notes on music during Advent
by Eric Berthiaume, Music Director
Over the last few weeks at Mass, you may recall hearing short, sung chants prior to the singing of our Communion hymns. These chants come from the propers of the Mass, and they vary from day to day according to the liturgical calendar (like the Responsorial Psalm and Gospel Acclamation verse). These proper texts date back to their Latin form as early as the 7th and 8th centuries, and traditionally accompany the “processional” portions of the Mass (Entrance, Offertory and Communion). The proper chants differ from the ordinaries, which are the unchanging liturgical texts that we proclaim every week, including the Gloria, Creed and Eucharistic Acclamations.
As we begin the new liturgical year at Advent, here at St. Matthew’s we will begin to explore the ancient musical traditions of the Church in a spirit of prayerful reverence during this holy season, and at every Mass, allowing us to draw closer to the significance of the scripture we hear and the Holy Sacrifice we bear witness to. These texts also aid us in singing the Mass as opposed to singing at Mass, so that our worship of God in song is not limited to the singing of hymns.
As we worship God during Advent and grow in anticipation of the birth of our Lord, our liturgies will reflect a spirit of penitence and prayer appropriate to the season. Advent, derived from the Latin adventus (meaning “coming” or “arrival”) anticipates the coming of Christ and is a term frequently used in the New Testament for the Second Coming of Christ. Therefore, in this season, we anticipate Christ not only at His birth in Bethlehem, but also in His coming in the Celebration of the Eucharist, and in His return at the end of time. Mindful of these comings, in preparation of our souls to receive Christ worthily on Christmas Day, we endeavor to embrace what our Church asks of us during this Holy Season, both within the walls of our parish and in our daily lives.
This includes the use of music within our liturgical celebrations, which you will notice may be a bit more subdued or muted in nature so as to not draw our hearts and minds to the birth of Christ prematurely. You may notice, for example, that we may sing a capella (or unaccompanied) music, and the Entrance and Communion antiphons will use simple melodies, returning to the use of the Chant Mass setting for the Eucharistic Acclamations, selecting quieter/softer stops on the organ when accompanying congregational singing and, perhaps most importantly, refraining from singing any hymns with text proclaiming the birth of Christ.
Though not always easy, we must resist the secular notions of Christmas from distracting us from the true purpose of our Advent preparation. This effort in these Advent days will make the uplifting and exhilarating sounds of Christmas Day all the more spiritually-rewarding, knowing that we prepared our souls with patience and full devotion to the glory of the coming Christ Child.
Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains. You too must be patient. Make your hearts firm, because the coming of the Lord is at hand.
James 5:7-8
A blessed and fruitful Advent to all.