Papal Legislation on Sacred Music

Papal Legislation on Sacred Music reveals that the papacy from Pope Clement in 95 AD to Paul the VI in 1977 has unfailingly issued guiding legilation concerening the music of the Church. Amongst over four hundred documents (some appearing for the first time in English) some papal thoughts predominated. Overall, though, the dominanant edict which emerges is that the music should enhance the dignity of worship. One might well ask whether everything we hear sung at Mass nowadays is in sympath with that request.A

To the church musician and liturgist this book will read like a novel, for the characteristics of each era reveal the social conditions obtaining at the time. Documentation and original correspondence abound, the result of lengthy research by the author in the Vatican Library and at the Abbey of Solesmes. The numerous appendices categorize all decrees on sacred music made by the Congregation of Sacred Rites and stress their binding force. It is hard to understand the apparent present-day disregard of this legislation.