Liturgical music or music in the liturgy?I will sing to the Lord: meaning and reason for music in the liturgy.Some time ago, while preparing a conference on sacred music, I remembered a biblical episode that always strikes me for its power: the song of the People of Israel after crossing the Red Sea. That scene, recorded in the book of Exodus, shows us a response of amazement and gratitude in the face of God's saving intervention:
I will sing to the Lord, glorious is His victory... My strength and my power is the Lord, He was my salvation. (Ex 15:1b-18).
This moment is not only a historical account, but also a theological key. In the face of the ineffable - the love of God, his wonder to save the people - words are not enough. It is then that song emerges as a language capable of expressing what the moment demands.
Are we losing the sense of the ineffable?
To illustrate the lecture, I wanted to find out how classic films about Moses had depicted these moments. My surprise was great: many omitted the song, focusing on the wonder of the open water, blurring the reaction of the people. This led me to ask myself a question: are we losing the ability to recognize the ineffable?
We live in a culture that seems convinced that everything can be said, explained or defined. But reality reminds us again and again that there are things that escape our words: how to describe the color yellow to a person born blind? How to explain the sound of a trumpet to a deaf person? Even in matters as human as love or friendship, words fall short.
Music as a language
So, if we are unable to grasp what surrounds us with ordinary language, how can we put into words the mystery of God, the love he has for us, our fear and gratitude? Moreover, how could we truly dialogue with Him if we refuse to deploy all the capacities that He Himself has imprinted in our nature to do so?
Let us think of the liturgy. It is the privileged place where God speaks to us about Himself, not only with words, but also through signs, gestures, colors, smells and, of course, music. The liturgy that Jesus Christ has given us has a profoundly dialogical character: it wants to be an encounter between Him and us. And St. Augustine, despite the personal dilemma he had with music because of its Neoplatonic roots, tells us: "Singing is an expression of joy and, if we consider it more attentively, it is an expression of love" (Sermon 34).
A fundamental point, of another order: if it turns out that Jesus Christ himself and his disciples sang at the Last Supper, who could claim any objection against liturgical chant?
Up to this point, everything seems beautiful and coherent. But then, what is happening in our parishes today?
Music, beauty and mystery
First of all, the 'Music'. What is a topic like this doing in such a serious theological journal as Omnes? The question is not obvious and deserves consideration. Joseph Ratzinger considers it 'music of faith', because it proceeds from faith and leads us to it. This alone would be enough to justify the place of sacred music in theological reflection.
However, when we speak of 'liturgical music', his words take on even greater weight. Commenting on the Second Vatican Council - "sacred song, united with words, constitutes a necessary or integral part of the solemn Liturgy" (Sacrosanctum Concilium112), Ratzinger points out clearly: music itself is liturgy. Therefore, the answer is given: we speak of music in Omnes -of certain music, of course- because we speak of theology.
Beauty', which also has much to say in this area, will be dealt with later. As for 'Mystery', we will focus our reflection mainly on liturgical music, without neglecting to illuminate what it can bring us about sacred music in general. In this way we will be able to go deeper with greater clarity.
Dialogues... impossible?
After twenty-one centuries of Church history, liturgical music remains an unresolved issue in many places. The problems are obvious and can be observed with a simple test: ask the opinion of two or three people from the same parish about the music of the Mass. Chances are, if the conversation is not handled tactfully, the discussion will end in conflict.
Then a question arises: why don't the musician and the liturgist talk to clarify things? Although the idea seems logical, today, in many cases, it is impossible. The reason is clear: the content of such a conversation should be theological and liturgical, but the theology necessary to support it is not yet sufficiently elaborated.
An illustrative example
Imagine a conversation between a liturgist and a musician:
- Liturgist (L): I need you to compose something for the offertory at Sunday Mass.
- Musician (M): All right, what do you want me to say my music?
- L: I don't know, something nice, you know!
- M: Wait, I know about music, but I'm asking you what my music should express in this Sunday's offertory. That's something you should tell me.
- L (mumbling): These musicians... always complicating everything!
The conversation ends in stalemate because neither has the tools necessary to move forward. The musician seeks meaning and purpose; the liturgist cannot articulate it. And it's not ignorance on the part of a particular liturgist. Proof? Liturgical books use expressions such as, "Sing here a chant. appropriate". In more favorable cases the indications go as far as proposing the text of a psalm, as an example. And the music? When is it 'appropriate'? Or is the music neutral and not says nothing? These are the questions we urgently need to address in order to build a fruitful dialogue.
