him, it has deeper ramifications in also showing those of us not involved in cathedral parishes just how the Church is thinking about proper liturgical celebration. Concerning the issue at hand, it speaks about organ music in a much more detailed way than any other document thus far, and certainly indicates how the organ should be treated in general, not just in cathedrals.

The Ceremonial of Bishops presents in very clear format the effects that the seasons have on the liturgy, e.g. no "Alleluia" during Lent, subdued organ music during Advent. About organ music during Lent the document says,

During Lent the altar is not to be decorated with flowers, and the use of musical instruments is allowed only to support the singing. The Fourth Sunday of Lent, called Laetare Sunday, solemnities and feasts are exceptions to this rule. (#252)

What this means is, there should be no solo organ music (prelude, offertory, recessional, postlude, etc.) during Lent. Musical instruments (including the organ) may be used only for accompaniment ... for hymns, responses, choral or vocal accompaniment. As noted, this rule does not come into play on Laetare Sunday or on solemnities (like Saint Joseph, Annunciation) or feasts (like the Chair of Saint Peter).

On the issue of organ music from Gloria to Gloria (Holy Thursday to Easter Vigil), the Ceremonial of Bishops says, "During the same period [Gloria-Gloria], the organ and other musical instruments may be used only to sustain the singing." This document does no more than officially extend the rules for Lent (which has ended prior to the Holy Thursday Mass) through the Triduum. This would be the minimum expectation (using organ only for accompaniment). If a parish wanted to go beyond this (the traditional position, and one I would absolutely promote) and turn the organ off completely from Gloria to Gloria, there is nothing in any document that prohibits this. The rubrics only tell us what the limits of organ use are, not that we must always proceed to those limits.

1. It clearly delineates this time as being separate from Lent. Gone are the violet vestments; our attention is now focused on a most special three-day period (Triduum) which is treated liturgically as one grand celebration, beginning with the Introit on Holy Thursday and ending with Evening Prayer on Easter Sunday.
   
    
2. It allows the most meditative and introspective congregational singing of the year. How poorly we treat our congregations with a constant barrage of organ accompaniment, sometimes to the point that they can't even hear themselves over the organ. Even worse is the despicable, ubiquitous, demeaning practice of positioning a cantor in front of a microphone every time the congregation is asked to sing anything! I would say, at least during this Gloria-Gloria period, to turn the organ off, turn the microphone off, have a good, well-rehearsed choir present, and finally let the people hear their own sung praise! The unifying benefit of corporate singing comes from relying on each other, not from mimicking an amplified, electronic voice.

The American bishops have occasionally commented on the official liturgical books in their own documents. Music in Catholic Worship (1972) and Liturgical Music Today (1982) contain very little about organ music, though, and make no mention whatsoever of the issue we're discussing (the "seasonality" of organ music).

I hope this clarifies what the rubrics say, and also where liturgists and musicians ignore or amplify the official rules.