The relationship between the music to the word in sacred compositions and the inability to understand due to lack of clarity of the scriptural words, worldly and lengthy compositions for organ, display of skill, and ultimately polyphony in itself were some topics the Council discussed in strong opposition towards. Words such as lascivious, covetousness, irreverence, superstition, inappropriate, and “creeping secularism” formed the mouths of the Committee as they observed and respectively complained in light of the direction music was taking.

Polyphony upset the Church authorities because it robbed the music of the purity and simplicity. To such authorities liturgical music was not to be spoiled by the impurities of humanity. The practice of singing psalms and other forms of music in the church was to be strictly experienced as holy, and a reflection of a heavenly idea. Fellerer documents Theiner in Concilii Tridentini with a remark along the lines of how listeners should not pleasure in the melodies, but rather be pointed towards Christ and the heavens. The ideal representation of music in the church was to be sweet and spiritual and divine.

Those topics discussed such as the inappropriate lengths or display of skill by performers were urged to be purged because they essentially interfered with worship altogether. Two forms considered to be along the lines of what was frowned upon were the missa da caccia or missa della battaglia. Sequences were also restricted all together because they certainly conveyed the showy nature of an instrumentalist or performer and did not function to its purpose.