Three ways to understand if a liturgical composition make sense

Last updated on: March 2, 2018 at 4:25 pm by M° Aurelio Porfiri

Three ways to understand if a liturgical composition make sense 2018-03-02T16:25:22+02:00 M° Aurelio Porfiri

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

I am asked often to give my humble opinion about the quality of a composition for the liturgy. It is not an easy task and full of possible troubles, but maybe few things may be said to help those that want to know if something they are using for the liturgy is good or not.

Personal taste is not a good parameter. Let me explain this a little bit, things are not necessarily good because you may like them. Your taste may be corrupted, so every evaluation should be compared with a tradition. Tradition is the best antidote against arbitrary judgments. Something is good because conform to a process and maybe go even beyond, not because of my little and unimportant opinion about that.
Consistency is important. And first of all consistency with the liturgy. You may be able to compose a triple fugue with all the possible contrapuntal devices, but if that piece is not consistent with the liturgical moment it is composed for, it is useless. And this consistency leads also to other consistencies, harmonic, melodic and rhythmic. If there is not a circular logic that regulates the composition, and there is no reason for that, that composition may be not worthwhile.
Maybe it may seem strange what I am going to say, but another parameter may be considered is the way the composition looks on the score. Yes, the score indeed is nothing in itself; let us not forget that the essential nature of music (and of worship music) is improvisational and oral. But indeed there is a sense of the written music coming from the score that cannot be not considered. I remember one day I show some of my compositions to a very famous and important composer of liturgical music; he considered for few seconds and then he told me that it looked good to him. It was not a way to sent me away, because he mentioned that he can see that the structure coming from the notation make sense. So, I affirm, to judge a good liturgical composition there is a pre-auditory element. In Italy we say “carta canta” (the paper sings). And in a certain way, this is a deep truth.

SELECTED BOOKS (IN ENGLISH) BY AURELIO PORFIRI ON AMAZON.COM

Please click on the book cover

I would like to meet a Saint: a Spiritual Diary

Canticum Novum: On Liturgy and Sacred Music

Writing on Water: Letter to a Chinese parent on music and education

Liturgical music/Musica liturgica

Aurelio Porfiri

Sacred music

scores

Previous Post

February 27, 2018

Five reasons why Latin should not be abandoned

Next Post

March 5, 2018 Migrants and Catholic Church: is there something wrong?

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Apologetics/Apologetica Art/Arte Blessed Virgin Mary/ Beata Vergine Maria Blesseed Pius IX/ Beato Pio IX Canto liturgico Catholic Church/Chiesa Cattolica Catholic Education China/Cina Choir/Coro Conversations Education/Educazione Free Download Latin/Latino Liturgical music/Musica liturgica Liturgy/Liturgia Media Music/Musica New releases/Novità editoriali Philosophy/Filosofia Pope Francis/Papa Francesco Scores/Spartiti Spartiti Spirituality/Spiritualità Theology/Teologia Uncategorized

Select a Month March 2019 October 2018 March 2018 February 2018 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Why did Jesus often use parables?

Select your answer to see how you score.

To confuse listeners To reveal truths to those open to God To entertain only To show off

Support this
Column