Can someone explain the difference between Low Mass, Sung Mass, Solemn Mass, and any other common types of services? I have been to several Anglican services, but I have never paid attention to which style of worship service I was witnessing. Thanks for all of the help, as always! -Justin
Such terminology is borrowed from Roman Catholicism and tends to be used by Anglicans in the Anglo-Catholic tradition and is not used or indeed accepted by all Anglicans. Leaving the precise RC distinctions aside, I would consider a Low Mass to be a spoken service without hymns and with the Ordinary of the Mass also being spoken. (Ordinary = Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, Benedictus, Agnus Dei). The Priest wouldn't be assisted by other clergy although their might be a server to assist. A Low Mass might be found at an early celebration on Sunday or at an ordinary mid-week celebration. A Sung Mass would include hymns and the Ordinary would also be sung. The Priest wouldn't be assisted by other clergy but there may be servers to assist. A Sung Mass might be found as the main celebration on Sunday in churches with modest resources and perhaps also for a mid-week Red Letter Day celebration. A High Mass would include hymns/sung propers and the Ordinary would be sung. If there is a choir, there could be more elaborate settings of the Ordinary perhaps using Plainchant and/or Renaissance Polyphony. The Priest would be assisted by a Deacon and Subdeacon. (Also known as Gospeler and Epistoler). There would be a full complement of servers including the Crucifer carrying the processional Cross, Taperers bearing candles and the Thurifer with a censer. There may be a young server acting as Boat Boy carrying the incense boat. In a High Mass there could be processions in which case banners may be carried. (Processions were popular in the pre-Reformation English Church). In churches with plentiful resources, a High Mass might be the usual Sunday celebration. Churches with more modest resources might celebrate a High Mass on Principal Feast days only. The Choir Offices of Morning and Evening Prayer may also have similar distinctions in the way they're celebrated. For example, Evening Prayer could be Said, Sung, Choral or Festal/Solemn. Said would be entirely spoken; Sung would have hymns, sung preces and responses, Choral would be the same as Sung and would include a choir with anthems. Festal/Solemn would be the same as Choral but with clergy wearing Copes. There would also be servers, processions and incense offered during the singing of the Magnificat. Some advanced Anglo-Catholic churches tend to follow pre-Vatican II Roman ceremonial with Renaissance or Baroque style altars having at least six candles and a crucifix, Servers tend to wear lacy cottas over black or red cassocks. Priests may wear a short 'violin' shaped Chasuble known as a Fiddleback Chasuble and clergy may wear a hat called a Biretta. In the pre-Reformation English style also known as English Use, altars will be of medieval style with only a pair of candles and a crucifix/cross. Servers wear albs which can be apparelled (decorated with rich fabric panels on the hem). Priests wear much fuller Gothic style Chasubles and Birettas are not worn.
I should clarify that where I said that the Priest wouldn't be assisted by other clergy, I'm referring to clergy acting as Deacon and Subdeacon. (Gospeler and Epistoler) which would take the service into the realms of a High or Solemn Mass.