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Views from the Choir Loft

Brave Schola Director Posts “Live” Recording • Part 2

Jeff Ostrowski · April 27, 2015

871 Altar Cards Traditional Latin Mass ITHOUT QUESTION, the hardest thing about singing in a choir is also the most beneficial thing. Sooner or later, you must place a recording device near the Altar and find out how your choir actually sounds.

Most people think singing is easy. On paper, it seems easy. In fact, it’s incredibly difficult. Moreover, the first time you record a “live” Mass, you will probably be very discouraged. It’s like having a bucket of cold water thrown in your face. Yet, as I said, there’s nothing more beneficial.

I’ve mentioned in the past that many on the internet love to criticize and pontificate; but these same people are too afraid to post “live” recordings of their choirs (if they even direct a choir). They realize that if they do, people will rip them to shreds. As I said, singing is very difficult. It’s much easier to hide on the internet, disparaging the efforts of others.

Below is a “live” recording of our choir singing at yesterday’s Mass. Coming from immediately after the Consecration, it begins with chant and then launches into Palestrina: 1

    * *  Mp3 Download • “Live” Recording From Last Night

It was recorded by a tiny microphone near the Altar, behind a marble pillar. As you can hear, there are some balance issues, but these can be corrected as time goes on. Our 100% volunteer choir began singing in Advent. Since that time, we’ve never had the same exact group of singers show up two Sundays in a row. This makes it more challenging to correct balance issues, but I’m sure we’ll get there eventually. Our Masses currently happen Sunday evening, and not everyone can attend; but this will change whenever we obtain a Church of our own—we are the newest parish in Los Angeles.

I need to hurry up and continue making progress, because my time as director is limited; eventually the choir will notice I don’t know what I’m doing!



NOTES FROM THIS ARTICLE:

1   The score can be downloaded as a PDF by going to this website; look for the SANCTUS.

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

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: FSSP Los Angeles New Parish Last Updated: January 1, 2020

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Jeff Ostrowski

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).

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Corpus Christi Watershed

Quick Thoughts

22 April 2021 • SATB Plainsong?

In an emergency, we pull out random hymns from the Brébeuf hymnal. The Brébeuf choral supplement has every single verse—every single verse—written out, which makes reading SATB a breeze. Last Sunday, we pulled out an Easter hymn which is a mix between plainsong and metrical hymnody…and I think this live recording came out nicely! Please see whether you agree.

—Jeff Ostrowski
22 April 2021 • ICTUS ALERT

My friends, for the record, this coming Sunday has something which is pretty rare. It is an example of Abbey of Saint-Pierre de Solesmes adding an ictus marking to their previous (1908) version of the Graduale Romanum. You can examine before and after. Do I feel better, having pointing this out? I absolutely do…

—Jeff Ostrowski
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

Random Quote

The effectiveness of liturgy does not lie in experimenting with rites and altering them over and over, nor in a continuous reductionism, but solely in entering more deeply into the word of God and the mystery being celebrated. It is the presence of these two that authenticates the Church’s rites, not what some priest decides, indulging his own preferences.

— Liturgicae Instaurationes (1970)

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