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Views from the Choir Loft

I forgot to tell them it’s supposed to be hard.

Richard J. Clark · June 9, 2017

DULTS AND children sometimes learn very differently. The brains of children are still developing, and adults often assume many things are too difficult for them to learn, absorb, or even attempt. How wrong we are!

My son has been playing baseball. He bats and throws right-handed. My daughter is left-handed. So one day, while I was throwing batting practice to them, my son wanted to try batting left-handed just like his older sister. It never occurred to him that this would be hard, or that he wouldn’t do well. He just thought it would be fun.

What happened surprised me. Instead of struggling, he hit he ball quite consistently (if not for as much power…) He continued to bat left-handed for the rest of our practice. He had no inhibition to try something potentially uncomfortable, and he had a positive, fun, experience. He’ll probably try it again. I guess I forgot to tell him how hard it is to become a successful switch-hitter.

Furthermore, those who teach languages or music to young school children know better. Certain young ages are ideal times to teach children because they absorb certain things much faster and quite naturally. Start teaching children a new language when they are in high school, and it will be difficult. Start when they are younger, and they will have a far greater chance of mastering the language as they grow.

I live in a town in which the public elementary schools have a French Immersion program. It has become so popular and effective, that they have had to hire more teachers and potentially cap the program.

ERHAPS MY FAVORITE words of wisdom come from my friend, colleague, and sage, Maestro Michael Olbash. A few years ago, he began a children’s choir who sang a great deal of Gregorian Chant. They sang beautifully; his choir blossomed in size. He said, “They don’t know it’s supposed to be hard.”

He must have forgotten to tell the children that Latin and chant are supposed to be too hard for them; they made singing in Latin look easy.

My colleague and friend, Ryan Lynch gave the first-graders in the school where he teaches the choice to sing the Sanctus XVIII in English (ICEL Chant) or in Latin. The seven-year-olds insisted on singing in Latin. Maestro Lynch must have forgotten to tell them Latin and Chant are supposed to be hard, and that children shouldn’t be taught such music in the first place.

My own children recently sang Regina Caeli at Mass both in Latin and then in English. It’s a great “starter piece” for chant. It’s not very ambitious compared to the work of my other colleagues. They learned the meaning of the Latin text quite easily. In fact, we had to spend more time rehearsing it in English. I forgot to tell them, it’s supposed to be hard.

ERE’S A MODEST musical and liturgical resource from the Archdiocese of Boston for First Communion and Confirmation. If you forget to tell the children this is too hard for them, they just might pick it up easily—just as God created them to do!

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

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

Why do we never sing “De Spiritu Sancto” (St. Athenogenes) in our churches? There are a dozen translations in English verse. Where could anyone find a better evening hymn than this, coming right down from the catacombs? Our hymnbooks know nothing of such a treasure as this, and give us pages of poor sentiment in doggerel lines by some tenth-rate modern versifier.

— Rev’d Adrian Fortescue (d. 1923)

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