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In 1903, Pope Pius X issued "Tra le sollecitudini," a document that sought to revitalize and focus the Roman Catholic musical tradition. It declared only Gregorian chant and Renaissance polyphony as "official" sacred music. The document also prompted a renewed scholarly and theological consideration of sacred music in general.
With rare exceptions, the major composers of 20th century music—Debussy, Bartok, Schoenberg, Stravinsky, and Hindemith—did not emphasize religious composition. Important religious works were part of the output of:
With the exception of the works of Healey Willan, few of the compositions were designed specifically for liturgical performance. A significant period of hymn-writing was prompted as Christian traditions reconsidered worship and music resources and styles. Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958), especially, made important contributions to the expansion of English hymnody. The Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) prompted an avalanche of new hymnody and liturgical music. The new music was patterned on folk ballads and a renewed emphasis on lectionary-based hymns and liturgical settings. African-American spirituals and evangelical Gospel songs slowly were incorporated into the repertoire of mainline Protestant traditions. Post-war meditative works by Joseph Gelineau (b.1920) and the ecumenical Taizé community in France aided contemplative patterns of psalmody and prayer. As the church’s style of mission in the 20th century began to shift from establishing European religious patterns to exploring indigenous worship and musical forms, its treasury of music was further enriched.
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The
1928 Episcopal Prayerbook revision furthered far-reaching hymnological
and theological discussion. It encouraged later hymnal and worship book
revision for many traditions and prompted the composition of new settings
of the Mass ordinary, canticles, psalmody, and other large-scale works.
