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“What earlier generations held as sacred, remains sacred and great for us too…” Pope Benedict XVI (7 July 2007)

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Views from the Choir Loft

Video • Sacred or Secular?

Andrew Leung · February 22, 2016

JUST SAW this video on Facebook shared by American composer, Frank La Rocca. I am not sure if he made the video, but it is pretty interesting. The video, Sacred or Secular? What do you hear?, was uploaded to Vimeo by “Phantom of the Choir Loft”. This video summarizes the fundamental Church teachings on Sacred Music and explains why Gregorian chant is the model of Sacred Music. What is interesting is that inappropriate “church songs” are being played as background music through the 8-minutes-long video. While the caption shows what true Sacred Music is, the audio, on the other hand, demonstrates what should not be considered Sacred Music.



“Phantom of the Choir Loft” also uploaded another interesting video called What Hollywood Understands and Many Catholic Parishes Don’t About Music. It compares the Hollywood filmmakers’ musical approaches to Jesus’s Incarnation and Passion to some contemporary Catholic composers’ approaches.

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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Quick Thoughts

    PDF • “For General Use Until Advent”
    If you conduct a volunteer choir, you might consider using this Simple Piece #40273 (“Adésto Sáncta Trínitas”) which can be used during the rest of the liturgical season until Advent. It's based on the well known hymn tune: OLD HUNDREDTH. Rehearsal videos are available at #40691. A live recording of #40273 (“Adésto Sáncta Trínitas”) by a volunteer choir is here (#40065).
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Introit • (This Coming Sunday)
    Our volunteer choir appreciates training videos, so here's my attempt at recording “Exáudi Dómine Vocem Meam,” which is the INTROIT for this coming Sunday. This coming Sunday is Dominica Post Ascensionem (“Sunday after the feast of the Ascension”). It is sung according to the official rhythm of the Catholic Church.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Volunteer Choir Attempts “Kýrie Eléison”
    My volunteer choir attempted the polyphonic KYRIE that will be sung at this year's Sacred Music Symposium. If you're interested, you can listen to the live recording from last Sunday. The piece is based on the ancient plainchant hymn melody: Ave Maris Stella. Polyphony like this is truly intricate and wonderful. It reminds me of the quote by Artur Schnabel: “music that's greater than it can be performed.”
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“In my opinion, there should be reached the aim that all priests could continue to use the old Missal.”

— ‘Cardinal Ratzinger, Letter to Wolfgang Waldstein (14 December 1976)’

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