New Vatican effort to promote liturgical chant

Vatican, Mar. 12 (CWNews.com) - The Vatican has published the first in a projected new series of works, entitled Liturgia Poliphonia, which will offer the musical scores from contemporary chants written for the Sistine Chapel choir.

In a preface to the first booklet of the series, Msgr. Piero Marini, the master of ceremonies for pontifical liturgies, explains that the new series intended to furnish a model to stimulate the widespread use and appreciation of chant in the liturgy.
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Since Vatican II there has been a marked tension within the Church between the proponents of traditional chant and the advocates of a more "progressive" approach to traditional liturgy. This tension has given rise to some heated polemics, even among Vatican officials.

Pope John Paul has endorsed the Vatican II teaching, emphasizing that "it is only through Gregorian chant and the organ that liturgical music can play a properly dignified role in the celebration of the sacraments, and particularly the Mass." He made that comment in January 2001, on the 90th anniversary of the Pontifical Institute for Sacred Music.

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