For other uses see Master of Ceremonies.
A Master of Ceremonies or compère is the official host of a staged event or similar
performance.
An MC usually presents performers, speaks to the audience, entertains people, and generally
keeps the event moving.
An MC may also tell jokes or anecdotes.
The MC sometimes also acts as the protocol officer during an official state function.
In hip hop and electronic dance music, an MC, otherwise known as a rapper, is a music
artist and/or performer who usually creates and performs vocals for his/her own original
material.
Origins The term originates from the Catholic Church.
The Master of Ceremonies is an official of the Papal Court responsible for the proper
and smooth conduct of the elegant and elaborate rituals involving the Pope and the sacred
liturgy.
He may also be an official involved in the proper conduct of protocols and ceremonials
involving the Roman Pontiff, the Papal Court, and other dignitaries and potentates.
Examples of official liturgical books prescribing the rules and regulations of liturgical celebrations
are Cæremoniale Romanum and Cæremoniale Episcoporum.
The office of the Master of Ceremonies itself is very old.
According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, the most ancient ceremonials and rituals of the
Catholic Church are the Ordines Romani.
Names of Masters of Ceremonies are known since the late Middle Ages and the Renaissance.
However, copies of books prescribing the forms of rituals, rites and customs of pontifical
ceremonies are known to have been given to Charles Martel in the 8th century.
The rules and rituals themselves are known to have been compiled or written by the pontifical
masters of ceremonies whose contents date back to the time of Pope Gelasius I with modifications
and additions made by Pope Gregory the Great.
It is reasonable to assume that the ceremonials themselves pre-date Gelasius I and the origins
of the Master of Ceremonies may have developed from the time Emperor Constantine the Great
gave the Lateran Palace to the popes or from the time Christianity became the official
religion of the Roman Empire, and was influenced no doubt by imperial practices, customs and
norms.
However, documentary evidence from the late Roman period are scarce or lost.
The ceremonies and practices of the Byzantine emperors are also known to have influenced
the papal court.
The accumulation of elaboration and complication since the Renaissance and Baroque eras were
carried well into the 20th century until some of the ceremonies were simplified or completely
eliminated by Pope Paul VI in the 1970s after Vatican II; much of the Renaissance pomp and
ceremony has been completely abandoned by the popes of the modern era.
At a large Catholic church or cathedral, the Master of Ceremonies organises and rehearses
the proceedings and ritual of each Mass.
He may also have responsibility for the physical security of the place of worship during the
liturgy.
At major festivities such as Christmas and Easter, when the liturgies are long and complex,
the Master of Ceremonies plays a vital role in ensuring that everything runs smoothly.
The current papal Master of Ceremonies is Monsignor Guido Marini who succeeded Archbishop
Piero Marini to whom he is not related.
Master's of Ceremony at weddings and private events also ensure the coordination of their
event, including liaison with catering staff.
Monarchies Historically certain European royal courts
maintained senior offices known as Masters of Ceremonies, responsible for conducting
stately ceremonies such as coronations and receptions of foreign ambassadors.
Examples included: British Empire: Master of the Ceremonies
France: Grand Master of Ceremonies Japan: Master of Ceremonies
Russian Empire: see Table of Ranks Ottoman Empire: Kapıcıbaşı, literally
"chief doorkeeper" of the Topkapi Palace Comedy clubs
In the context of a comedy club, the role of MC is traditionally filled by a "compère".
In any comedy show, the compère is the host of the evening's events, but the precise role
and responsibilities will vary depending on the country, venue and style of event.
The compère is usually a working comedian, and whilst they may incorporate elements of
their regular set, the role broadly requires a greater level of improvisation – creating
a sense of place and community, interacting with the audience, dealing with any hecklers
and encouraging them to focus on the other acts.
The compère will normally do longer bits at the start of the show and after any interval,
and shorter bits between acts.
They may also be required to make announcements, such as birthdays, anniversaries and bar promotions.
Weddings During the wedding reception, the multifaceted
responsibility of the Master of Ceremony is to keep the agenda flowing smoothly by:
skillfully capturing and maintaining the attention of the wedding guests
effectively directing their attention on whatever the bride and groom have chosen to include
keeping the wedding attendees informed so at any given moment they know what is happening
comfortably guiding the bride's and groom's friends and family so they know what they
are supposed to do to participate The role of the Wedding Master of Ceremony
incorporates a wide range of skills, and those who serve in this capacity have frequently
undergone extensive training in the following areas:
Delivering Applause Cues Presenting Introductions
Microphone technique Posture and Stance
Voice Inflection Staging
Boy Scouts of America In the Boy Scouts of America, the Master of
Ceremonies is an adult or a Scout who leads a Court of Honor, specifically an Eagle Scout
Court of Honor.
It is optional to award merit badges or rank advancements at the Eagle Scout Court of Honor,
rather than making the rest of the troop wait for another, non-Eagle, Court of Honor.
Hip hop In the late 1970s, the term MC, stood for
Master of Ceremonies.
It became another alternative for a rapper, for the position's role within hip hop music
and culture.
An MC uses rhyming verses, pre-written or ad lib, to introduce the DJ with whom they
work, to keep the crowd entertained or to glorify themselves.
As hip hop progressed, the title MC acquired backronyms such as 'mike chanter' 'microphone
controller', 'microphone checker', 'music commentator', and one who 'moves the crowd'.
A recent neologistic acronym, gaining use, is 'mentor to child'.
Some use this word interchangeably with the term rapper or emcee, while for others the
term denotes a conception and demonstration of the role indicative of skill and of connection
to the wider culture, while the latter term does not.
MC can often be used as a term of distinction; referring to an artist with good performance
skills.
As Kool G Rap notes, "masters of ceremony, where the word 'M.C.' comes from, means just
keeping the party alive" [sic].
Many people in hiphop including DJ Premier and KRS-One feel that James Brown was the
first MC.
James Brown had the lyrics, moves, and soul that greatly influenced a lot of rappers in
Hip-Hop, and arguably even started the first MC rhyme.
As with some rappers, there was a distinction, such as for MC Hammer who acquired the nickname
"MC" for being a "Master of Ceremonies" which he used when he began performing at various
clubs while on the road with the Oakland A's, and eventually in the military.
It was within the lyrics of a rap song called "This Wall" that Hammer first identified himself
as M.C.
Hammer and later marketed it on his debut album Feel My Power.
Uncertainty over the acronym's expansion may be considered evidence for the ubiquity of
the acronym: the full master of ceremonies is very rarely used in the hip hop scene.
This confusion prompted the hip hop group A Tribe Called Quest to include this statement
in the liner notes to their 1993 album Midnight Marauders:
The use of the term MC when referring to a rhyming wordsmith originates from the dance
halls of Jamaica.
At each event, there would be a master of ceremonies who would introduce the different
musical acts and would say a toast in style of a rhyme, directed at the audience and to
the performers.
He would also make announcements such as the schedule of other events or advertisements
from local sponsors.
The term MC continued to be used by the children of women who moved to New York City to work
as maids in the 1970s.
These MCs eventually created a new style of music called hip-hop based on the rhyming
they used to do in Jamaica and the breakbeats used in records.
MC has also recently been accepted to refer to all who engineer music.
References
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