Music In The Liturgy

An important piece on understanding music in the liturgy was recently posted on The Virtuous Pla.Net.  Here's the link:   Music In The Liturgy

Everyone go and read it.  For those who don't want to read through the whole text (which I highly recommend), a couple of money quotes:

Music at the Mass conveys what’s happening at the Mass; it comes from and points towards the events of the liturgy. Music in the Mass must be in harmony with what is being said in the Mass. Overtly happy-go-lucky songs are not in harmony with the gut-wrenching sacrifice of the altar. Thus, Oh, Happiness! by the David Crowder Band, for all it’s glory, does not belong in the Mass. Part of this is simply the choice of when to play a certain song; Communion songs for Holy Communion, songs of Thanksgiving for the recessional, etc. This is a mistake often made by the traditional music bunch; just because something is traditional does not mean it is automatically in due harmony with the events of the liturgy. Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow is off-putting as a Communion hymn. But the Mass as a whole also needs be considered.

...and...

So instead of taking subjective potshots at each other, let us truly consider whether a song is Good, whether it is True, and whether it is Beautiful, and of that Beauty, whether it is complete, in harmony with its message, and clear in its purpose, and argue on those objective grounds.

 Check it out.  It's something to think about...