Page 210 - Weiss, Jernej, ur. 2017. Glasbene migracije: stičišče evropske glasbene raznolikosti - Musical Migrations: Crossroads of European Musical Diversity. Koper/Ljubljana: Založba Univerze na Primorskem in Festival Ljubljana. Studia musicologica Labacensia, 1
P. 210
glasbene migracije: stičišče evropske glasbene raznolikosti
ly written directly on the score or on a separate sheet, signed or stamped
by the president of the commission of the city where the score was submit-
ted. Such practice lasted for years thereafter. The term approved became the
norm during the years to follow.
Some of this music, after transferal from theatre to church was sim-
ply abandoned whereas other pieces underwent transformations. But apart
from the type of instruments allowed (or not allowed) what exactly were
the rules for these transformations?
With the Motu Proprio Inter sollicitudines in 1903, Pope Pius X un-
derlined the three essential requirements for sacred music: holiness, good-
ness of its forms and universality. But what does this actually mean? How
can a music be holy or universal? Such concepts are concepts and not rules
as such. They appear to be rather vague even when partly clarified in the
fourth paragraph, Forma esterna delle composizioni sacre (The music form
of sacred compositions). Previous regulations didn’t offer more detailed el-
ements. It was more about what to avoid than what to do or how to write
music properly. We find statements like: “It is to avoid solos in the manner
of theatrical singing (not to say screams), in a raised voice that distracts the
devotion of the faithful” (art. 14, Regolamento 1884) or “It is prohibited to
use too mawkish inflections of voice, making excessive noise in beating the
time or giving orders to the performers, turning their back to the altar [...].
It would be best if performers were not visible” (art. 10, Regolamento 1884).37
We know that the model should have been that of Palestrina. Accord-
ing to the Programma generale del Comitato permanente per la musica
s acra in Italia (1890): “Italian classical polyphony, particularly belonging to
the sixteenth century and to the Roman school, headed by Pierluigi da Pal-
estrina, not only possesses an intrinsic musical value that is superior in its
kind to anything that art history has been able to record in the last three
centuries, but it is most convenient for liturgical celebrations […]”.38 This
37 “Si evitino, per quanto si può gli assoli foggiati a maniera di canto teatrale con alzata
di voce (per non chiamarli gridi) che distraggano la devozione dei fedeli.” (art. 14).
“È proibito l’uso di certe inflessioni di voci troppo affettate, il fare soverchio rumo-
re nel battere il tempo o nel dare gli ordini agli esecutori, il volgere le spalle all’altare
[…]. Sarebbe desiderabile che gli esecutori fossero possibilmente invisibili” (art. 10).
38 “La polifonia classica italiana, specialmente del secolo XVI e della scuola romana,
capo e duce Pierluigi da Palestrina, non solo possiede un intrinseco valore musicale,
superiore nel suo genere a tutto ciò che la storia dell’arte ha potuto registrare
negli ultimi tre secoli, ma è di tanta convenienza nella funzioni liturgiche […]”,
Programma generale del Comitato permanente per la musica sacra in Italia (Milano:
Musica Sacra, 1890). The use of the Palestrina model for new compositions, however,
208
ly written directly on the score or on a separate sheet, signed or stamped
by the president of the commission of the city where the score was submit-
ted. Such practice lasted for years thereafter. The term approved became the
norm during the years to follow.
Some of this music, after transferal from theatre to church was sim-
ply abandoned whereas other pieces underwent transformations. But apart
from the type of instruments allowed (or not allowed) what exactly were
the rules for these transformations?
With the Motu Proprio Inter sollicitudines in 1903, Pope Pius X un-
derlined the three essential requirements for sacred music: holiness, good-
ness of its forms and universality. But what does this actually mean? How
can a music be holy or universal? Such concepts are concepts and not rules
as such. They appear to be rather vague even when partly clarified in the
fourth paragraph, Forma esterna delle composizioni sacre (The music form
of sacred compositions). Previous regulations didn’t offer more detailed el-
ements. It was more about what to avoid than what to do or how to write
music properly. We find statements like: “It is to avoid solos in the manner
of theatrical singing (not to say screams), in a raised voice that distracts the
devotion of the faithful” (art. 14, Regolamento 1884) or “It is prohibited to
use too mawkish inflections of voice, making excessive noise in beating the
time or giving orders to the performers, turning their back to the altar [...].
It would be best if performers were not visible” (art. 10, Regolamento 1884).37
We know that the model should have been that of Palestrina. Accord-
ing to the Programma generale del Comitato permanente per la musica
s acra in Italia (1890): “Italian classical polyphony, particularly belonging to
the sixteenth century and to the Roman school, headed by Pierluigi da Pal-
estrina, not only possesses an intrinsic musical value that is superior in its
kind to anything that art history has been able to record in the last three
centuries, but it is most convenient for liturgical celebrations […]”.38 This
37 “Si evitino, per quanto si può gli assoli foggiati a maniera di canto teatrale con alzata
di voce (per non chiamarli gridi) che distraggano la devozione dei fedeli.” (art. 14).
“È proibito l’uso di certe inflessioni di voci troppo affettate, il fare soverchio rumo-
re nel battere il tempo o nel dare gli ordini agli esecutori, il volgere le spalle all’altare
[…]. Sarebbe desiderabile che gli esecutori fossero possibilmente invisibili” (art. 10).
38 “La polifonia classica italiana, specialmente del secolo XVI e della scuola romana,
capo e duce Pierluigi da Palestrina, non solo possiede un intrinseco valore musicale,
superiore nel suo genere a tutto ciò che la storia dell’arte ha potuto registrare
negli ultimi tre secoli, ma è di tanta convenienza nella funzioni liturgiche […]”,
Programma generale del Comitato permanente per la musica sacra in Italia (Milano:
Musica Sacra, 1890). The use of the Palestrina model for new compositions, however,
208
