Views from the Choir Loft

Report • Summer Sacred Music Workshop 2017

Andrew Leung · August 25, 2017

MEANT TO SHARE THIS a few weeks ago, but I have been very busy until now. The Summer Sacred Music Workshop III, organized by the Southeastern Sacred Music, was held on July 21 and 22 at St. Brigid Parish in Johns Creek, Georgia. This year, about 65 musicians participated in the 2-days workshop. The attendees were instructed on singing Gregorian chant and sacred polyphonies. There were breakout sessions on various topics like: “What’s a proper?”, “Spanish Chant resources”, “Transition from piano to organ” and “Strategies for implementing sacred music in your parish”. These topics are very practical for the church musicians in the southeastern region, which is heavily influenced by the protestant culture and have a large Hispanic population. Participants also had the opportunities to take private organ and voice lessons with some of the faculty members.

* * Mp3 • Live Recording of Alleluia Eripe me

The annual workshop concluded with a Mass in the Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite. Above is a recording of the Alleluia sung by the women’s schola under the direction of Bridget Scott. The rest of the Propers and Ordinaries were also chanted, some in English and some in Latin, and the choir also sang choral works by Senfl and Schubert. And here are some pictures:

CTL Georgia Workshop 6

CTL Georgia Workshop 5

CTL Georgia Workshop 4

CTL Georgia Workshop 3

CTL Georgia Workshop 2

CTL Georgia Workshop 1

ET EXCITED! The Summer Sacred Music Workshop is coming to North Carolina next summer! The fourth annual workshop of Southeastern Sacred Music will be held on Friday, July 27th and Saturday, July 28th, and will be hosted by the Cathedral of St. Patrick in Charlotte, North Carolina. With the blessing of Bishop Peter J. Jugis and the support of Rector and Pastor, Fr. Christopher Roux, the Cathedral Director of Music, Dr. Gianfranco DeLuca, has graciously stepped forward to act as host for this annual event. Stay tuned!

Since the first workshop, hundreds of musicians have been benefited from this event. The early stage of planning for next year’s workshop has already begun. Please start praying for the planning team and for another great success.

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

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).

Simplest “Agnus Dei” Ever Published

Our choir is on break during the month of July. I needed a relatively simple “Agnus Dei,” so I composed this setting for organ & voice in honor of Saint René Goupil. It has been called the simplest setting ever composed. I love CARMEN GREGORIANUM (“Gregorian Chant”), especially the ALLELUIAS, INTROITS, and COMMUNION ANTIPHONS. That being said, some have pointed out that certain sections of the Kyriale aren’t as strong as the Graduale or Vesperale. There’s a reason for this—but it would be too complicated to explain at this moment.

—Jeff Ostrowski

14th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)

Our choir is on break during the month of July. However, on the feasts website, the chants have been posted for the 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C), which is this coming Sunday: 6 July 2025.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Bugnini’s Statement (6 November 1966)

With each passing day, more is revealed about how the enemies of the liturgy accomplished their goals. For instance, Hannibal Bugnini deeply resented the way Vatican II said Gregorian Chant “must be given first place in liturgical services.” On 6 November 1966, his cadre wrote a letter attempting to justify the elimination of Gregorian Chant with this brazen statement: “What really gives a Mass its tone is not so much the songs as it is the prayers and readings.” Bugnini’s cadre then attacked the very heart of Gregorian Chant (viz. the Proprium Missae), bemoaning how the Proprium Missae “is completely new each Sunday and feast day.” There is much more to be said about this topic. Stay tuned.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Pope Pius XII Hymnal?

Have you ever heard of the Pope Pius XII Hymnal? It’s a real book, published in the United States in 1959. Here’s a sample page so you can verify with your own eyes it existed.

—Corpus Christi Watershed

“Hybrid” Chant Notation?

Over the years, many have tried to ‘simplify’ plainsong notation. The O’Fallon Propers attempted to simplify the notation—but ended up making matters worse. Dr. Karl Weinmann tried to do the same in the time of Pope Saint Pius X by replacing each porrectus. You can examine a specimen from his edition and see whether you agree he complicated matters. In particular, look at what he did with éxsules fílii Hévae.

—Corpus Christi Watershed

Antiphons Don’t Match?

A reader wants to know why the Entrance and Communion antiphons in certain publications deviate from what’s prescribed by the GRADUALE ROMANUM published after Vatican II. Click here to read our answer. The short answer is: the Adalbert Propers were never intended to be sung. They were intended for private Masses only (or Masses without music). The “Graduale Parvum,” published by the John Henry Newman Institute of Liturgical Music in 2023, mostly uses the Adalbert Propers—but sometimes uses the GRADUALE text: e.g. Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul (29 June).

—Corpus Christi Watershed