The inclusion of musical styles across the centuries is always a major consideration in music planning for the family of St. Isidore. Essential considerations also include the liturgical season, specific feast or solemnity as well as the scripture readings and Mass propers each weekend.
This Lent 2022, we will be using an ancient musical setting for the Ordinary of the Mass (the Kyrie, Sanctus, Mystery of Faith, Amen and Agnus Dei). Mass XVIII of the Kyriale, composed in Gregorian chant, is one of the chant settings specifically appropriated for use during the Lenten season.
Gregorian chant has served as the liturgical music of the Roman Catholic Church for centuries. In addition to connecting us with the voices of our church ancestors across 1400 years of sacred music history, Gregorian chant makes the texts primary. When singing is unaccompanied, the words were the primary focus of the sung prayers. During Lent, pastoral musicians are encouraged to minimize the use of instrumentation in order to highlight the penitential nature of the season and emphasize the Lenten texts we sing.
Although originally developed and primarily sung in Latin (and occasionally Greek), we are now able to sing these chants in our own language; English due to the liturgical shift and decisions promulgated by the Vatican II council. In recent years, simple accompaniments have been added to the chant melodies and can be a means of support for the sung participation of the assembly. Although beautiful unaccompanied, you may hear some simple accompaniment to help you sing and pray these beautiful chant melodies here at St. Isidore as we celebrate Eucharist together with the angels and saints and all who have gone before us in heaven.
