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Views from the Choir Loft

Paul McCartney Likes Choir Music

Fr. David Friel · September 4, 2016

HIS IS A TIME for new beginnings in many facets of life. Among those things that start fresh in September, of course, is choir season.

Before you leap into practicing for fall Masses and—yes—for Advent and Christmas concerts, perhaps you are looking for something that will inspire you and your fellow singers to take up your art with renewed fervor.

I recently found such inspiration from an unlikely source. It appears that Sir Paul McCartney, the great Beatles singer-songwriter-guitarist, has a soft spot for choir music.

In his own words:

“I love to hear a choir. I love the humanity—to see the faces of real people devoting themselves to a piece of music. I like the teamwork. It makes me feel optimistic about the human race when I see them cooperating like that.” — Sir Paul McCartney

Choir singing is so human (in the best sense) for many reasons. For certain, the teamwork involved is extraordinary, and the unity achieved by a good choir can be very rewarding, for both listeners and singers.

I love McCartney’s phrase about people “devoting themselves to a piece of music.” As a singer or choir director, do you do that? Have you experienced the thrill of really devoting your time and energy to making a piece of music come alive?

As choir seasons around the globe begin, I wish each of you many blessings. May your music enrich the prayer of your fellow worshippers, and may be a source of nourishment for your own soul!

Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all you lands! Sing to the Lord; bless His name; announce His salvation, day after day! For great is the Lord and highly to be praised; awesome is He, beyond all gods. (Psalm 96)

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 Fr. David Friel

Ordained in 2011, Father Friel served as Parochial Vicar at Saint Anselm Church in Northeast Philly before earning a doctorate in liturgical theology at The Catholic University of America. He presently serves as Vocation Director for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and teaches liturgy at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary.—(Read full biography).

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Corpus Christi Watershed

Quick Thoughts

    Introit • Candlemas (2 February)
    “Candlemas” • Our choir sang on February 2nd, and here's a live recording of the beautiful INTROIT: Suscépimus Deus. We had very little time to rehearse, but I think it has some very nice moments. I promise that by the 8th Sunday after Pentecost it will be perfect! (That Introit is repeated on the 8th Sunday after Pentecost.) We still need to improve, but we're definitely on the right track!
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Simplified Antiphons • “Candlemas”
    Anyone who desires simplified antiphons (“psalm tone versions”) for 2 February, the Feast of the Purification—which is also known as “Candlemas” or the Feast of the Presentation—may freely download them. The texts of the antiphons are quite beautiful. From “Lumen Ad Revelatiónem Géntium” you can hear a live excerpt (Mp3).
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Tempo?? • 𝘏𝘰𝘭𝘺 𝘎𝘰𝘥, 𝘞𝘦 𝘗𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘛𝘩𝘺 𝘕𝘢𝘮𝘦
    Once, after Mass, my pastor said he really loved the hymn we did. I said: “Father, that's Holy God, We Praise Thy Name—you never heard it before?” He replied: “But the way you did it was terrific. For once, it didn't sound like a funeral dirge!” Last Sunday, our volunteer choir sang that hymn. I think the tempo was just about right … but what do you think?
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“Unfortunately, on the one hand a deadly error in judgment placed the official leadership of this committee into the hands of a man who—though generous and brave—was not very knowledgeable: Cardinal Lercaro. He was utterly incapable of resisting the maneuvers of the mealy-mouthed scoundrel that the Neapolitan Vincentian, Bugnini, a man as bereft of culture as he was of basic honesty, soon revealed himself to be.”

— ‘Fr. Louis Bouyer, an important member of the Consilium’

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  • Tempo?? • 𝘏𝘰𝘭𝘺 𝘎𝘰𝘥, 𝘞𝘦 𝘗𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘛𝘩𝘺 𝘕𝘢𝘮𝘦

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