To learn how to prepare for missa cantata is the short answer.

We can distinguish three degrees of preparation, as there are also three degrees of participation to missa cantata.

The first degree is to review for a few minutes before mass that we actually know how to sing the parts that are ours. In a missa cantata, every baptized parishioner has a part to sing¹. Also, it is a recent evolution that parishioners feel they can rely on musical instruments and do not need any preparation. As early as 1958, instruments were to remain silent² for several months of the liturgical year. Relying on the instruments was then not an option. Delegating one’s preparation to fellow parishioners was, then as now, a common occurrence, but when everyone thinks they can delegate their participation, then missa cantata is no longer possible. Our schola rehearsals³ include the preparation of the congregation, and we spend a good amount of time preparing for the first and second degrees of participation, as they are the foundations for the third degree of participation, which is traditionally reserved to the schola.

The second degree of preparation is to study the liturgical calendar a few weeks ahead, to anticipate the music that will be sung, and to thus give ourselves time learn the treasures of liturgical music that the tradition gave us. If our generation does not learn these treasures, it will not be available for next generations.

The third degree of preparation is to embrace the Church tradition of music literacy, and to learn the simple solfege that enables a schola to sing the Graduale Romanum. Solfege was invented in the 11th century by the Church, for the very purpose of singing her liturgy. It is much easier than you think, and you can take the first step at this link.

These three degrees imply that you will have considerable flexibility in your schedule. The schola is not a performing group, but rather a school (schola) to prepare for missa cantata. The teacher is the Church and her tradition, handed to us in the liturgical books. The schola director is just there to coordinate the learning. The more members our schola has, the more flexible our schedules can be.

Please consider joining the schola! Talk to me after mass, call or email me to tell me what time you can commit to. We’ll have a solution to help you prepare better.

THANK YOU!

Hervé, St JP II Polish Center Latin Mass schola director. 626 278 0786 longbeachchant@live.com

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1. The parts to be sung in a Missa Cantata (Sung Mass) are defined by the degrees of participation in the 1958 instructions on Sacred Music and Sacred Liturgy (paragraphs 24 to 27) and also, in the Vatican II instructions, Musicam Sacram (paragraphs 28 to 31). The three degrees are mostly identical in both pre- and post-Vatican II documents. ↩︎
2. See paragraphs 80 to 85 of the 1958 document already mentioned above ↩︎
3. This post was prepared for the St JP II Polish Center Schola in Yorba Linda. Webpage at this link. ↩︎