Book contents
- The Cambridge History of the Papacy
- The Cambridge History of the Papacy
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Figures
- Table
- Contributors
- General Introduction
- Part I Spaces, Liturgies, Travels
- Part II Women, Gender, Sexuality
- Part III Science, Medicine, Technology
- Part IV Education, Culture, Arts
- 21 Papal Patronage and the Reception of Classicism in Medieval Rome
- 22 Books, Libraries, and Texts
- 23 The Papacy and Printing, 1464–1633
- 24 Papal Patronage and the Arts: From the Early Christian Period to the Twentieth Century
- 25 The Papacy and Music
- 26 The Popes and Education in Early Modern Europe, 1400–1800
- 27 The Papal Wardrobe
- Select Bibliography
- Index
25 - The Papacy and Music
from Part IV - Education, Culture, Arts
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 28 February 2025
- The Cambridge History of the Papacy
- The Cambridge History of the Papacy
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Figures
- Table
- Contributors
- General Introduction
- Part I Spaces, Liturgies, Travels
- Part II Women, Gender, Sexuality
- Part III Science, Medicine, Technology
- Part IV Education, Culture, Arts
- 21 Papal Patronage and the Reception of Classicism in Medieval Rome
- 22 Books, Libraries, and Texts
- 23 The Papacy and Printing, 1464–1633
- 24 Papal Patronage and the Arts: From the Early Christian Period to the Twentieth Century
- 25 The Papacy and Music
- 26 The Popes and Education in Early Modern Europe, 1400–1800
- 27 The Papal Wardrobe
- Select Bibliography
- Index
Summary
This chapter presents the main themes that emerge from a survey of the scholarly work that has been undertaken on the history of papal involvement with music. Seven centuries of papal pronouncements on music in the liturgy show a remarkable consistency of concerns, which could be summed up in the word “decorum.” Liturgical music must serve the Word, it must be solemn, it must be serious, it must not be there simply to be enjoyed, and it must not remind the congregation of secular matters. Yet it is striking how limited and how ineffective most papal decrees were. While popes consistently claimed global authority over all sorts of religious matters, only two issued decrees on music addressed to the entire Church. Even the papacy’s greatest contribution to the history of music, the creation of the plainchant repertory, was for the popes a local matter.
Keywords
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- The Cambridge History of the Papacy , pp. 703 - 724Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2025