The Country Parson is advised on the remedy for praise and worship music…

by francisarabin

The Country Parson, having the care of the spiritual good of his charge uppermost in his mind, and knowing that the devotion of the soul is stirred or troubled in a great part according to the music which it hears in Church, exercises diligence in providing the most appropriate religious music for divine services. He knows that many approach Church burdened not only with the sorrows of life, but with the distractions of worldly business, and that these diverse concerns must be shaken off, as dust from one’s boots, if the heart is to be raised in humble prayer to God. Music, which is religious and serenely directs the soul Godward, is an aid to each member of his congregation so burdened. Music touches the hearts of all, whether young or aged, poor or rich, unlettered or educated, much like his sermon ought to. The country parson, will therefore provide, or cause to be provided, the music most suited to the cultivating and sustaining the attitude of prayer in Church.
He may be in doubt as to where he can find such music. If he listens to the advice of some well-intentioned persons, he may be lead to think that bongo drums, rattles, bass guitars, snare drums and similar devices will achieve the purpose he intends. And indeed these kinds of things can sustain a lively rhythm and if the words are religiously written, he may think that he has found a music that passes the ultimate test of these well-intentioned ones: “Youth like this kind of thing.”
If, however, the country parson, true to his vocation, discerns what this music lacks, namely a liturgical piety, he will continue his searching after music better suited to God’s Temple. The well-intentioned ones may tell him that no other music will convey the joy and cheerfulness of a bongo drum, and he may believe them, unless he considers the Alleluia of Mozart’s Exultate, jubilate. In Mozart’s compositions, the joy and cheerfulness of the Christian soul sings out. The Gospel, sweetly distilled in every note, forces not itself into heart of the believer, but beguiles with a chaste beauty, and leads the soul gently Godward with heavenly melodies.
The well-intentioned ones may demur that the liturgical music of Mozart is nothing of the sort, but operatical and theatrical, written for the salon and not the chancel. Nor, these same aver, can the congregation join their voices to Mozart’s arias, hymns, and motets.
But the country parson considers gravely that Mozart’s works were commissioned specifically for the liturgy, by men who had care of these divine things. It may be that his is a different liturgical sensibility than found in Gregorian chant or polyphony. But Mozart is a true liturgical composer. He made use of the texts of the liturgy and he composed his melodies having in mind these sacred words and their sublime setting. The country parson knows that what offended Pius X and the other restorers of Gregorian chant was not so much the symphonic style of Church music as the borrowing of a tune from a worldly opera to provide a setting for the prayers of the Divine Service-a fault Mozart never commits.
The country parson also knows his flock, and he observes that even the most rustic congregation will not sing along with the bongo drum. The hanging of heads and emitting embarrassed sighs is the congregation’s usual participation in praise and worship music. For praise and worship music lacks the simplicity of the old hymns, which by clearness of rhyme and memorableness of tune, could be learned and loved very easily. Congregations do not sing praise and worship music-this music is sung by a band and manfully endured by a congregation. But the response of the rustic congregation to Mozart’s Ave verum corpus is joy, awe, and tears, and these are healthful for the soul.
And let him support his reasonings with proofs from his ministry: that when those of his flock who come rarely to Church do come to be wed, these ask not for a bass guitar but for Schubert’s Ave Maria. These ones, who are especially the care of the country parson because they are like lost sheep, at least recognize their Master’s voice in beauty, for they know not what the words mean, but they reverence the beauty of the music which gives voice to the words. Would not these lost ones be drawn more closely to the flock by hearing Mozart’s Regina coeli in C major than “You are holy” by Mr. Smith. It is not so much understanding of the words as the sense of the sacred which leads these ones to hear with well-plowed hearts the message of the Gospel.
So therefore, the country parson will surely seek out those among his flock who can adorn his Church with a well sung Mozart aria. Nor are these so few as he may think. If he searches diligently among high-school and university students, he will assuredly find the beginnings of a four voice choir by which he can move the hearts of his people to joyful prayer.