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Pope Saint Paul VI (3 April 1969): “Although the text of the Roman Gradual—at least that which concerns the singing—has not been changed, the Entrance antiphons and Communions antiphons have been revised for Masses without singing.”

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Views from the Choir Loft

Sacred Music Colloquium XXV — Update VI

Andrew Leung · July 9, 2015

CTL Colloquium 11 AST WEEK was one of the best weeks in my life! The Sacred Music Colloquium was a heavenly experience. I can totally see the Liturgy, along with the Sacred Music, as the foretaste of the heavenly banquette. I apologize for not being able to post this last update sooner due to my travel schedule. Here are some highlights from the last two days of the conference.

On the last day of the Colloquium, an Ordinary Form closing Mass was celebrated in Latin at the Duquesne Chapel. The Missa ad Majorem Dei Gloria by André Campra was sung under the direction of Maestro Wilko Brouwers and all the participants chanted the Te Deum at the end of the Mass to celebrate the conclusion of the twenty-fifth Sacred Music Colloquium. Fr. Robert Pasley asked us to offer up our works as a prayer and pray for all the church musicians everyday.

Dr. William Mahrt gave a short address at the closing brunch. He thank us for our support to the Church Music Association of America (CMAA) and ask us to continue to show our support to the organization. He said it is not easy to be church musicians and our jobs are full of challenge and sacrifice. He encouraged us not to give up when trials come and continue to take Sacred Music to the highest level. He then “send us forth” to the world to bring beautiful music to our parishes.

OW, let’s go back and take a look at the peak of the whole week: the Solem High Requiem Mass on Friday. The Mass was celebrated by Fr. Robert Pasley, Chaplain of the CMAA, for all the deceased members. The Mass setting was written by French composer, Gabriel Fauré. The choir sang under the direction of Dr. Horst Buchholz, Vice President of CMAA, and was accompanied by organist, Bruce Ludwig. After four days of intense rehearsals, the choir brought the beautiful melodies to the Gothic cathedral and really expressed all the emotions in the music. Recordings of this Mass and other liturgies can be found here.

Fr. Pasley gave a sermon after the Mass and he explained the differences between a Requiem Mass and a normal Vetus Ordo Mass. The Mass for the dead in the Extraordinary Form always put the focus on the deceased which is why actions toward the congregation, like the sermon and the final blessing, are omitted. During the Mass, the priest, united with the faithfuls, pray for the deceased and ask God to show His mercy. During the Mass, the Church commemorates the death instead of the resurrection. Black vestments are used to express the sorrow and to remind us of death, which is the result of sinning. The gold/silver/white trims and patterns on the vestments represent our hope. The sequence Dies irae is sung or recited to remind us of the last judgement which we will all have to face.

In the 19th-20th Century French tradition, the Pie Jesu is sung in place of the Benedictus after the consecration at the Requiem Mass. In Fauré’s setting, the Pie Jesu is sung by a soprano soloist. Here is a video I took from the choir loft after the words of consecration. Dr. Cecilia Nam singing the beautiful Pie Jesu accompanied by Bruce Ludwick. And Dr. Horst Buchholz was the conductor.

HIS POST will conclude my report on the Colloquium 2015. The Sacred Music Colloquium XXVI will be held in St. Louis, Missouri, next year. It will be from June 20 to June 25. The venues will include the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis and the Shrine of St. Joseph. I am already looking forward for the next gathering of church musicians!

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

Filed Under: Articles Last Updated: January 1, 2020

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About Andrew Leung

Andrew Leung currently serves the music director of Vox Antiqua, conductor of the Cecilian Singers, and music director at Our Lady of China Church.—(Read full biography).

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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    Why A “Fugue” Here?
    I believe I know why this plainsong harmonizer created a tiny fugue as the INTRODUCTION to his accompaniment. Take a look (PDF) and tell me your thoughts about what he did on the feast of the Flight of Our Lord Jesus Christ into Egypt (17 February). And now I must go because “tempus fugit” as they say!
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    New Bulletin Article • “12 October 2025”
    My pastor requested that I write short articles each week for our parish bulletin. Those responsible for preparing similar write-ups may find a bit of inspiration in these brief columns. The latest article (dated 12 October 2025) talks about an ‘irony’ or ‘paradox’ regarding the 1960s switch to a wider use (amplior locus) of vernacular in the liturgy.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Reminder” — Month of October (2025)
    Those who don’t sign up for our free EMAIL NEWSLETTER miss important notifications. Last week, for example, I sent a message about this job opening for a music director paying $65,000 per year plus benefits (plus weddings & funerals). Notice the job description says: “our vision for sacred music is to move from singing at Mass to truly singing the Mass wherein … especially the propers, ordinaries, and dialogues are given their proper place.” Signing up couldn’t be easier: simply scroll to the bottom of any blog article and enter your email address.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    “American Catholic Hymnal” (1991)
    The American Catholic Hymnal, with IMPRIMATUR granted (25 April 1991) by the Archdiocese of Chicago, is like a compendium of every horrible idea from the 1980s. Imagine being forced to stand all through Communion (even afterwards) when those self-same ‘enlightened’ liturgists moved the SEQUENCE before the Alleluia to make sure congregations wouldn’t have to stand during it. (Even worse, everything about the SEQUENCE—including its name—means it should follow the Alleluia.) And imagine endlessly repeating “Alleluia” during Holy Communion at every single Mass. It was all part of an effort to convince people that Holy Communion was historically a procession (which it wasn’t).
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Canonic” • Ralph Vaughan Williams
    Fifty years ago, Dr. Theodore Marier made available this clever arrangement (PDF) of “Come down, O love divine” by P. R. Dietterich. The melody was composed in 1906 by Ralph Vaughan Williams (d. 1958) and named in honor of of his birthplace: DOWN AMPNEY. The arrangement isn’t a strict canon, but it does remind one of a canon since the pipe organ employs “points of imitation.” The melody and text are #709 in the Brébeuf Catholic Hymnal.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Did they simplify these hymn harmonies?
    Choirs love to sing the famous & splendid tune called “INNSBRUCK.” Looking through a (Roman Catholic) German hymnal printed in 1952, I discovered what appears to be a simplified version of that hymn. In other words, their harmonization is much less complex than the version found in the Saint Jean de Brébeuf Hymnal (which is suitable for singing by SATB choir). Please download their 1952 harmonization (PDF) and let me know your thoughts. I really like the groovy Germanic INTRODUCTION they added.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“The sun, at one moment surrounded with scarlet flame, at another aureoled in yellow and deep purple, seemed to be in an exceedingly swift and whirling movement, at times appearing to be loosened from the sky and to be approaching the earth, strongly radiating heat.”

— ‘Dr. Domingos Pinto Coelho, noted lawyer from Lisbon and chairman of the Bar Association (1917)’

Recent Posts

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  • “Three Reasons To Shun Bad Hymns” • Daniel B. Marshall
  • “Puzzling Comment” • By A Respected FSSP Priest
  • New Bulletin Article • “12 October 2025”
  • “Reminder” — Month of October (2025)

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