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“A much greater source of anxiety to Us is the style of action of those who maintain that liturgical worship should shed its sacred character, who foolishly say we should substitute for sacred items & furnishings ordinary common things in daily use.” —Pope Saint Paul VI (14 Oct 1968)

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Views from the Choir Loft

Sacred Music Colloquium XXV — Update IV

Andrew Leung · July 2, 2015

CTL Colloquium 7 HE FOURTH DAY of the Sacred Music Colloquium was just a day full of beauty! We were blessed to be able to have our Liturgies at St. Paul Cathedral, a beautiful Gothic cathedral with a huge pipe organ, in Pittsburgh today. It is definitely one of the best space for Mass and to sing in.

Mass was celebrated in Latin in the Novus Ordo by Fr. Eric Anderson today. The Mass was chanted for the most part and Palestrina’s Missa Lauda Sion was sung. After dinner, we had a Solemn Vespers in the Vetus Ordo for the Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The organist for the Liturgies today was Dr. Paul Weber and everyone were impressed by his improvisation on the antiphons and the Magnificat. I also had a chance to sing Dufay’s Ave Maris Stella under Charles Cole’s direction.

WENT TO the “Choir school panel discussion” for the breakout session today. On the panel were Charles Cole from the London Oratory, John Robinson from St. Paul’s Choir School and Michael Olbash from Pueri Cantores. I am no expert in the area of “Children’s Choir” and I am sure that Dr. Lucas Tappan can tell you more about that. But here is what I learned from the session.

The panelists point out that it is very important the children’s singing be tided to their spiritual life and the Liturgy of the Church. It is important that they understand what they are singing and their special roles in the Liturgy. The panelists suggested that children’s choir should sing at Mass or other liturgies as often as possible, or at least regularly. Michael Olbash also suggested that the choristers be vested during the Liturgy because their important role and function.

Regarding how to build a good choral culture, Cole and Robinson both agreed that the results are the key. Once the regular “performance” is established, we need to pick some beautiful repertoire, that are suitable for the Liturgy, and have the choristers to perform them to the highest artistic level. Children can always appreciate true beauty and we should never underestimate them. Choristers, their parents and other potential chorister are attracted and encouraged when they see the beauty in the results (performances). When other children are interested in joining and are being auditioned, directors need to focus more on the potential of the child instead of his or her current skill level, because children can learn quickly. That is how we can build a good and healthy choral culture.

Finally, here is a video from yesterday taken by Ben Yanke.

O Passio Magna by Dr. Peter Kwasniewski

O great Passion!
O profound wounds!
O immeasurable sorrow!
O most copious shedding of blood!
O most abundant outpouring of tears!
O surpasing sweetness!
O death suffered in every bitterness!
Give me eternal life.
Amen.

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

    Simplest “Agnus Dei” Ever Published
    Our choir is on break during the month of July. I needed a relatively simple “Agnus Dei,” so I composed this setting for organ & voice in honor of Saint René Goupil. It has been called the simplest setting ever composed. I love CARMEN GREGORIANUM (“Gregorian Chant”), especially the ALLELUIAS, INTROITS, and COMMUNION ANTIPHONS. That being said, some have pointed out that certain sections of the Kyriale aren’t as strong as the Graduale or Vesperale. There’s a reason for this—but it would be too complicated to explain at this moment.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    14th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)
    Our choir is on break during the month of July. However, on the feasts website, the chants have been posted for the 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C), which is this coming Sunday: 6 July 2025.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    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

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

“If we continue to tolerate sad examples of liturgical abnormalities, experimentation, abuse, and simply poor-quality liturgies, why should we single out those connected to the ancient rites of the Church for special vigilance? It just doesn’t seem right.”

— An Example of a response (sent to Pope Francis) Re: the TLM

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