Chorale an Cantata/music?

Question

What is congregational singing compare with music being performed in the catholic church?

Answer 1

The chorale cantata developed out of the chorale concerto, an earlier form much used by Samuel Scheidt in the early 17th century, which incorporated elements of the Venetian School, such as the concertato style, into the liturgical music of the Protestant Reformation. Later the chorale cantata developed into three general forms:

a form in which each verse (strophe) of the chorale was developed as an independent movement;
a form in which the chorale appeared in some of the movements, perhaps only two, and the other parts of the cantata used other texts; and
the version pioneered by J.S. Bach, in which the first and last movements use the first and last strophes of the chorale, but the inner movements—perhaps aria and recitative—use paraphrases of the actual chorale text. Typically the beginning and ending movements use all the instrumental and vocal forces, while the interior movements are for smaller groups.
Most compositions in this genre were never published. It was common at the time for composers to write for local performances; often the composer and the music director at a church were the same person, and the music was written, copied, and performed in short order, and remained in manuscript. Probably over 95% of all compositions of this type have been lost.

Answer 2

The Catholic Church teaches:

The Christian faithful who gather together as one to await the Lord's coming are instructed by the Apostle Paul to sing together psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs (Col 3:16). Singing is the sign of the heart's joy (Acts 2:46). Thus Saint Augustine says rightly, "Singing is for one who loves." There is also the ancient proverb: "One who sings well prays twice."

Great importance should therefore be attached to the use of singing in the celebration of the Mass, with due consideration for the culture of the people and abilities of each liturgical assembly.

In the choosing of the parts actually to be sung, however, preference should be given to those that are of greater importance and especially to those to be sung by the priest or the deacon or the lector, with the people responding, or by the priest and people together.

All other things being equal, Gregorian chant holds pride of place because it is proper to the Roman Liturgy. Other types of sacred music, in particular polyphony, are in no way excluded, provided that they correspond to the spirit of the liturgical action and that they foster the participation of all the faithful.

For more information, see the General Instruction of the Roman Missal: http://www.usccb.org/liturgy/current/chapter2.shtml#sect3a

With love in Christ.