Catholic Music through the Ages: Balancing the Needs of a Worshipping Church

Examining the role of music in the liturgical life of the Church, Deacon Edward Schaefer seeks to promote a more dynamic balance between the expressive and formative qualities of liturgical music. He examines the structure of the Mass both before and after the Second Vatican Council, offering a brief overview of the history and development of liturgical music from the 8th century Carolingian Renaissance to the contemporary implementation of the reforms of the Second Vatican Council. Concluding with a thoughtful analysis of the current state of liturgical music, Deacon Schaefer provides a variety of musical examples which are easily accessed online or via the downloadable ebook. "As for the music of the Catholic Church, its story is one that touches most aspects of the Church s life: her public worship, her piety, her morality, her teaching, her politics, and her struggle to fulfill Christ s mission, that is, to use earthly tools to accomplish a heavenly command...Indeed, the story of the Church s music is so intertwined with the story of the Church itself that the two cannot be fully separated without injustice to one or the other. This text, then, is also a short study of the Church from the vantage point of her music." (From the Introduction)