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“A much greater source of anxiety to Us is the style of action of those who maintain that liturgical worship should shed its sacred character, who foolishly say we should substitute for sacred items & furnishings ordinary common things in daily use.” —Pope Saint Paul VI (14 Oct 1968)

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Views from the Choir Loft

Raising the Musical Standards (Part 1)

Andrew Leung · June 7, 2018

CTL Raising the Musical Standards WAS TALKING with some friends recently about how the musical standards in parish churches nowadays are so low. My friends, who are trained classical musicians, all agreed with me. First of all, many “cheap” pieces are composed for liturgical use; secondly, most of the musicians just don’t play or sing musically or artistically in the liturgy. And the congregation just seems to be satisfied with the mediocre music. You probably have heard of explanations like these when you questioned about the situation of church music nowadays: “the choir is not performing, but praying at Mass”, “the singers are all volunteers and we can’t expect them to sing like professional choirs”, or “the choir is very passionate in singing and they are doing their best, having good hearts is enough”; “and therefore, the quality of the music is not important”.

The musical standards in the liturgy should be higher than ordinary performances! In secular performances, music is played mainly for the enjoyment of men. But in the liturgy, we praise God with music. It is only logical that liturgical music, which should be sacramental, should be held with higher standards than other music.

Orchestral Masses were originally written for prayer and for the glorification of God. However, because of human weaknesses, both on the ends of the musicians and those who listens to them in the pews, they tends to become performances like many other secular pieces. I agree that musicians should not think of themselves as ordinary performers: they should not be considered as the center of attention in the liturgy. But that doesn’t mean that we cannot have professional church music.

A friend of mine, speaking from a secular music performer’s perspective, pointed out that many church choir members think that there is a lack of awareness of liturgical music and church musicians are generally underappreciated. For example, no one is going to notice the choir singing the beautiful motet because people are busy getting in line for communion. Although his observation lacks consideration on the spiritual aspect of liturgical singing, that music is the “handmaid of the liturgy” and should be theocentric, the observation does have certain truth in it. It makes many singers think that it is fine to sing “okay” in the Mass and there is no need to pursue better music.

As church musicians, we are called to make the best music even when we are underappreciated or go unnoticed. Our duty is to raise the standards of church music to a level that is even higher than secular performances in concert halls and opera houses. It might take a long time and lots of effort to accomplish that, but we can at least challenge ourselves to sing better each week.

Y CHOIR, Vox Antiqua, and I believe that we are fulfilling our roles as church musicians by providing high quality music in the liturgy. Singing well is the way we pray and express our love for God. There is no conflict between singing professionally and praying wholeheartedly.


This was recorded live by a cellphone during Mass on the Solemnity of Pentecost. The gorgeous motet by Thomas Tallis was sung during communion. Coincidentally, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex also chose it as an anthem in their wedding on the same day.

Soli Deo Gloria!

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 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).

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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)
    This coming Sunday—13 July 2025—is the 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C). All the chants have been conveniently assembled and posted at the feasts website. The OFFERTORY, Ad Te Levávi, is particularly beautiful.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Music Director Job • $80,000 per year
    Our readers will be interested in this job offering for Music Director at Saint Adalbert’s Basilica, located 40 minutes from where I live. My pastor was recently elevated to this basilica. He is offering $80,000 per year, plus benefits. I’m told Saint Adalbert’s Basilica is utterly gorgeous and contains one of America’s most magnificent pipe organs. It would be fantastic to have a colleague nearby!
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    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

Quick Thoughts

    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

Random Quote

A hymn verse need not be a complete sentence, but it must have completed sense as a recognisable part of the complete sentence, and at each major pause there would be at least a “sense-pause.” Saint Ambrose and the early writers and centonists always kept to this rule. This indicates one of the differences between a poem and a hymn, and by this standard most of the modern hymns and the revisions of old hymns in the Breviary stand condemned.

— Fr. Joseph Connelly

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  • Music Director Job • $80,000 per year
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