A question of deep roots
The lack of communication between musicians and liturgists is not superficial; it has deep roots. Let us remember that the liturgy is not simply a human event: it is a divine gift, given at the price of the Cross. Its proper configuration does not depend solely on good intentions; it requires us to recognize that its true work is carried out by the Holy Spirit, even if He wants to count on our collaboration. Here, precisely, lies the heart of musical activity within liturgical chant.
Two reflections help to better understand this point. First, let us consider how difficult it would be to make a minimal change in the text of the Eucharistic Prayer. Now let us contrast this with the ease with which, at times, the chanting of the Mass is improvised or trivialized, even in solemn celebrations. Not to mention the unusual offers available on the internet for the music of a Catholic marriage....
The second reflection comes from an experience lived in the beloved American continent. In a theology faculty, I was trying to explain these arguments about the need for a theological development of liturgical music. At first, it seems that I was not clear, because a professor commented: -So, what you are looking for is the style of liturgical music, right?
This commentary gave me the opportunity to clarify a fundamental point: the focus is not on styles or instruments. It is in the theological foundations.
Beyond taste and style
A serious theological development is needed on a subject that always seems to slip through our fingers. Bringing music to this depth opens to the freedom, richness and depth of the Mystery of God. Without this perspective, any discussion of liturgical music ends up reduced to personal taste or the possibility of using violins or guitars. In fact, this tension is not new: more than a millennium ago, something similar was already being debated, albeit in other forms.
The pontifical Magisterium has left many indications, but theological development is still insufficient. The questions, at times, are surprising: what does it mean that Gregorian chant is "supreme model of all sacred music" (St. Pius X, Motu proprio Among the applications, 4)? At other times, the questions are essential: what must a piece of music have in order to be called liturgical?
Towards a new era
This theological development is necessary and requires the joint effort of theologians and liturgists, musicians, musicologists and philosophers. It is an open and active question, for all this volume of study must end in the composition and performance of a music, which is liturgical.
What we want to convey is that we are witnessing an important novelty: an epistemological path is opening up that invites us to a new era in our work. This is the program that we wish to propose in these lines and in successive contributions: these paths and ways that allow scholars of subjects that have traditionally been considered disparate to work together, but which are not, because they say of God and they say to God in the liturgy.
A theological question (I). The music says
Therefore, the approach to music must be theological and liturgical. If this perspective had been adopted from the beginning, many historical problems could have been avoided, and the spiritual fruits in the world would have been greater.
We would like to focus on one key idea: music. says. To skeptics, the communicative impact of music may seem debatable. However, when economic interests are involved, the issue is immediately recognized. Just think of how music is used strategically in advertising or cinema to convey specific messages. To illustrate this, we recommend these publicly accessible videos, which are eloquent examples:
Example 1:
Example 2:
The task of conveying that musical message belongs to the art and craft of the composer. That is where the potential dialogue between musician and liturgist begins, provided both are willing and clear about their craft. The central question will be what is it that the music has to say in the liturgical context.
Learning from the past
In this series of publications that we are initiating, our intention is to start from what already exists in the history of music -which has witnessed countless successes- and learn from it. In this way we will be able to discern what we should continue to do and how to do it better. The advantage we have today -we insist- is that we now know the method. However, the work ahead is still immense.
Before describing this general approach, we would like to dwell on a starting point that may be familiar to some. We are talking about liturgy and, as we have explained, in liturgy words are not enough.
A theological question (II). A concrete game
Romano Guardini, in The spirit of the liturgyproposed a little more than a century ago that liturgy, under certain aspects, can be understood as a game. Games create a small universe where everyday concerns fade away and a world with its own rules emerges, appearing and disappearing in time.
The legend of the conversion of Prince Vladimir of Kiev adds an important dimension to this idea. According to the story, in seeking a religion for his people, Vladimir called representatives of some of the major religions to speak with them. Since none convinced him, he decided to send emissaries to the religious celebrations of the different faiths. On their return, those who had attended the liturgy in Hagia Sophia, Constantinople, gave a moving testimony: "We do not know whether we were in heaven or on earth. But we have experienced that there, God is among men." The liturgy was not intended to convince anyone. The definitive argument for Prince Vladimir was that there all things were done, not for a purpose, but only to please God.
