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Views from the Choir Loft

Unchangeable Things

Aurelio Porfiri · September 15, 2014

AM NOW IN PERTH, Australia, for my Doctorate studies. A few days ago, my supervisor brought me to visit a Benedictine monastery, called “New Norcia” in Western Australia. This Monastery (two hours by car from Perth and in the “middle of nowhere”) still survives despite the fact that vocations are dropping down dramatically.

The monastery was founded in the 19th century by Dom Rosendo Salvado, a Spanish priest who, with the blessing of Gregory XVI, tried to create a Christian environment for the aboriginal people living in that area. He wanted to help them to develop in certain areas such as education, and to be able to face the challenges of living in a modern world. The monks structured beautiful schools and infrastructures in the Monastery area, so that everyone—including the monks themselves—could live a meaningful life.

What stood out to me was the attention that Bishop Salvado gave to music: the musical instruments are preserved in the Monastery museum. He knows that a good level of music performance will not only give praise to God when used in the liturgy, but also elevate the people themselves, educating and purifying their souls.

The same phenomenon happened in Macau, China. The missionaries make every effort to create a choir and orchestra, even inviting music professors from Italy, to give instructions to the seminarians, local and foreign. They know that these are unchangeable things: music can change the soul of people, and can show you where beauty is. Then, if you want to look on the other side, it is your choice; but if you change your mind, you always know where to look again.


BOTTEGA • Aurelio Porfiri is where you can discover
many of Mæstro Porfiri’s compositions in PDF format.

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

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Bishop Rosendo Salvado Last Updated: January 1, 2020

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About Aurelio Porfiri

Renowned as composer, conductor, theorist, author, pedagogue, and organist, Aurelio Porfiri has served the Church on multiple continents at the highest levels. Born and raised in Italy, he currently serves as Director of Choral Activities and Composer in Residence for Santa Rosa de Lima School (Macao, China).

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Quick Thoughts

    Schola Director Posts ‘Live’ Recording
    As I explained in my article posted earlier today, Nun Komm Der Heiden Heiland is actually a Catholic tune (in spite of what some have claimed). The volunteer choir I direct sang that beautiful ADVENT melody last Sunday, and I invite you to listen to the live recording. It will get better the more we sing it.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Message from the Vice-President!
    The Vice-President of the Church Music Association of America, Dr. Horst Buchholz (who also serves as Director of Sacred Music for the Archdiocese of Detroit) sent us an email yesterday regarding the harmonizations (PDF) I composed for the Gregorian Chant psalm tones. Dr. Buchholz says: “Those settings are absolutely exquisite, as I'm used to when it comes from you. Bravo! Well done! Now, as a sequel, if you could write something for accompanying psalms in English that would be awesome.”
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Requesting Our Advent Eucharistic Hymn
    A young lady named Agnes wrote to us: “Dear Mr. Ostrowski, do you have the PDF score for Ave Corpus Domini set to the ADVENT melody? Last year, we sang the hymn tune “Nun Komm der Heiden Heiland” quite a bit using your contrafactum technique. My choir appreciates the Latin hymns and practice videos, especially in the ADVENT and CHRISTMAS seasons. Your recent article on Gregorian Psalm Tones is a great help to my organist brother, and reminds us of attending VESPERS years ago when we lived in California. Thank you so much for all the effort put into providing these wonderful resources!”   Agnes, if you are listening! Yes, the PDF file you desire can be downloaded for free at the Brébeuf Portal via this URL link. Thanks for writing to us!
    —Jeff Ostrowski

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“To me nothing is so consoling, so piercing, so thrilling, so overcoming, as the Mass, said as it is among us. I could attend Masses for ever, and not be tired.”

— John Henry Cardinal Newman (1848)

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