Spoken or sung Mass

Stanford professor William Mahrt makes a number of astute observations regarding Pope Benedict's recent pronouncements on traditional liturgies in the Roman church, including

In the old use, there is a hard and fast distinction between the low Mass and the high Mass. Either everything is spoken or everything to be said aloud is sung, including the lessons. This is still the ideal in the new use, articulated by Musicam Sacram, though it is not often practiced. Most often one hears a “middle Mass,” a mixture of spoken and sung elements, where the most striking difference between parts of the Mass is whether they are spoken or sung. When everything is sung, on the other hand, then the striking differences between the elements are those which represent liturgical differences, such as between Old Testament and New Testament lessons, and between lessons and responsorial chants between the lessons. Moreover, music becomes the medium of the celebration, and not just an occasional phenomenon, thereby enhancing the sacrality of the whole.

"Sacrality" is a constant theme. Mahrt observes that the new Summorum Pontificum doesn't even mention music, but the ramifications for music are all too clear: among other things, rock and roll doesn't contribute much to the sacred affect of the service. Mahrt is hopeful that Gregorian chant will make a comeback. The article was published in Sacred Music, the journal of the Church Music Association of America.