The Music of Holy Week

Part III: Good Friday

The music, indeed the entire liturgy, for Good Friday should be simple. It should speak in clear, direct signs of Christ's great act of love, and should be unencumbered with verbal explanations and unnecessary announcements. Much of the music should be silent "music." Let the lack of melody speak. The entrance and closing must be silent. A simple psalm may be chanted after the First Reading. The Passion reading is the Gospel account for this day and should be made important in its presentation. Perhaps three deacons, priests or cantors could chant it according to ancient custom. The Passion might be punctuated with congregational hymns as in Bach's setting of the Saint Matthew's text.

The Presentation and Procession of the Cross brings a point of drama to the Good Friday liturgy. After each of the three acclamation/responses of the celebrant and people, the choir could add a four-part antiphon, perhaps a brief Adoramus te or the Greek Hagios O Theos. The veneration could be accompanied by an a cappella hymn, by a choral piece [See Seven Last Words of Christ, CNP Catalog #5097], or might proceed in silence. The Communion service should be conducted with great simplicity.