BY Liz Leydon | October 28 | 
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Scottish bishops saved my Papal Mass, says MacMillan
Renowned Scottish composer James MacMillan says that his Bellahouston Papal Mass was not initially universally embraced.
Mr MacMillan has said that some Church liturgists were not wholly behind his Mass setting, which contributed to the moving celebrations on September 16, being used during the Pope’s visit, suggesting it was ‘un-singable’ and ‘not pastoral enough.’ He added that, through the intervention of the Bishops of Scotland who had commissioned the setting, that the issues were resolved.
“The bishops didn’t know anything about it—until we raised it with them,” the composer said. “Obviously, not having heard the music, they were in a quandary…
“But they had put their faith in me, knowing what I had done for the Church so far, and they were to continue in that faith. I was contacted, separately, by four members of the Scottish hierarchy, directly or indirectly. The one who phoned me allayed my fears and confirmed their full support.”
The surprise revelations, coming six week’s after the Papal visit, came to light in the composer’s blog for the Daily Telegraph.
A spokesman for the Catholic Church in Scotland said: “The music for the Papal Mass at Bellahouston Park was widely acclaimed and appreciated by all present. It represented a wide spectrum of Church music, new and old, suggested by the National Music Advisory Board. People may have their own musical opinions and tastes but no one can doubt the good will and efforts of choirs throughout the country who worked very hard to learn upwards of 40 pieces of music, much of it unknown to them, in a very limited timescale.”
Mr MacMillan’s Mass setting was used at both Bellahouston and Birmingham during the Papal visit.
“Writing music for the recent visit of the Pope to the UK was one of the most exhilarating but strangest experiences of my life,” Mr MacMillan said.
Pic: Paul McSherry
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Yes, we enjoyed the music here in New Jersey,USA. I have to say,though,I am still not overly enamoured of the upcoming liturgical translations. I have done some liturgical translations myself from Greek, Church Slavonic and Latin. I know how difficult it is to please everyone. Cranmer,where art thou? (Just thy English please, not thy theology).
I did nt know there were any “liturgists” in Scotland. Liturgy , as in decent liturgy in the Scottish Church is almost non-existant.
Mr MacMillan s Sanctus was superb.