Ratzinger, without completely rejecting Guardini's vision, qualifies the idea. The liturgy can resemble a game, but not just any game, because it has to do with the right way to adore God. He alone knows how He wants to be adored, and Jesus Christ has wanted to reveal this to us. From this perspective, the liturgy becomes an anticipation of the future life (Sacrosanctum Concilium, 8).
The liturgy, between play and adoration
Therefore, a game with a rules for worship, in which we know that we please God. Within these rules, we play in freedom. Everyone plays by the same rules, although some do it better than others, because the key is to set out in search of what is essential: a space of truth and beauty where God comes to meet us so that we may seek and find him. Now, the dialogical character of the liturgy is understood in greater depth.
Well, this context of truth and beauty, of freedom to find what is essential, is pointed out by two authors as important for the development of sacred music. The two authors are Joseph Ratzinger and Father Angelo De Santi, S.J. (1847-1922), who was directly involved in the drafting of the Motu Proprio Among the applications of St. Pius X (1903). The reference made by both of them is chapter VIII of the Policy of Aristotle, together with the notion of paideia Greek. The development is not immediate, but we can propose here the conclusions.
Music, paideia and the education of freedom
– Supernatural paideia The Greek religion was an educational guide with a religious dimension, oriented to lead the individual to the essential. On the other hand, the contents of this final chapter of the Policy approaches education as the means to form the individual beyond useful and practical needs, orienting it towards leisure, understood as a noble and elevated activity. This leisure is not mere rest, but a space for the cultivation of truth, beauty and human fulfillment.
The key to our reflection is that Aristotle identifies music as the main discipline for this training, thanks to its unique ability to mold the soul and the emotions. More than mere entertainment, music is an educational tool that fosters inner harmony, virtuous character and integration into a community oriented to the common good. Joseph Ratzinger explains it this way:
If we think that the Church, due to the place in which it was formed, made its own, in many aspects, the attitude of the polis classical, the Aristotelian association of polis and music would have been an ideal starting point for the question of sacred music.
And also:
The theory of music that Aristotle develops in his Policy VIII is strongly influenced by the idea of the paideiaThe idea is that, in music education, it goes beyond what is necessary and useful, and aims to train for the good use of free time, thus becoming an education for freedom and beauty.
(J. Ratzinger, The theological foundation of sacred music).
Our purpose
In order to approach this treatment of music as liturgy, we will begin with a series of articles on music in the history of the Church. It will be a particular journey, from a history of sacred music. The conclusion will be, at the same time, disturbing and hopeful.
Subsequently, we will devote ourselves to unfolding the theological question. We point out at this point that the development requires not one, but two theological perspectives, distinct and complementary. A brief description will now serve:
1. Theology of sacred music (TMS). This approach seeks to answer fundamental questions about sacred music, analogous to how theology reflects on the nature of liturgy and worship. It is a broad study that draws on contributions from a variety of disciplines, from theological and philosophical anthropology to specific areas such as Christology, eschatology, theology of creation, incarnation and liturgy. Its main objective is to understand what sacred music is, what its nature is and how it is linked to divine revelation.
2. Liturgical-musical theology (TLM). Here we find the most novel epistemological proposal. TLM is an extension of liturgical theology that is integrated with the specific means of music and musicology. To better understand this approach, it is useful to look at how liturgical theology is understood in general.
Liturgical theology studies the liturgy. in actuThe theological meaning of a responsorial psalm in the context of a specific celebration; the symbolism of certain gestures of the celebrant; or the peculiarities of a particular liturgical moment. It analyzes, for example, the theological meaning of a responsorial psalm in the context of a specific celebration; the symbolism of certain gestures of the celebrant; or the peculiarities of a particular liturgical moment. This approach transcends the descriptive and responds to the classical motto fides quaerens intellectumThe liturgy itself is the act of seeking God and his Word.
Similarly, the TLM focuses on the theological study of liturgical music. in actu. Its task is to explore how music contributes to the existential theology proper to each celebration, adding a unique and specific dimension not found in any other element of the liturgy.
A necessary dialogue
Our proposal holds that TMS and TLM should develop in constant communication. TMS provides the conceptual and theological foundations, while TLM focuses on the concrete application of music in the liturgical context. However, the result of this collaboration does not remain theoretical: it culminates in the musical act, which has the capacity to express liturgically the Word of God and to manifest the Christ present in the liturgy.
This project transcends the strictly theological field and involves disciplines such as musicology, anthropology and aesthetics so that theology finds its final expression in music. In this sense, the liturgical musical act is not only art, but also lived theology.
In the next articles of this series, we will begin our particular journey through history.
