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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

The Vulnerability of Choral Singing

Richard J. Clark · January 29, 2016

HE HUMAN voice is unique in that it is the only musical instrument housed within our God given body. The connection between physical, emotional, mental health, and musical performance is direct. Get sick and the instrument is diminished. Lose mental focus, and like any instrument, performance will suffer. The human voice is vulnerable. But this also what makes it incredibly powerful.

The essence of singing—professional or amateur, in front of a large audience or alone in the shower—is the expression of emotion. Because the voice is one with the body, it is an instrument capable of instant results with regard to emotional and spiritual expression. And it leaves all those who sing before others utterly exposed. Singing is a risk.

HERE IS A HEALING element to singing in a choir. Having directed for many years in parish settings and elsewhere, I am always pleasantly shocked when I’m told, “choir rehearsal is the highlight of my week.” Singers work hard at inconvenient hours and they have to put up with me. Furthermore, members of church choirs likely volunteer on average far more time year round than other volunteers within a community.

Why do singers come back time and again? The reasons are innumerable; the willingness to be vulnerable is a risk well worth taking. This is what makes choral singing so powerful emotionally and spiritually.

But there is another element of surprise: everyone has a story. Choirs spend a lot of time with each other. Making music with anyone on a regular basis is a very intimate relationship—as is praying with those very people. We know the musical and sometimes personal strengths and weaknesses of others. Yet, just when we think we have sized up someone we spend time with each week, sometimes a new surprise hits when we learn something new about that person’s story.

Everyone comes to the Eucharist, to prayer, and to music with his or her own burdens, weaknesses, failures, and suffering. Some of the suffering and challenges we may not know about are extremely significant. Everyone is vulnerable. That is humanity. But overcoming that vulnerability makes for incredible strength. As such, I am often in awe of those under my direction given the challenges they face and have overcome.

VERONE IS IMPORTANT. I have the privilege of working with singers with amazing careers and singers who are just trying to learn the basics. But we come together in unity to pray through music. Those who are not professional singers always bring something else to the table that is very valuable to the choir. Sometimes it is the least talented who have the most to offer the group. Everyone is important.

Through a generation of experience, I can attest to many singers who fortify the choir and all our prayer through the very imperfect person that they are. Musically, a director’s challenge is to make it all work. But everyone who comes to sing is healing others perhaps as they are healing themselves. They often don’t know it. Sometimes directors need to remind everyone of that.

INALLY, THERE IS A VULNERABILITY in keeping institutions and programs alive—even highly successful ones. Those who work for the Church as musicians are deeply vulnerable—although we don’t like to show it. But, I have learned that even the best musicians and even those who appear to have high profile positions experience grave professional difficulties at one time or another in their career. We share this struggle for art, prayer, and beauty in common. A byproduct of this reality is that I am that much more grateful for my singers—who are beautiful people—without whom I would be nothing.

Therefore, as choir directors, we too have struggles and must be mindful of the struggles of those under our leadership. We all share in the common frailty of humankind. But with God, al things are possible. With God, a collection of individuals who sing in a choir have the power to heal others and create music that is greater than the individual parts, talented and less talented. We are unified in the love of Christ.

Thank God for church choirs. I don’t know where I would be today without them, because those who sing for me have saved my life and have helped heal me every single week.

More importantly, choirs elevate prayer directing our hearts and minds toward God. This is truly the healing and saving power of music.

Soli Deo Gloria

HERE ARE A FEW OF MY CHORAL/LITURGICAL WORKS for Lent and Easter. You can listen to recordings of each or these:

• Communion Antiphons for Lent | SATB, Organ, Assembly • World Library Publications

• Christe qui lux es et dies | Based on Compline Hymn for Lent, SATB • RJC Cecilia Music

• Lumen Christi | Paschal Candle Procession | Deacon/Priest, Assembly, SATB • CanticaNOVA Publications

• O Sacrum Convivium | TTB or SSA • includes optional text for tempore quadragesimæ • RJC Cecilia Music

• I Am Risen, Resurrexi | Introit for Easter Sunday, SATB, organ • RJC Cecilia Music

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 Richard J. Clark

Richard J. Clark is the Director of Music of the Archdiocese of Boston and the Cathedral of the Holy Cross.—(Read full biography).

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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    PDF Download • “Offertory” for this Sunday
    This coming Sunday, 12 October 2025, is the 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C). Its OFFERTORY ANTIPHON (PDF) is gorgeous, and comes from the book of Esther, as did the ENTRANCE CHANT last Sunday. Depending on a variety of factors, various hand-missals (all with Imprimatur) translate this passage differently. For instance, “príncipis” can be rendered: King; Prince; Lion; or Fierce lord. None is “more correct” than another. It depends on what each translator wants to emphasize and which source text is chosen. All these pieces of plainsong are conveniently stored at the blue-ribbon feasts website.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    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 example) 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
    “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

    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
    “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

Random Quote

The People’s Hymnal suffers from a too literal and awkward translation. And even in the lovely Slovak “Memorare” in The Saint Gregory Hymnal we are still asked to sing “that anyone who sought thee, or made to thee his moan.” Why not “groan” or “bone” or even “phone?” The only thing necessary, it seems, is that it rhyme with “known.”

— Mons. Francis P. Schmitt (1958)

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