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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

Making rehearsal CDs and finding mp3s

Veronica Brandt · February 25, 2017

Lent2017 practice cds MY LITTLE CHOIR is made up entirely of people without access to the internet. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics there were 1.3 million Australian households without internet access at home in 2014–15 (14%)(with similar statistics for the US), so I guess I shouldn’t be too surprised.

I don’t know why I have retained only non-internet users. Perhaps everyone else is too busy surfing the internet.

Most of my choir members are not very confident in reading music, so every now and then I put in the effort to make rehearsal CDs.

The difficulty comes with finding decemt mp3s. Corpus Christi Watershed is awesome in this respect with a wide range of resources.

For any music from the Adoremus Hymnal there are free downloadable mp3s. This includes some chant hymns such as Vexilla Regis and the Te Deum. More chant hymns are available in this collection of Gregorian Chant Hymns.

Sometimes I can’t find the piece I want, for example the beautiful Audi Benigne Conditor, so having a pasably good microphone is very handy. Last night my microphone would not co-operate, so here is a recording made with the stock Voice Recorder on my iPhone 4S:

    * *  Audi Benigne Conditor a rough recording with stumbles over the elision in the 4th verse

(I’m the soprano and my eldest son is the bass)

Lastly, in order to attach a track listing and protect the CD I use CD Papercase to print and fold a CD case without the need for scissors or glue.

In fine, producing practice CDs for choir members is not beyond the realms of possibility. It can be a bit fiddly, but some choir members really appreciate it.

Opinions by blog authors do not necessarily represent the views of Corpus Christi Watershed.

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: MP3, Recording Last Updated: January 1, 2020

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About Veronica Brandt

Veronica Brandt holds a Bachelor Degree in Electrical Engineering. She lives near Sydney, Australia, with her husband and six children.—(Read full biography).

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Quick Thoughts

Alabama Assessment!

We received this evaluation of Symposium 2022 from an Alabama participant:

“Oh, how the Symposium echoed the words of Cardinal Merry Del Val: …choosing only what is most conformed to Thy glory, which is my final aim. In one short and fast paced week, the faculty and attendees showed me the hand of God and our Lady working in our lives. The wide range of education—from Gregorian Chant, jazz modes in organ improvisation, to ‘staying sane’ while leading a choir—were certainly first-class knowledge from the best teachers of the art. However, the most powerful lesson was learning how to pray as a choir. The sacrifice of putting songs together, taking time to learn the sacred text, meditating on the church teaching through the chants, and gaining the virtues required to persevere in these duties were not only qualities of a choir but of a saint. The sanctification of the lives of the attendees was a beautiful outcome of this event … and that in itself is worth more than a beautifully-sung Solesmes style chant!”

—Jeff Ostrowski
PDF Download • Trinity Sunday (22 pages)

Feel free to download this Organ Accompaniment Booklet for Trinity Sunday (Second Vespers). Notice how the modes progress by number. Psalm 1 is mode 1; Psalm 2 is mode 2; Psalm 3 is mode 3; Psalm 4 is mode 4; Psalm 5 is mode 5. I am told by an expert that other feasts (such as Corpus Christi) are likewise organized by mode, and it’s called a “numerical office.”

—Jeff Ostrowski
10 June 2022 • “Official” rhythm of plainsong

I continue to search for the most beautiful way to present the “pure” Editio Vaticana scores. (Technically, the “pure” rhythm of the official edition is what everyone is supposed to use.) You can download my latest attempt, which is the Introit for this coming Sunday: Feast of the Most Holy Trinity. Because this is not an ancient feast, the Introit had to be adapted (perhaps around 750AD). Prior Johner says the adaptation is “not an entirely happy one.”

—Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“Been to Catholic church and heard Mass. Execrable music! Organ played by a young girl who made impossible harmonies. Sermon very long. The preacher screamed loud enough to tire his lungs. The congregation was affected.”

— Louis Moreau Gottschalk (8 May 1864)

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