When the Harps Went Still - The Tragic Decline of Catholic Sacred Music by Bishop Athanasius Schneider

In a world filled with disharmony, the topic of sacred music may seem less than relevant. But the need to restore authentic worship is more crucial than ever.

We’ve all experienced it. As we prepare to enter into the silence of the sacred liturgy, banal music peals over the sound system, and we are barraged with irritating strains just as we are trying to quietly, peacefully worship the Lord.

When the Harps Went Still, by Aurelio Porfiri, Athanasius Schneider, and Guido Milanese, is a compelling exploration of the crisis facing Catholic sacred music today. This deeply insightful book uncovers the hidden tragedy of how sacred music, once the cornerstone of Catholic worship, has been diminished in modern liturgical practice.

From the soaring melodies of Gregorian chant to the intricate harmonies of Renaissance polyphony, the authors trace the rich heritage of sacred music that has shaped the spiritual landscape of the Catholic Church. They argue passionately for the revival of these timeless traditions, highlighting how sacred music not only enhances the liturgy but also serves as a powerful medium for worship and a profound expression of faith.

In these enlightening pages, you will learn about:

The profound history and evolution of Catholic sacred music
The power of sacred music to radiate the beauty that draws people to God
The crucial role of music in elevating the liturgical experience and fostering spiritual growth
The factors contributing to the decline of sacred music in contemporary worship
The theological underpinnings that make sacred music an indispensable part of worship
Inspiring stories of communities and individuals who have successfully revitalized their musical traditions
Actionable steps to restore and integrate sacred music into the liturgy today
Why education in sacred Catholic music is crucial for evangelization
Through thoughtful analysis and heartfelt advocacy, When the Harps Went Still serves as both a wake-up call and a guide to rejuvenating the spiritual and aesthetic richness of Catholic liturgy.

This book is more than an academic treatise; it is a passionate plea to remember and reintegrate the beauty of sacred music into our worship, thereby reconnecting with the divine through song.

Join the movement to revive the sacred sounds of our faith. Let When the Harps Went Still inspire you to bring the transformative power of sacred music back to the heart of the Church.

Endorsements
It is a great pity that most Christians are unaware of the great musical heritage that Christianity has produced over the centuries. Church music is studied, heard, even cherished by many, but seldom is it used in its proper context. Anyone who has been to a sung Mass, with Gregorian chant and perhaps also some Renaissance polyphony, will appreciate the depth of this tragedy. With notable exceptions, the last several decades have witnessed a debasement of musical sensibilities and a squandering of musical traditions among Catholics and Protestants alike. It is not just the neglect of the great religious works of Mozart and Haydn, Bach and Beethoven, Josquin and Palestrina, or even Gregorian chant; it is their displacement by musical kitsch that often conveys questionable theology and unbridled subjectivism, if not self-praise. When the Harps Went Still is the latest telling of the story of “what went wrong” with Catholic Church music. Its authors provide a panoramic view of magisterial teaching on sacred music (which, while not infallible, is informed and authoritative), seasoned with wisdom drawn from their own professional backgrounds; their method follows the principle, Qui distinguit, bene docet (He who makes distinctions teaches well). We are not dealing with “mere aesthetics” here, for there is nothing “mere” about the beautiful. If the good, the true, and the beautiful are so interwoven that to degrade one is to degrade the others, then this book is an antidote to spiritual poison.

Thomas Kocik

In When the Harps Went Still, Maestro Aurelio Porfiri, Bishop Athanasius Schneider, and Professor Guido Milanese provide a rich synthesis of papal documents that witness to the beauty of Gregorian chant and liturgical Latin. Although Vatican II’s constitution Sacrosanctum Concilium praised the musical tradition of the universal Church as “a treasure of inestimable value,” the decades following the Council brought about a lamentable decline in sacred music. The authors examine the theological, liturgical, and cultural reasons for this decline, and they explain what is needed to bring about a revival of sacred music directed to the elevation of souls.

Robert Fastiggi

176 Pages, Paperback