Views from the Choir Loft

Fota XI Liturgy Conference

Fr. David Friel · May 13, 2018

UMMER 2018 is shaping up to be another off-season filled with numerous opportunities to learn more about the liturgy and sacred music. Last week, we highlighted the third annual chant workshop being hosted by the Wethersfield Institute in New York State. Registration continues, meanwhile, for the Sacred Music Symposium in Los Angeles. Yet another opportunity will be on offer in southern Ireland.

It was announced late last month that the annual Fota Liturgy Conference will be held July 7–9, 2018. This conference will again be hosted by the St. Colman’s Society for Catholic Liturgy at the Clarion Hotel in downtown Cork.

The theme for Fota XI is Psallite Sapienter: The Liturgy of the Hours. Speakers will include:

Dom Benedict Andersen, OSB (Silverstream Priory, Ireland)

Fr. Joseph Briody (Boston, MA)

Fr. Sven Conrad, FSSP (Germany)

Mr. Gregory DiPippo (NLM)

Mr. Matthew Hazell (Sheffield, UK)

Sr. Maria Kiely, OSB (Washington, DC)

Dr. Peter Kwasniewski (Lander, WY)

Fr. Dennis McManus (Boston, MA)

Dr. William Mahrt (Stanford, CA)

Further details and registration form are available here.

In the summer of 2016, I was fortunate to attend the Fota IX Liturgy Conference. My recap of that year’s conference surveys some of the fascinating discussions this event promotes.

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

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.—(Read full biography).

“Tonus Solemnior” • How old is it?

In the 1962 Missal, a section called “præfationes in tono solemniore” contains ornate melodies for the Preface. An article posted on the blog of the Church Music Association of America claims the tone comes from “the late 19th century” and said its elimination “is one of the very few good things which the post-Conciliar reform did for Gregorian chant.” The author said: “The Roman solemn preface tone is already beautiful enough, there was no need to give a more Romantic feel.”

Some have asked us whether the tonus solemnior comes from “the late 19th century.” It does not. Their author was wrong by at least 400 years. I have seen this tone in MSS from the 1400s—and it may go back even further. Here is an example from 1494AD. And here’s another from the 1400s. The FSSP priests use these tones on high feasts, and the effect is unforgettable.

—Jeff Ostrowski

6 January 2022 • Quick!

A short version of the INTROIT for the feast of the Epiphany has been added to the Saint René Goupil Gregorian Chant Website.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Confusing Feasts of Christmas

Whether one considers the Missale Vetustum or the post-conciliar calendar—or even the 1908 calendar—the feasts which follow Christmas are very confusing. Last year I created this comparison chart. I hope you find it helpful. As far as I can tell, my chart is the first effort to carefully detail the changes made to post-Christmas feasts (unless we also count the rather basic one by Lauren Pristas).

—Jeff Ostrowski