• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Corpus Christi Watershed

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

  • About
  • Symposium
  • Hymnal
  • Jogues Missal
  • Site Map
  • Donate
Views from the Choir Loft

New Compositions Worthy Of Your Attention

Guest Author · May 19, 2017

170 Sperabo MICHAEL DURYEA PRESENTS:

Mass in honor of St. John of the Cross

    * *  PDF • Mass in honor of St. John of the Cross

    * *  PDF • Worship Aid for the Congregation

My goal in writing this setting of the Mass Ordinary was to create something singable by the congregation I currently serve, while maintaining a musical style fitting for the great musical deposit of the faith. The melody is not difficult, but the accompaniment is tricky. I urge accompanists to be totally faithful to all the harmonies presented in the organ part (whether played on organ or piano), especially the exact inversion of each chord, so as to maintain the general oblique or contrary motion I have written between the soprano and bass. This attentiveness to the accompaniment is necessary because the music relies heavily on the accompaniment for its musical meaning. This style of writing relieves the congregation of the burden of singing complicated harmonies while still accomplishing a musical style that is suitable for the Mass via its mystical and transcendental nature.

Mr. Duryea provides rehearsal files on his website.

THOMAS J. MOSSER PRESENTS:

“Requiem Aeternam” and “Angelus Domini”

    * *  PDF • Requiem Aeternam

    * *  Mp3 file • Requiem Aeternam

    * *  PDF • Angelus Domini

It is with a tangible sigh of relief that we perceive the decreasing “trendiness” of attacking the supposed backwardness of the Middle Ages.  And this is not only among  Catholics, who should always have a healthy veneration for the era of some of the Church’s greatest glories; but even among those in the academic and scientific communities we find renewed appreciation for the accomplishments of the medieval mind, which in their proper perspective represent a synthesis of past advances and a foundation for future progress no less remarkable than what we have seen in our own time—taking into consideration the frenetic pace of modern progress driven more by material greed than the glory of God and the true good of man.

And I think we could say this not only about technology, but also about music. Just as the medieval architects started with something so simple and fundamental as gravity and so arranged the stones to build a breathtaking cathedral, so did the medieval composers start with something so simple and fundamental as natural harmonics and so arranged the tones to build such exquisite polyphony that was never heard before, nor anywhere else. And as the basic ecclesiastical structure of the humble parish church was elaborated into an architectural marvel, so the basic ecclesiastical song of humble chant was elaborated into an aural glory that was little less than celestial.

One of the more readily adaptable manifestations of this development was the fauxbourdon—admittedly, a later-medieval production.  I think this particular style can find a place again in our time of rebuilding, where increasing numbers of choirs are ready to embrace something more than chant, but are perhaps not quite ready for Josquin.  And it also provides a good starting-point for new composers to begin with existing material (chant) and embellishing it while experiencing the fundamentals of harmony and counterpoint; for more experienced musicians it provides a tool at-the-ready to quickly add solemnity and beauty to any liturgy.

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

Filed Under: Articles Last Updated: January 1, 2020

Subscribe to the CCW Mailing List

Primary Sidebar

Corpus Christi Watershed

Quick Thoughts

16 May 2022 • Harmonized Chant?

This year’s upcoming Sacred Music Symposium will demonstrate several ways to sing the CREDO at Mass. This is because—for many parishes—to sing a full-length polyphonic CREDO by Victoria or Palestrina is out of the question. Therefore, we show options that are halfway between plainsong and polyphony. You can hear my choir rehearsing a section that sounds like harmonized plainsong.

—Jeff Ostrowski
14 May 2022 • “Pure” Vatican Edition

As readers know, my choir has been singing from the “pure” Editio Vaticana. That is to say, the official rhythm which—technically—is the only rhythm allowed by the Church. I haven’t figured out how I want the scores to look, so in the meantime we’ve been using temporary scores that look like this. Stay tuned!

—Jeff Ostrowski
14 May 2022 • Gorgeous Book

If there is a more beautiful book than Abbat Pothier’s 1888 Processionale Monasticum, I don’t know what it might be. This gorgeous tome was today added to the Saint John Lalande Online Library. I wish I owned a physical copy.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

Tournemire could be charming or he could bite your head off. One day I could not replace him at St. Clotilde because I had a wedding to play at another church. Tournemire played on Sunday, period—that was all. He did not play weddings and so forth. (He put all that on my back.) So I went to Tournemire’s house to tell him, “Master, I am sorry but, for once, I cannot replace you. I have another obligation to fulfill.” He said, “Get out of here!” I left for good.

— Testimony of Maurice Duruflé

Recent Posts

  • “Gregorian Chant Not In Danger Pope Tells French”
  • PDF Download • “O Salutaris” (Modern Setting)
  • Summer Ward Method Courses • CUA 2022
  • PDF Download • 2022 “Vespers Booklet” (99 Pages)
  • “Playing the Pipe Organ” • By Richard Nixon

Copyright © 2022 Corpus Christi Watershed · Gabriel Lalemant on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

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.