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Views from the Choir Loft

Music Leads Us to Heaven

Fr. David Friel · January 20, 2019

Schubert CHUBERT was an extraordinary composer, not only for the beauty of his music, but also for the sheer magnitude of his corpus. Once a chorister in the Vienna Boys Choir, Schubert went on to compose more than 1500 works—and he died at age 31! These works span many genres, including Masses, symphonies, operas, chamber works, and overtures.

His largest group of works, of which he left us roughly 600 examples, is the category of Lieder, sometimes called art songs. These pieces, scored for piano and solo voice, set German-language poems to classical art music.

Recently, I heard a performance of several Schubert Lieder. Among them were several charming pieces, but one stood out for the beauty of its text. Entitled An die Musik (“To Music”), the text was written by Franz von Schober, a friend and roommate of Schubert. The composer set the poem to music in 1817, having barely entered his twenties.

The text of the piece is as follows:

Du holde Kunst, in wie viel grauen Stunden,
Wo mich das Lebens wilder Kreis umstrickt,
Hast du mein Herz zu warmer Lieb entzunden,
Hast mich in eine beßre Welt entrückt.

Oft hat ein Seufzer, deiner Harf entfloßen,
Ein süßer, heiliger Akkord von dir,
Den Himmel beßre Zeiten mir erschloßen,
Du holde Kunst, ich danke dir dafür.

An English translation:

Thou, lovely art, in how many gray hours
in which I have been ensnared by life’s wild circle,
hast thou inflamed my heart to warm love,
hast thou transported me to a better world?

Often has a sigh, flowing from your harp—
a sweet, holy chord from thee—
unlocked for me the heaven of better times.
Thou, lovely art, I thank thee for it!

HIS CHARMING art song, both in its melody and in its message, reminds us of the medicinal quality of music, which can provide a welcome salve in trying times.

Music, for most of our readers, is either a dear avocation or a full profession. It is good to be reminded, therefore, that music has the power to lead us on toward heaven.

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 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).

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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
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From Chelan, Washington: “CCWatershed is a God-sent resource that I can’t function without! Such great work by the team to bring beauty back to our liturgy!” From Gainesville, Florida: “I am so appreciative of the work, of my brothers and sisters in music!” From Troutman, North Carolina: “Keep up the excellent work in service of the Liturgy!”

—Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“The replies to this committee (of which Mgr Bugnini was the secretary) reveal a desire to reform the liturgy. In what sense? Out of 2,109 responses from bishops, just three expressed the desire to restore Communion under both kinds. There was a sizable demand for limited use of the vernacular, but only one French bishop wanted the entire Mass in French.”

— Fr. Dominic Allain (2019)

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