• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Corpus Christi Watershed

“What earlier generations held as sacred, remains sacred and great for us too…” Pope Benedict XVI (7 July 2007)

  • Our Team
  • Pew Resources
    • Brébeuf Catholic Hymnal
    • Jogues Illuminated Missal
    • Campion Missal, 3rd Edition
  • MUSICAL WEBSITES
    • René Goupil Gregorian Chant
    • Noël Chabanel Psalms
    • Nova Organi Harmonia (2,279 pages)
    • Lalemant Polyphonic
    • Saint Antoine Daniel KYRIALE
  • Miscellaneous
    • Site Map
    • Emporium Kevin Allen
    • Roman Missal, 3rd Edition
    • Saint Jean de Lalande Library
    • Sacred Music Symposium 2023
  • Donate
Views from the Choir Loft

Dick Morris & Gregorian Accompaniment

Jeff Ostrowski · January 19, 2015

443 Dick Morris Clinton Ear ACK IN 2009, one of the drafters of Sing to the Lord became famous—and not in a good way—for referring to Gregorian chant as a “weapon” several times. I’ve already pointed out some of the basic mistakes he made in his article, which basically served as an opportunity for him to “get back” at folks who criticized SttL. (Insiders claim that he and a CUA professor were the two primary authors of SttL.)

This drafter spends a lot of time hurling words like “misguided” and “misinformed” at folks who have a different opinion. 1 He also says:

…to be honest, most of the U.S. Catholic Church does not sing much Latin chant. […] Some—or, perhaps, many—Catholics do not like Gregorian chant much. They find it to be in the wrong language, or too difficult, or irrelevant, or just plain boring.

A rather interesting statement … made in the context of an article supposedly discussing liturgical law. A theory exists regarding Church music legislation that I call “The Dick Morris Approach.” According to this theory, legislation should basically reflect whatever people are currently doing. However, thoughtful people have pointed out that creating legislation would be an exercise in futility under such a system, since the Church could simply hire a pollster like Dick Morris to discover “what the parishes are doing.”

[For those unaware, the presidency of Bill Clinton started off in trouble because so many of his ideological aides lacked any Washington experience. Clinton then secretly hired a pollster—Dick Morris—and referred to him as “Charlie” to mask his identity. Clinton made each decision according to the result polls by Morris.]

I HAVE NEVER SUBSCRIBED to the notion that “this is the way it is; therefore it will always be like this.” Some people accept a job as choir director and say, “I have five singers who don’t read music, so I guess that’s how it will always be.” I believe that things can change and progress can be made. Moreover, the purpose of legislation was never considered to be a “snapshot” of what parishes are doing; it was supposed to lead folks to a higher good.

I do have a question, however.

Since 2007, people all over the world have sent me recordings of parishes singing the Chabanel psalms. Believe it or not, the Chabanel psalms have been sung in St. Peter’s Basilica. I have a recording of this, and it’s charming to hear the Italians belt out the refrain—boy, do those Italians love to sing! The problem is, the refrains are invariably sung too slowly. To combat this, we provided video recordings demonstrating the correct tempo … but our efforts seem to have been in vain.

In the nineteenth century, chant accompaniments by Jacques Lemmens—which placed one chord for each note—were widely imitated. Today, we usually mock such accompaniments as being “slow and plodding.” The post-Lemmens belief, which I’ve agreed with for decades, is that having two or three notes per chord will help keep things moving. Consider a “plodding” excerpt from Lemmen’s Lauda Sion :

444 Lemmens


Is it possible Lemmens was onto something? After all, in spite of all the videos we’ve produced, it seems many still sing the refrains too slowly. Could it be that note-by-note is the only way to properly accompany congregational chant? Did Lemmens realize that people are going to do what they’re going to do?



NOTES FROM THIS ARTICLE:

1   Naturally, he cannot resist bringing up his hobbyhorse: the history of vernacular hymnody at Mass. As usual, he misrepresents the indults granted to some countries. Indeed, he seems to misunderstand the very meaning of the word “indult.”

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

Filed Under: Articles Last Updated: January 1, 2020

Subscribe

It greatly helps us if you subscribe to our mailing list!

* indicates required

About Jeff Ostrowski

Jeff Ostrowski holds his B.M. in Music Theory from the University of Kansas (2004). He resides with his wife and children in Los Angeles.—(Read full biography).

Primary Sidebar

Corpus Christi Watershed

Quick Thoughts

    PDF • “For the Season of Pentecost”
    During the season of Pentecost, you might consider using this 2-page Piece “for the season of Pentecost.” Rehearsal videos are available at #40691, but the lyrics are different. Therefore, make sure your choir members understand that one can rehearse songs that have different lyrics (“CONTRAFACT”).
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Introit • (This Coming Sunday)
    Our volunteer choir appreciates training videos, so here's my attempt at recording “Exáudi Dómine Vocem Meam,” which is the INTROIT for this coming Sunday. This coming Sunday is Dominica Post Ascensionem (“Sunday after the feast of the Ascension”). It is sung according to the official rhythm of the Catholic Church.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Volunteer Choir Attempts “Kýrie Eléison”
    My volunteer choir attempted the polyphonic KYRIE that will be sung at this year's Sacred Music Symposium. If you're interested, you can listen to the live recording from last Sunday. The piece is based on the ancient plainchant hymn melody: Ave Maris Stella. Polyphony like this is truly intricate and wonderful. It reminds me of the quote by Artur Schnabel: “music that's greater than it can be performed.”
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“It is most important that when the faithful assist at the sacred ceremonies … they should sing alternately with the clergy or the choir, as it is prescribed.”

— ‘Pope Pius XI, Divini Cultus (20 Dec 1928) §9’

Recent Posts

  • “Colorado Sacred Music Conference” August 9-10 (2023) • Highlands Ranch, CO
  • PDF Download • “Epitome Gradualis Romani” • Professionally Scanned — 1,106 pages!
  • Re: Ancient Sequence (Thursday after Pentecost)
  • PDF • “For the Season of Pentecost”
  • The Choir Journal: A Choir Director’s Best Friend

Subscribe

Subscribe

* indicates required

Copyright © 2023 Corpus Christi Watershed · Isaac Jogues on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

Corpus Christi Watershed is a 501(c)3 public charity dedicated to exploring and embodying as our calling the relationship of religion, culture, and the arts. This non-profit organization employs the creative media in service of theology, the Church, and Christian culture for the enrichment and enjoyment of the public.