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Views from the Choir Loft

Saint Paul’s Choir School ~ Top 5 on the Billboard Charts

Richard J. Clark · December 12, 2014

HE SAINT PAUL’S CHOIR SCHOOL, Harvard Square, founded in 1963 by the legendary Theodore Marier, has recently enjoyed a flurry of national publicity surrounding their new CD “Christmas in Harvard Square” on Decca/AimHigher Recordings/UMC. Under the direction of John Robinson and accompanied by organist Dr. Jonathan Wessler, the CD was produced by Grammy Award winner Blanton Alspaugh.

Released in October of this year, it opened on the No. 2 spot on Billboard Magazine’s overall Classical Traditional Chart. During the nine weeks since its release, it has remained in the top 5 on the Classical Traditional Chart. Additionally, it listed last week at No. 4 on the Holiday Albums Chart and No. 10 on the Classical Albums Chart.

* *  Order the CD here: Christmas in Harvard Square • Saint Paul’s Choir School | Harvard Square You can also view the track list and listen to samples. It is also available on iTunes and Amazon.

ECENT NATIONAL TELEVISED APPEARANCES include a Christmas Special on PBS as well as a segment on “Fox and Friends.” During this segment, Music Director John Robinson was asked about the boys’ typical day and rehearsal time. While discussing their extensive rehearsal in addition to demanding academics, Robinson quite notably points out that “…the highlight of our day is always singing the mass that happens at 12:10 in the beautiful acoustics of St. Paul’s Church.” To watch the entire segment click here:

Watch the latest video at video.foxnews.com      * *  Here is a detailed review of “Christmas in Harvard Square” by Michael Olbash on One Peter Five. Of the many details Mr. Olbash discusses, one comment stands out as it reflects this music the context of faith:

Many choral ensembles include Gregorian chant in concert programs and recording projects as novelty items which tend to sound like precious, fragile museum pieces. In contrast, the two Gregorian introits on this recording — Dominus Dixit and Puer Natus Est — were lively and expressive, the kind of chant singing which can only be achieved when the Gregorian plainsong is part of the living, daily prayer life of a choral ensemble. (emphasis added)

F YOU ARE IN THE BOSTON AREA you can view their concert series and buy tickets online here. Their last concert was sold out, so buy tickets now!

Finally, if you know a talented third or fourth grade boy, you can learn more about “How to Become a Choirboy.” This provides information about admissions, tuition, and opportunities at the Saint Paul’s Choir School. This is an extraordinarily unique Catholic education that may open many unexpected doors. The passion and discipline of music in the context of a faith-filled Catholic education lead to success not only in higher education, but potentially in all matters of life.

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

Filed Under: Articles Last Updated: November 27, 2021

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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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Quick Thoughts

    Tempo?? • 𝘏𝘰𝘭𝘺 𝘎𝘰𝘥, 𝘞𝘦 𝘗𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘛𝘩𝘺 𝘕𝘢𝘮𝘦
    Once, after Mass, my pastor said he really loved the hymn we did. I said: “Father, that's Holy God, We Praise Thy Name—you never heard it before?” He replied: “But the way you did it was terrific. For once, it didn't sound like a funeral dirge!” Last Sunday, our volunteer choir sang that hymn. I think the tempo was just about right … but what do you think?
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Don’t You Agree About These?
    If you want to make Jeff Ostrowski really happy, send him an email with effusive praise about the individual voice recordings for hymn #296. [Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass] They came out dazzlingly sensational, don't you agree?
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Choral Vowels? Yes? No?
    Here's a live recording of one of the choral “warm-up” exercises my choir enjoys. It was taken during our rehearsal on 27 January 2023. It’s good to make sure each chord is perfectly in tune and balanced before moving to the next one. That only happens when each singer has the correct vowel. If you like, you can freely download that vocal exercise.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“Only against this background, of the effective denial of the authority of Trent, can one understand the bitterness of the struggle against allowing the celebration of Mass according to the 1962 Missal after the liturgical reform. The possibility of so celebrating constitutes the strongest, and thus (for them) the most intolerable contradiction of the opinion of those who believe that the faith in the Eucharist, as formulated by Trent, has lost its validity.”

— Cardinal Ratzinger, 2001

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  • PDF Download • Belgian Book of Gregorian Accompaniments (Official Edition)
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