A NEW SONG FOR A NEW EVANGELIZATION BY CAROLYN PIRTLE, M.S.M.

Transcription

1 A NEW SONG FOR A NEW EVANGELIZATION BY CAROLYN PIRTLE, M.S.M. A person unfamiliar with the technical components of musical notation would never be able to interpret a score correctly right away. For such a person... Baude Cordier (c.1380-before 1440). Belle Bonne Sage, a secular love chanson from the Chantilly Codex (Musée Condé 564). The unusual notation is an example of ars subtilior: the composer indicates the amorous lyrical content of the chanson through the use of a heart shape and red notes. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

2 THE INSTITUTE FOR CHURCH LIFE 10...A MUSICAL SCORE LIKE THIS: WOULD PROBABLY BE COMPARABLE TO AN IMAGE LIKE THIS IN TERMS OF ITS COMPREHENSIBILITY:

3 11 A NEW SONG FOR THE NEW EVANGELIZATION / CAROLYN PIRTLE In a related scenario, a person attempting to transcribe or compose music in a vacuum having never seen a musical score would never arrive at the system for musical notation currently used throughout the world. Absent the context of historical development, it is completely arbitrary to signify different pitches by placing ovals on a series of lines, and to classify those pitches using the first seven letters of the alphabet. & A B C D E F G A... REALLY?! (What does this even mean?) True, a person with no working musical knowledge could perhaps see a simple score and at least recognize it as music in written form. A very astute person may even be able to figure out that highness or lowness of musical pitch is indicated by where the notes (the oval shapes) are located on the staff (the lines). But even a highly intelligent person could never arrive at a full understanding of musical notation by mere intuition or reason. If one is to fully comprehend musical notation, one must be taught. The mysteries of the musical language (or any language for that matter) must be revealed by one who possesses knowledge of their inner workings to one who desires to know them. One must be led, or if you will, initiated, into such mysteries. In a similar way, human reason can lead to a certain knowledge of God. For example, observing the created world can lead a person to recognize its origins in a divine Creator. 1 But human reason alone cannot fully comprehend or even imagine the divine mystery; therefore, God has revealed himself and given himself to [humanity] 2 to enable humans to have access to the Father, through Christ, the Word made flesh, in the Holy Spirit, and thus become sharers in the divine nature. 3 In his desire for communion with the human family, God has chosen to communicate his own divine life to the [people] he freely created 4 through the gift of divine Revelation. God freely goes out to meet those who long for him, 5 revealing his love in word and deed throughout salvation history. 6 Returning to our analogy, a music teacher would not expect a beginner student to understand technical terms of musical notation such as clef, accidental, fermata, or rallantando; such a thorough knowledge can only come with years of patient teaching and diligent study. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart ( ). Theme and Variation XII from Twelve Variations on Ah, vous diraije maman, K.265/300e (commonly referred to as 12 Variations on Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star ) Public domain

4 THE INSTITUTE FOR CHURCH LIFE 12 GRADUALLY, ONE S UNDERSTANDING DEEPENS, MOVING FROM THIS & 4 2 TO THIS & 4 2. Ÿ? 4 2 TO EVEN THIS Allegro & 4 3 g Œ Ÿ. Ÿ Œ. Œ Ÿ. #? # n. & Œ Ÿ Œ Ÿ. # # Œ Œ.? # n n # # n.

5 13 A NEW SONG FOR THE NEW EVANGELIZATION / CAROLYN PIRTLE Just so, out of tenderness for our finite understanding, God has demonstrated patience in his divine pedagogy, revealing the mysteries of his will and his plan in stages over time. 7 In the fullness of time, 8 this divine revelation [culminated] in the person and mission of the incarnate Word, Jesus Christ, 9 who is the Father s one, perfect, and unsurpassable Word. In [Christ, the Father] has said everything; there will be no other word than this one. 10 The completion of divine revelation in Christ can be likened to the mastery of musical notation by a student. Once the components of the musical language are grasped in their fullness, no other instruction is needed. Yet, the diligent music-lover may spend the rest of his or her lifetime using this learned (revealed) knowledge to delve ever more deeply into the vast musical repertoire from Bach and Mozart to Copland and Gershwin, learning the nuances of various techniques and appreciating the musical language in an ever growing capacity. Similarly, even if Revelation is already complete [in Christ], it has not been made explicit; it remains for Christian faith gradually to grasp its full significance over the course of the centuries. 11 By contemplating Christ, the one Word of the Father, in the grace of the Spirit, the Christian may spend the rest of his or her lifetime using the knowledge of God attained through divine revelation in order to delve ever more deeply into the divine mystery, learning the nuances of divine truth, appreciating the richness of divine beauty, and sharing ever more fully in the divine life. Carolyn Pirtle, M.S.M., is the Assistant Director of the Notre Dame Center for Liturg y and a composer of liturgical music.

6 THE INSTITUTE FOR CHURCH LIFE 14 NOTES 1 cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church [CCC], 2nd ed. (Washington, DC: Libreria Editrice Vaticana United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2000), 32, Ibid., Ibid., Ibid., cf. CCC, 27 and Lk 15: cf. CCC, Ibid. 8 Gal 4:4. 9 CCC, Ibid., Ibid., 66.