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Views from the Choir Loft

Maestro Colin Mawby—The Newest Blogger

Andrew Leung · August 2, 2015

CTL Colin Mawby AESTRO COLIN MAWBY is one of the most well known and popular composers these days. He recently became a contributor of Castaway, a new blog focusing on choral & sacred music founded by Aurelio Porfiri.

Colin Mawby is an English organist and composer. He was the Master of Music at Westminster Cathedral and also the Choral Director for the Irish National Television and Radio Service. Perhaps Dr. Lucas Tappan can tell us even more, since he’s made an extensive study of Westminster (and even visited there, I believe). He was awarded Knighthood of the Order of St. Gregory by Pope Benedict XVI in 2006. He also appeared on Sursum Corda—an EWTN documentary on sacred music and the liturgy.

The English maestro has posted quite a few short articles since April and I am sure our readers will find them interesting. In his most recent article, Three (3) Contemporary Composers of Choral Music You Should Not Overlook, Mawby mentioned the music of Benjamin Britten, Morten Lauridsen, and Avro Pärt. He said their contemporary liturgical music “reflects our culture and speaks to the souls of all listeners.”

Allow me to add a fourth composer: Colin Mawby himself, whose works should not be overlooked. His piece, Ave Verum Corpus, was sung during one of the Masses at CMAA’s Sacred Music Colloquium. This piece is definitely contemporary—but also beautiful, dignified, and truly liturgical. Mawby shares the story behind the piece in one of his posts.


He wrote some other interesting POSTS including:

— Edward Elgar’s choral music|
— How to make your choir sound better|
— A few suggestions to write a decent liturgical composition|
— Why the organ and not the guitar?|
— Is the UK still the country of choral music?

Opinions by blog authors do not necessarily represent the views of Corpus Christi Watershed.

Filed Under: Articles Last Updated: January 1, 2020

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About Andrew Leung

Andrew Leung currently serves the music director of Vox Antiqua, conductor of the Cecilian Singers, and music director at Our Lady of China Church.—(Read full biography).

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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    Bugnini’s Statement (6 November 1966)
    With each passing day, more is revealed about how the enemies of the liturgy accomplished their goals. For instance, Hannibal Bugnini deeply resented the way Vatican II said Gregorian Chant “must be given first place in liturgical services.” On 6 November 1966, his cadre wrote a letter attempting to justify the elimination of Gregorian Chant with this brazen statement: “What really gives a Mass its tone is not so much the songs as it is the prayers and readings.” Bugnini’s cadre then attacked the very heart of Gregorian Chant (viz. the Proprium Missae), bemoaning how the Proprium Missae “is completely new each Sunday and feast day.” There is much more to be said about this topic. Stay tuned.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Luis Martínez Must Go!
    Sevilla Cathedral (entry dated 13 December 1564): The chapter orders Luis Martínez, a cathedral chaplain, to stay away from the choirbook-stand when the rest of the singers gather around it to sing polyphony—the reason being that “he throws the others out of tune.” [Excerpt from “The Life of Father Francisco Guerrero.”]
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Urgent! • We Desperately Need Funds!
    A few days ago, the president of Corpus Christi Watershed posted this urgent appeal for funds. Please help us make sure we’re never forced to place our content behind a paywall. We feel it’s crucial that 100% of our content remains free to everyone. We’re a tiny 501(c)3 public charity, entirely dependent upon the generosity of small donors. We have no endowment and no major donors. We run no advertisements and have no savings. We beg you to consider donating $4.00 per month. Thank you!
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    Pope Pius XII Hymnal?
    Have you ever heard of the Pope Pius XII Hymnal? It’s a real book, published in the United States in 1959. Here’s a sample page so you can verify with your own eyes it existed.
    —Corpus Christi Watershed
    “Hybrid” Chant Notation?
    Over the years, many have tried to ‘simplify’ plainsong notation. The O’Fallon Propers attempted to simplify the notation—but ended up making matters worse. Dr. Karl Weinmann tried to do the same in the time of Pope Saint Pius X by replacing each porrectus. You can examine a specimen from his edition and see whether you agree he complicated matters. In particular, look at what he did with éxsules fílii Hévae.
    —Corpus Christi Watershed
    Antiphons Don’t Match?
    A reader wants to know why the Entrance and Communion antiphons in certain publications deviate from what’s prescribed by the GRADUALE ROMANUM published after Vatican II. Click here to read our answer. The short answer is: the Adalbert Propers were never intended to be sung. They were intended for private Masses only (or Masses without music). The “Graduale Parvum,” published by the John Henry Newman Institute of Liturgical Music in 2023, mostly uses the Adalbert Propers—but sometimes uses the GRADUALE text: e.g. Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul (29 June).
    —Corpus Christi Watershed

Random Quote

“The only really effective apologia for Christianity comes down to two arguments: namely, the _saints_ the Church has produced and the _art_ which has grown in her womb.”

— Josef Cardinal Ratzinger (Interview, 1985)

Recent Posts

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Corpus Christi Watershed is a 501(c)3 public charity dedicated to exploring and embodying as our calling the relationship of religion, culture, and the arts. This non-profit organization employs the creative media in service of theology, the Church, and Christian culture for the enrichment and enjoyment of the public.

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