Heart speaks unto heart…

Matthew Schellhorn on the extraordinary benefits of singing and its essential place at the centre of liturgical life

During the Coronavirus pandemic, I was asked by the Catholic Herald to research the impact of lockdown on professional musicians working in the field of sacred music. The range of responses included a number of heart-breaking stories, including singers experiencing poor communication with churches and clergy and entire choirs being put out of work.

Fortunately, some choirs and organists had the opportunity of continuing to supply music to their churches, either recording or livestreaming liturgical music from which congregations benefitted greatly: notably, Westminster Cathedral and other churches have streamed Masses online showing at least organists doing their work in situ. Yet one choir director was in touch to share that, in the face of having offered creative solutions, her long-term contract had been terminated. All responses shared an apprehension for the future. As one musician said: “I wonder what we are coming back to.”

Changed conditions

What is now clear, for all the uncertainty and the financial exigencies, is that life for musicians – both professional and amateur –has already altered radically, and it might not get back to what we knew before very soon. Sadly, even with changed conditions in July, government guidelines state that activities such as “singing, chanting, shouting and/ or playing of instruments that are blown into should be specifically avoided in worship or devotions and in rehearsals”.

Fortunately, where “essential to an act of worship” – which we can say it is, for the celebration of Mass with solemn ceremonies – “one individual only should be permitted to sing or chant”. (I was most puzzled by the requirement that people “should avoid singing, shouting, raising voices and/ or playing music at a volume that makes normal conversation difficult or that may encourage shouting”: perhaps at Mass the onus might be on a congregation to cut the volume of their “normal conversation”?)

Cold comfort

The government’s minor concession will come as cold comfort for the many musicians who cannot wait after months of lockdown to give of their time and talents. Unfortunately, there is no further clarity on the role of choirs in the Archbishops’ Letter on Resumption of Collective Worship, which only mentions (and forbids) congregational singing.

The fact that the scientific evidence of playing instruments and singing in church is hardly conclusive, of course, makes it all the harder to bear for musicians. In the same vein is the tantalising yet nonsensical diktat that theatres and music halls may reopen, but they will not be allowed to hold live performances.

One issue that lies at the heart of the conundrum as we move forward in a socially distanced world is the truth that music speaks to an existential need. As per the heraldic motto of Saint John Henry Newman, ‘heart speaks unto heart’ in a musical performance – or should do, at least – and it such metaphysical communication counter-intuitively requires a proximate set of listeners and participants.

Our Patron Sir James MacMillan has taken on the task of trying to get choral singing back on its feet, at least in Scotland, after the global pandemic. In an open letter to the Scottish Culture Secretary signed by more than 20 leading Scotland-based musicians, Sir James calls choral singing “a force for good”, noting that it promotes “teamwork, social skills and enhances individual well-being”. For many musicians, he writes, “it is their primary source of income”, though the Covid-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on our cultural life.

Choral singing

What is needed in England and Wales, as our Patron has said for Scotland, is a “planned and responsible way” out of this crisis. The “bad press” caused by a vast range of “scientific” press has not established any “facts” and let us not forget that choral singing comes in all shapes and sizes making a blanket ban inappropriate.

Music speaks to an existential need

‘The fact that the scientific evidence of playing instruments and singing in church is hardly conclusive, of course, makes it all the harder to bear for musicians’

I and other musicians thank all those who recognise the extraordinary benefits of singing, not to mention its essential aspects in terms of liturgical life, and who understand the concept of mitigating the worst effects of Covid-19 by other beneficial activities such as music making. I hope all musicians will soon be able to make good on their promises, like those of the psalmist’s, to give praise to God as long as they live, while they have their being.

Matthew Schellhorn is the Latin Mass Society’s Director of Music for London. He has had a deep love of Sacred Music since his childhood and continues to campaign for the raising of musical standards in the life of the Catholic Church. He can be contacted at dirmusic@lms.org.uk