Views from the Choir Loft

Upcoming Opportunities for Catholic Visual Artists

Gwyneth Holston · January 13, 2014

HERE IS A call for entries for an art show at John Paul the Great High School. Read their prospectus and letter to artists here. Deadline is March 15th, 2014. Work submitted need not be religious in theme.

Thomas More College of Liberal Arts is hosting two different art summer programs. There will be a two-week Naturalistic Drawing Summer Program taught in conjunction with the Ingbretson Studio in July. Both beginners and professionals will find the cast drawing course challenging and stimulating. Weekend field trips and evening lectures on beauty will supplement the technical training. Running concurrently with the Naturalistic Drawing Summer Program is a one-week Iconography Program taught by David Clayton.

If you’d like to get published, the lovely journal, The Saint Austin Review is always on the prowl for art to feature. And don’t forget about submitting to Dappled Things.

If you know of any other opportunities that you would like me to pass on, please let me know!

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

About Gwyneth Holston

Gwyneth Holston is a sacred artist who works to provide and promote good quality Catholic art. Her website is gwynethholston.com. Read more.

“Tonus Solemnior” • How old is it?

In the 1962 Missal, a section called “præfationes in tono solemniore” contains ornate melodies for the Preface. An article posted on the blog of the Church Music Association of America claims the tone comes from “the late 19th century” and said its elimination “is one of the very few good things which the post-Conciliar reform did for Gregorian chant.” The author said: “The Roman solemn preface tone is already beautiful enough, there was no need to give a more Romantic feel.”

Some have asked us whether the tonus solemnior comes from “the late 19th century.” It does not. Their author was wrong by at least 400 years. I have seen this tone in MSS from the 1400s—and it may go back even further. Here is an example from 1494AD. And here’s another from the 1400s. The FSSP priests use these tones on high feasts, and the effect is unforgettable.

—Jeff Ostrowski

6 January 2022 • Quick!

A short version of the INTROIT for the feast of the Epiphany has been added to the Saint René Goupil Gregorian Chant Website.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Confusing Feasts of Christmas

Whether one considers the Missale Vetustum or the post-conciliar calendar—or even the 1908 calendar—the feasts which follow Christmas are very confusing. Last year I created this comparison chart. I hope you find it helpful. As far as I can tell, my chart is the first effort to carefully detail the changes made to post-Christmas feasts (unless we also count the rather basic one by Lauren Pristas).

—Jeff Ostrowski