MUSIC ACCOMPANIMENT IN MASS

By Sam C. Ezugwu
Catholic Musicians forum (CMF)

Music accompaniment in liturgical celebrations (mass) and other choral settings within the
catholic domaim has over time been a controversial discussion. This is weightier on the
categories and choices of percussion instruments commonly used by catholic choirs in
Nigeria.

A simple definition of music accompaniment; Music accompaniment is that part

of music that supports the theme or the subject (vocal or instrumental). It is the subordinate
part of a piece of music. It may also be referred to as backup or augmentation of a piece of
music, depending on the context of definition.

There are categories of musical instruments ranging from melodic, harmonic and
percussion, but there are limited number of instruments required to accompany a piece of
music. Else it becomes empty or busy(noisy) when less needed instruments are used and
when much more instruments than required are used respectively.
The choices for instruments in every musical setting is subject to various factors which thus
hinges on genre, tradition, religious doctrines and social style of the audience. (The identity
of the audience being the focus here).

A narrow down to the genre of music of the church (Choral music), with recourse to the
church documents.

Sacrosanctum Concilium (SC) 116 states that the church acknowledges Gregorian chants as
specially suitable for the Roman liturgy, and should be given pride of place in Liturgical
services. Same document in SC 120 approved the Pipe Organ as the instrument of the Latin
church(Roman Catholic). How many catholic churches in Nigeria have a digital organ talk
less of a PIPE ORGAN?

But the church in her wisdom also acknowledges the diversity of culture, social status and
most importantly, tradition of the people in mission lands, hence the liberty to use suitable
language(s) and instruments that support the worshippers' identity and promotes their
cultural and social heritage. These choices however must be accepted and sanctioned by the
authorities of the church. See SC 119 (Art. 39 - 40), SC 120 (Art. 22, 37, 40, and 52).
It is therefore sufficient to say that the choice and acceptance of musical instruments for the
catholic mass and worship is partly subjective and most importantly, technical, logical,
theological and doctrinal. But haven referred to the instructions and recommendation of
the church on music and accompaniment, I'd like to dwell more on the technical.

It takes years of training and experience to know and be able to separate and identify every
piece of music with required instruments to enhance its value in performance. As a
Choirmaster/ Music Director, you are expected to interpret every piece of music with its
own uniqueness, using mood, style and season as a guide.
Other determining or influencing factors are;
1. Message of the music

2. Era (period of music)

3. Part of mass

Every piece of music deserves all the required attention for better interpretation. Even
when a synthesizer (keyboard) becomes the available "instrument" in mass, selection and
mixing of voices from the voice bank of the keyboard becomes an aid to the interpretation
of a certain piece.
Choir directors should also know and identify a piece of music that requires no instrumental
accompaniment (acapella).

Amongst all factors, style of music plays a major role in the choice for instruments needed
to accompany a song. This is because nationality, culture, language, religion and social
background would have influenced the style of composition.

A creative performer may also adopt crossover or fusion in a song. Part of the ways to
preach unity in music performance without a word on the sub subject. Crossover and fusion
have been observed to unify two or more distinct genres and style of music. Most common
ways are through language, style and instrumentation.

Crossover can be seen in the style of performance of a group called Il Divo. A quartet
created in 2003 by Simon Cowell, the English famous producer and talent hunt judge of the
AGT and BGT.
Andrew Lloyd Webber is a great composer who's works are a crossover of pop and classical
genres.
Fusion on the other hand is a pronounced way of making statements of unity. This involves
a mixture of distinct style, genre, culture and language.
Lambarena: Bach Goes to Africa (1995) is a typical example of fusion. They created a
synergy between culture, voice, language, Era and instrumentation using J. S. Bach's works.
Check online via the link bellow for better understanding.
https://youtu.be/EyNTCyPFFJA

I was introduced to this piece of art by the then German ambassador to Nigeria,
Ambassador Joachim Schmillen when he was serving in Peru. In 2011 I visited Susana Baca,
an Afro Peruvian musician and two times Grammy award winner for a discussion on possible
collaboration on cross cultural music performance. The ambassador and his then wife,
Maria Cecilia Toledo, were my hosts in Lima, the capital of Peru.
I got inspired by Lambarena and I couldn't help but attempt a fusion in the preceding
Amemuso's Operabwow2012. https://youtu.be/GbjxSytGbjxSytI8TYKKK

We performed Sicut Locutus from J. S. Bach's Magnificat with Cajon, Djembe, Conga and
Talking drum along with a piano and strings. In this singler performance, three continents
were brought together in rhythm, language and culture. This experiment came out great
and became a huge point of reference of fusion and this version of Operabuja. (Room for
improvement in the general output). See link. https://youtu.be/GbjxSytI8TY

I also made Susana Baca perform Onyeka Onwenu's Iyogogo with a Peruvian predominant
percussion instrument called the Cajon (pronounced as Kahon) and along side Africa's
famous percussion instrument (Djembe), Conga and western instruments. Onyeka Onwenu
was invited to join the performance on stage and the feeling was awe.
In relation to the subject, it is therefore to note that playing western compositions with
traditional instruments and vise versa should not be a cause for worries. This is an
acceptable musical exercise that requires technicalities with sense of direction. Appreciation
of this comes with consciousness in application with moderation.

In Nigerian Catholic churches, acquiring all prescribed musical instruments for the catholic
mass has hitherto remained a challenge. Hence the church musicians make due with the
available as an alternative for the needed. The consequence is that the growing church
singer get used to the available and soon it became the norm or tradition. Anything
"foreign" to the norm becomes aberration.
A member of the Catholic musicians forum (CMF) did ask a question regarding
accompanying a Latin piece with local instruments. This was resulting from the comment of
a judge in a recent choral competition in the Eastern part of Nigeria.

The responses to the question generated a discussion that revealed diverse views on the
use of percussion instruments in mass.
This discussion inspired me to write more than just a comment in a WhatsApp forum. Hence
this article.

It is disheartening that most people misuse and abuse the privilege given to them as judge
in a choral competition. They in most cases impose their personal choices and perception on
others as a standard without sighting reference materials, consequently leaving their
audience more confused than they probably were.
It is also a common belief, especially in the Southern part of Nigeria that only local
instruments should be used in mass even when the church document didn't specify so. "Jazz
drums" take the centre stage on debate here. Some say it is inappropriate against a
thoughts that say otherwise (the progressive you may say).

In this regard I align with the later thought. Personally, i see this belief as rather being more
catholic than the pope and a misplacement of focus.

If the very popular highlife music which originated from Ghana and later became a west
African pride features these instruments, If Fuji music features some of these western
instruments, then it is convenient to say that these instruments have become part of Africa.
This is defending the later thought on the angle of inculturation if that be the reason for
former opinion.

The question should rather be on the use and application of these instruments. If applied in
ways and manner that still retains the sacred solemnity of the liturgical celebrations, why
worry if it serves the purpose?

*Who says local instruments can't be noisy or uncoordinated?

*Who says Organ, keyboard or any other instruments can not be noisy and non-musical?

Further questions should be;

*How much time are you willing to invest in mastering the available instruments around you
and how well do you use them in mass?
*Can you defend it when you choose a particular instrument over another for the mass?

In the end, what matters most is the audience and congregation. Whatever choice you make
should be centred on what lifts the souls of the worshippers up to God and maintain the
sanctity and sacredness of the mass.
Be in touch with your local ordinary if in doubts. Your PP is there to guide you if you seek.