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Views from the Choir Loft

Liturgy And Diversity

Christopher Mueller · September 7, 2015

330 liturgical Chris EVERAL YEARS AGO, I had the very good fortune to have several lengthy conversations with the Director of Music at a cathedral in the United States. This church has an astonishing music program, featuring a world-class children’s choir and professional schola. Each week at the principal Mass of the cathedral, the schola sings chant and polyphony, including the day’s propers (in Latin chant), a full Mass Ordinary (typically Renaissance polyphony, also in Latin), and motets at Offertory and Communion (to follow the chanted propers). The children join them on much of this music (particularly the polyphony).

I thought of these conversations as I perused this thread at the Musica Sacra Forum. The question under discussion is whether a choral Ordinary (that is, an Ordinary sung solely by the choir) is in keeping with the Church’s guidelines on how to celebrate the Ordinary Form. Many think that choral Ordinaries are to be eschewed, because the congregation doesn’t have anything “to do” while the choir provides music for the Kyrie, Gloria, Sanctus & Agnus Dei.

His answer was very surprising to me, and I thought it both prudential and catholic. He said, “We do a choral Ordinary each week because we can. We are the only Catholic church in the state with the resources to offer the Mass in this manner, and so we do. We don’t prescribe it as normative, and we only do it at a single Mass each weekend. We offer it as a way that the Mass can be celebrated, not as the way that it should be celebrated.” In essence, he provides the Catholic community a greater diversity of liturgical experience by having one Mass per weekend which features some of the most beautiful music man has created, intended for the glory of God and the edification of the faithful. And every week at this Mass, the church is full.

I found his reasoning to be prudent: putting the stewardship of the faithful to wonderful use in service of the Holy Mass. I also found it to be catholic, in the meaning of that word as “universal.” The musical treasures of the church, “greater even than that of any other art” (SC 112), are universal and timeless, just as precious and beautiful today as when they were created. Beauty is one path by which God opens our hearts and leads us to Himself; let us rejoice wherever the church’s music effects this.

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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Christopher Mueller

About Christopher Mueller

Christopher Mueller is a conductor and composer who aims to write beautiful music out of gratitude to God, Author of all beauty.—(Read full biography).

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Quick Thoughts

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
5 April 2021 • When Girls Sing

Covid restrictions here in California are still extremely severe—switching “two weeks to flatten the curve” into “two years to flatten the curve.” Since 2020, we’ve had police breaking into our church to check if everyone is wearing a mask…even when only 5-6 people are present! But we were allowed to have a small percentage of our singers back on Easter Sunday, and here is their live recording of the ancient Catholic hymn for Eastertide: Ad Cenam Agni Providi. The girls were so very excited to sing again—you can hear it in their voices!

—Jeff Ostrowski
29 March 2021 • FEEDBACK

“E.S.” in North Dakota writes: “I just wanted to take a moment to say THANK YOU for all the hard work you have put—and continue to put—into your wonderful website. In the past two years, my parish has moved from a little house basement into a brand new church and gone from a few families receiving Low Masses twice a month to several families (and many individuals) receiving Mass every Sunday, two Saturdays a month, and every Holy Day. Our priest has been incorporating more and more High Masses and various ceremonies into our lives, which has made my job as a huge newbie choir master very trying and complicated. CCWatershed has been an invaluable resource in helping me get on my feet and know what to do!!! Thank you more than I can express! May God bless you abundantly and assist you in your work and daily lives!”

—Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

Ronald Knox explained why the Modernists do not compose hymns: “Birds of prey have no song.”

— Fr. George William Rutler (2016)

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