The Churches of this period were built in the classic style of Gothic Architecture, their spires soaring toward the heavens. The rich color of the stained glass windows depicted the lives of our Savior, His Blessed Mother, the Apostles and the Saints. The Ordinary Parts of the Mass were sung in Gregorian Chant, the Roman Catholic Church’s unique treasure.

From the beginning of recorded time, we know that it was man’s instinct to raise his voice in praise and supplication to a Higher Power. We know from the Old Testament that Psalm Tones were used in Jewish Synagogues. The chants were probably influenced by the cadence of Greek poetry, and this, in turn, may have been the model for the chant sung in the early church. History tells us that 6 rhythmic modes formed the substance and basis for the vocalized verses of the Mass Ordinary. The impetus to use the Chant in the Mass was supported and encouraged by Pope Gregory (509-604). With the exception of the Greek Kyrie, the Ordinary of the Mass was sung in Latin.

The development of Gregorian Chant reached its peak in the latter part of the Medieval Period It was at this time that one of the most beautiful pieces in our Gregorian repertoire was written. In the middle of the 13th century, Thomas a Celano, composed the hauntingly beautjful DIES IRAE which is still chanted in Funeral High Masses.

At some point during the Middle Ages some composers disdained the single line chant and added another melodic line to be sung as melody against melody or, voice against voice. This is called Counterpoint and was widely employed by early composers, viz: Palestrina, Bach, etc. The demand for music of a harmonic nature spurred the development of an instrument that could deliver multiple sounds. Craftsmen worked on combining wind instruments (pipes and pan-pipes), with stringed instruments,(eg. lutes). They produced a key-board to bind these dual sounds into one voice, and thus was born the primitive organ.

The organ had been known in England since the 7th century, but it was simple in tonal quality, elaborate in structure, and cumbersome in size. France, Germany and the Netherlands were engaged in organ building, but all were using different approaches and working on different aspects of organ development. To bring all these advancements together, national schools of organ building developed. Thus began the “Golden Age” of the Organ. This polyphonic instrument with its great variety of sound and large tonal capacity became the ideal instrument for choral offerings and the service music of the Mass.

The Golden Age of the Organ was also the Golden age of Art, Architecture, Poetry, Music and Science. The Catholic Church supported and encouraged many of the great artists and composers whose works are still admired and used. Bach, Haydn, and Handel are a few of the Renaissance composers that have enriched our lives with the beauty of their Masses, Chorales, Cantatas and sacred hymns.

There is a dearth of information about the use of Gregorian Chant during the 17th to 19th centuries. It is highly probable that in Sunday High Masses and on regular Feast Days it was the norm of the service, and that the elaborate Masses that were being written were sung not only in cathedrals but also in concert halls.

The Renaissance Period reached its apex during the middle of the 17th century. For all the accomplishments that were gained, a period of unrest developed, culminating in the French Revolution of 1789. The sad legacy of this cruel upheaval resulted in “The Age of Enlightenment” — man’s new orientation toward science and reason.

Decades before Vatican II Pope Pius X foresaw the results of this so-called Age of Enlightenment and wrote an encyclical, ”Pascendi Dominus Gregis” warning of the errors and effects on society of the new age thinking. We all know the results of this man-centered philosophy. For the Catholic, it has been the degradation of the Traditional Holy Mass, new interpretation of the Written Word, and loss of our universal Church language. We are now subjected on a weekly basis to love your neighbor” songs, praise of nature
verses, all accompanied by guitars, xylophones, drums, piano, trumpet, body-swaying and hand clapping!!

Two generations of Catholic youth have been subjected to this man-oriented service in the Catholic Church. It may be that man’s restless nature, “the spirit of the age” found some comfort by participating in the community gatherings of the Novus Ordo. Hopefully, this “Mass” will soon have completed its allotted cycle. Catholics will again seek the serenity, solace, unity of soul and body found in the celebration of the Tridentine Mass and the peaceful tonality of Gregorian Chant.

It should be noted that the present style of the Chant was developed by the Benedictine Abbey of Solemnes, France. A monk named Dom Mocquereau, (1849-1930), provided us with a freer and more flowing movement of the Latin words. This new interpretation has won acceptance by the Vatican, and wide recognition by the Traditional Roman Catholic Church.

Hopefully, the end of our 40 year nightmare is in sight. This year, 2007, Pope Benedict XVI issued a Motu Proprio, “Summorum Pontificum” restoring the “Mass for All Ages.” The unique, priceless patrimony of the Roman Catholic Church, the melodic uplifting, soul stirring simplicity of Gregorian Chant has been restored to its rightful place in the celebration of the Tridentine Mass.

LAUDATE DOMINUM

Ref. Harvard Dictionary of Music
Catholic Periodicals

Biographical: Mrs. Lucille Flynn is the organist for Immaculate Heart of Mary Chapel in Still River, Massachusetts. Mrs. Flynn wrote her first piece for Latin Mass Network last year. Subsequent to that New Oxford Review accepted this article for publication.