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Views from the Choir Loft

Something Unexpected

Aurelio Porfiri · October 5, 2015

236 Aurelio Porfiri OMETHING UNEXPECTED happened recently, which made me think a lot. I was walking the streets of Macau, contemplating my imminent return to Rome. 1 During my walk, I happened upon two of my students. When I met them, they were taken by surprise—but I failed to understand the reason. One of them explained me: when I hailed them on the street, they were singing one of my liturgical songs, Angele Dei qui custos es mei (for solo, female choir and organ). I was, of course, surprised and pleased by this—realizing that many Chinese students are not Christians, but that my music can break barriers and appeal also to those that were not raised in a Christian tradition.

I deeply love my students and I always think that, despite the huge limitations of the city where they have to grow up, they are bright and brilliant if given a chance to develop their talents freely. I consider yesterday’s meeting a sign of God. I really want to think that their guardian angels are tapping on their shoulders, hoping to be noticed by them amidst the noises of a city totally immersed in a gambling atmosphere. If my music can help the guardian angels, should I not be happy for this?

Indeed—as I have always mentioned—music is not and cannot be neutral. Music has a power of influence that can awaken specific cultural and social memories in a way that can lead or mislead to the desired outcomes. This is why not all music is good for the liturgy: because not all music serve the purposes of the liturgy.

I was looking at a YouTube interview with Stephen Colbert. I must tell you that I like him, and take comedians very seriously. Now, he was being interviewed by a Jesuit priest, the editor of the magazine AMERICA. This priest asked Colbert about his favorite church hymns and Colbert started listing some of the 60s favorites, even beginning to dance to one of the tunes. That is exactly the problem: most of these songs are just relying on light catchy melodies strongly relying on rhythmic elements to save the day, but with no or little substance outside rhythm. Of course rhythm is important; but when isolated from a more general musical context, starts to become a worshiper of Dyonisus, and forget that it belongs also to Apollo.

I think that my students teach me an important lesson: God works in mysterious ways…mmm…did I hear this phrase somewhere else?



NOTES FROM THIS ARTICLE:

1   I will reside there after seven years spent working here in China, composing hundreds of new pieces—most of them now published around the world, for which I am so grateful.

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 Aurelio Porfiri

Renowned as composer, conductor, theorist, author, pedagogue, and organist, Aurelio Porfiri has served the Church on multiple continents at the highest levels. Born and raised in Italy, he currently serves as Director of Choral Activities and Composer in Residence for Santa Rosa de Lima School (Macao, China).

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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    Luis Martínez Must Go!
    Sevilla Cathedral (entry dated 13 December 1564): The chapter orders Luis Martínez, a cathedral chaplain, to stay away from the choirbook-stand when the rest of the singers gather around it to sing polyphony—the reason being that “he throws the others out of tune.” [Excerpt from “The Life of Father Francisco Guerrero.”]
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Urgent! • We Desperately Need Funds!
    A few days ago, the president of Corpus Christi Watershed posted this urgent appeal for funds. Please help us make sure we’re never forced to place our content behind a paywall. We feel it’s crucial that 100% of our content remains free to everyone. We’re a tiny 501(c)3 public charity, entirely dependent upon the generosity of small donors. We have no endowment and no major donors. We run no advertisements and have no savings. We beg you to consider donating $4.00 per month. Thank you!
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Booklet of Eucharistic Hymns” (16 pages)
    I was asked to create a booklet for my parish to use during our CORPUS CHRISTI PROCESSION on 22 June 2025. Would you be willing to look over the DRAFT BOOKLET (16 pages) I came up with? I tried to include a variety of hymns: some have a refrain; some are in major, others in minor; some are metered, others are plainsong; some are in Spanish, some are in Latin, but most are in English. Normally, we’d use the Brébeuf Hymnal—but we can’t risk having our congregation carry those heavy books all over the city to various churches.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    Pope Pius XII Hymnal?
    Have you ever heard of the Pope Pius XII Hymnal? It’s a real book, published in the United States in 1959. Here’s a sample page so you can verify with your own eyes it existed.
    —Corpus Christi Watershed
    “Hybrid” Chant Notation?
    Over the years, many have tried to ‘simplify’ plainsong notation. The O’Fallon Propers attempted to simplify the notation—but ended up making matters worse. Dr. Karl Weinmann tried to do the same in the time of Pope Saint Pius X by replacing each porrectus. You can examine a specimen from his edition and see whether you agree he complicated matters. In particular, look at what he did with éxsules fílii Hévae.
    —Corpus Christi Watershed
    Antiphons Don’t Match?
    A reader wants to know why the Entrance and Communion antiphons in certain publications deviate from what’s prescribed by the GRADUALE ROMANUM published after Vatican II. Click here to read our answer. The short answer is: the Adalbert Propers were never intended to be sung. They were intended for private Masses only (or Masses without music). The “Graduale Parvum,” published by the John Henry Newman Institute of Liturgical Music in 2023, mostly uses the Adalbert Propers—but sometimes uses the GRADUALE text: e.g. Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul (29 June).
    —Corpus Christi Watershed

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“The only really effective apologia for Christianity comes down to two arguments: namely, the _saints_ the Church has produced and the _art_ which has grown in her womb.”

— Josef Cardinal Ratzinger (Interview, 1985)

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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.

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