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Views from the Choir Loft

Ascent to Freedom

Richard J. Clark · July 5, 2013

LL KINDS OF MUSICIANS, (especially church musicians) complain often of a lack of freedom. Yet it seems the greatest art pours forth from adversity. I have come to believe that true freedom does not rise from the capacity to fulfill all desires. Freedom is captivity, followed by battle, followed by faith, followed by wisdom and compassion as seen through the eyes of love. Of this struggle, true liberation is born.

PDF • Free Download — Ascent to Freedom, III. If You But Trust in God to Guide You | Wer nur den lieben Gott, Tune: George Neumark, 1621-1681

This difficult understanding about the nature of freedom is the inspiration for my five-movement organ work, “Ascent to Freedom.” (Click here to preview/order the score and listen.)

As described by the “Boston Music Intelligencier”:

“… Its five movements are quite accessible, sometimes displaying a French influence. The last three movements made imaginative use of, respectively, the Lutheran chorale If You But Trust in God to Guide You, the spiritual Go Down, Moses, and the hymn How Can I Keep From Singing. There was some compelling musical illustration in the spiritual movement when tortured chromaticism and crunchy reed chords gave way suddenly to diatonic harmonies on the solo clarinet accompanied by string celeste: the effect was like a release from bondage.”
— The Boston Music Intelligencer

(Videos are from my live performance at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Boston, Massachusetts on the 1875 E. & G. G. Hook & Hastings, Opus 801.)

Ascent to Freedom
Video 1: I. Praeludium, II. Adagio e lamentabile
Video 2: III. Tranquillo e dolce, If You But Trust in God to Guide You
Video 3: IV. Moderato e spiccato, Go Down Moses, V. Adagio e cantabile, How Can I Keep From Singing?

Quite notably, “Ascent to Freedom” received its Russian Federation première in 2012 in the cities of Kislovodsk (Кислово́дск) and Yessentuki (Ессентуки́). It was performed by virtuoso organist Mark Husey, Director of Music and Liturgy at St. Peter’s Church in Columbia, South Carolina.

From the billboard concert poster above, “Восхождение к свободе” (“Ascent to Freedom”) is the big headline at the top above the Statue of Liberty. Organist, Mark Husey’s name in large letters is recognizable. My name reads as “Р. Кларк”! (R. Clark)

For those of us who grew up during the Cold War, a performance of an American work that celebrates freedom is something of which we could not conceive.

We must continue to work diligently for this freedom through our prayer, struggle, suffering, faith, wisdom, and through compassion. We are reminded that ultimately, this freedom comes from God alone.

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

Filed Under: Articles, PDF Download Last Updated: January 13, 2020

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Richard J. Clark

About Richard J. Clark

Richard J. Clark is the Director of Music of the Archdiocese of Boston and the Cathedral of the Holy Cross.—(Read full biography).

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Can You Spare 33 Seconds?

Here’s an audio excerpt (33 seconds) of a setting for Kyrie VIII which was recorded live last Sunday at our parish in Los Angeles. The setting (“Missa de Angelis”) is by composer Richard Rice, and you can download the free PDF if you click here and scroll to the bottom. I think Richard’s composition is marvelous. I missed a few notes on the organ, but I’ll get them right next time.

—Jeff Ostrowski
5 April 2021 • When Girls Sing

Covid restrictions here in California are still extremely severe—switching “two weeks to flatten the curve” into “two years to flatten the curve.” Since 2020, we’ve had police breaking into our church to check if everyone is wearing a mask…even when only 5-6 people are present! But we were allowed to have a small percentage of our singers back on Easter Sunday, and here is their live recording of the ancient Catholic hymn for Eastertide: Ad Cenam Agni Providi. The girls were so very excited to sing again—you can hear it in their voices!

—Jeff Ostrowski
29 March 2021 • FEEDBACK

“E.S.” in North Dakota writes: “I just wanted to take a moment to say THANK YOU for all the hard work you have put—and continue to put—into your wonderful website. In the past two years, my parish has moved from a little house basement into a brand new church and gone from a few families receiving Low Masses twice a month to several families (and many individuals) receiving Mass every Sunday, two Saturdays a month, and every Holy Day. Our priest has been incorporating more and more High Masses and various ceremonies into our lives, which has made my job as a huge newbie choir master very trying and complicated. CCWatershed has been an invaluable resource in helping me get on my feet and know what to do!!! Thank you more than I can express! May God bless you abundantly and assist you in your work and daily lives!”

—Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

It would be contrary to the Constitution to decree or even to hint that sung celebrations, especially of the Mass, should be in Latin.

— Annibale Bugnini attacking “Sacrosanctum Concilium” (§36)

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