ROMAN CATHOLIC MUSIC.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21221, 30 December 1930, Page 8

ROMAN CATHOLIC MUSIC.

MODERN OPERATIC TREND. TRADITIONS OP MASS SPOILT. "The Catholic Church of America is slipping away from the Catholic traditions of the Mass when it allows modern and operatic music to replace the Gregorian chants and polyphonic music, winch has been the music of the Mass for centuries,” the Rev, Joseph H. Rostagno said recently to a New York pressman. Father Rostagno, choir director of St. Patrick’s had returned from a visit to Italy, during which he made a further study of the traditional music of the Mass. Until coming to St. Patrick’s about a year ago, he was assistant director of the Vatican choiq. In this year, Father Rostagno and Pietro You, musical ■ director of the Cathedral and an honorary organist of St. Peter’s, Rome, have attempted to bring back the general use of the traditional nmsio of the Mass. "One of the Catholic traditions is that the music of the Mass shall he a part of the Mass, expressing the mystery of the service, and not a musical diversion to be listened to as a concert while the Mass is ,iu progress,” said Fattier Rostagno, " The Catholic Church is rooted in traditions. that have existed throughout the centuries and the music of the church was unchanged from the fourth century to the present, with the exception of the operatic' music • that flooded the : church shortly after the death of Palestrina.” Father Rostagno said the Gregorian and polyphonic chants were losing ground in the Catholic churches in America because the music is difficult to read and interpret and most of the choirs are voluntary units and can be called upon for only a limited number of rehearsals. “ In America there ig a general belief that one person can serve as both choirmaster and organist, *’ he declared. “ That is wrong, for the greatest orgapist may be, able to attain only mediocrity in a group of singers, while the greatest conductor could never attain* a reputation as an organist. “ The average choirmaster in America is a musician who turns his mind toward religious music but once a week. Rarely is be an ecclesiastic musician who appreciates that the music of the Mass is a definite part of the Mass-—an expression of worship rather than an embellishment.”