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Pope Saint Paul VI (3 April 1969): “Although the text of the Roman Gradual—at least that which concerns the singing—has not been changed, the Entrance antiphons and Communions antiphons have been revised for Masses without singing.”

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Views from the Choir Loft

Beauty in the Service of the Lord

Dr. Gregory Hamilton · March 27, 2019

The encounter with the beautiful can become the wound of the arrow that strikes the heart and in this way opens our eyes, so that later, from this experience, we take the criteria for judgment and can correctly evaluate the arguments. For me an unforgettable experience was the Bach concert that Leonard Bernstein conducted in Munich after the sudden death of Karl Richter. I was sitting next to the Lutheran Bishop Hanselmann. When the last note of one of the great Thomas-Kantor-Cantatas triumphantly faded away, we looked at each other spontaneously and right then we said: “Anyone who has heard this, knows that the faith is true.”   —Josef Cardinal Ratzinger (August 2002)


ECENTLY, PLAYING a prelude before a Mass, I thought of the preeminence of beauty in our faith. In no other religion is beauty given such a special importance. Sometimes when we walk through a museum or listen to beautiful music in worship it can be so easily assimilated and almost discarded. We can tend to forget what work, effort and suffering goes into the creation of something beautiful.

Another statement of Pope Emeritus Benedict comes to mind:

“…Be fully conscious of your great responsibility to communicate beauty, to communicate in and through beauty!”

Special awareness or sensitivity: awareness of something for what it is; internal knowledge: being awake, aware. To be conscious is to be living and to practice mindfulness. Mindfulness is kind of a new thing that we hear about. But it’s not really a fad, inasmuch as those who are fully awake in life will be mindful of beauty. And surely, those close to God are most conscious of beauty.

So, sitting at the console, I played a “Tierce en Taille” by De Grigny. Just think (be conscious and mindful) of what layers of people effort and work it took to make my little offering possible. We could begin with DeGrigny: (baptized September 8, 1672 – November 30, 1703) one of the greatest of composers for the organ, died prematurely in 1703, aged 31, shortly after accepting a position from Saint Symphorien, the parish church in Reims. This great loss can be so regretted, but we can rejoice that we have still his Livre d’orgue, which is the only surviving record of his great creativity. There are only a few surviving copies of this book, and there is only one copy remaining of the first edition. So, next we need to be grateful for those anonymous people who loved the beauty of this music and somehow preserved it form war, pestilence an ignorance. One of those people who preserved a copy was J. S. Bach.

Where to next? We can certainly mention the great French organ builders of his day, who built instruments painstakingly by hand. The many people who hammered the metal, sawed the wood and voiced the pipes. Those builders who created a sound so rhetorically strong that deGrigny was inspired to write his Tierce en Taille, a beautiful declaration given out on the cornet stops in the left hand, and particular lovely registration, which was the result of a very long historical development in itself.

We could mention that deGrigny was born into a family of musicians: his father, his grandfather, and his uncle, Robert, were organists at the Reims Cathedral, the Basilica of St. Pierre and St. Hilaire, respectively…So based on the exquisite quality of his music, he must have had extensive training, as was schooled in the art of French organ playing by his relatives, who in turn were taught by others—all who had a heart to receive beauty.

We can continue…we can note those musicians all through the generations that kept alive the idea of worthy music in the church, who continued the tradition of organ playing, so that, coming all the way to my teacher, understood the craft and art of playing the organ—it has never been lost, thanks to a long line of teachers. We could mention the chapel where the organ is—the many donors, architects builders and supporters who conceived of the idea of this chapel as a place for the Eucharist and did what was needed to create a reality. We could mention the organ—beautifully voiced like the old instruments—forming a historical connection again, all the people who designed it (the brilliant organ builder Ross King) those who built it, tuned and voiced it…

And last, Humbly standing on the many shoulders of others, those who taught me how to play the organ, were patient with me when I didn’t practice (too often!) and imparted an appreciation of this music and why it is so fitting for sacred worship. All this just to make my little offering possible!

Let us be conscious of beauty.

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

Filed Under: Articles Last Updated: August 20, 2020

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About Dr. Gregory Hamilton

Dr. Gregory Hamilton is a composer and performer currently on the faculty of Holy Trinity Seminary in Dallas TX.—(Read full biography).

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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    New Bulletin Article • “14 September 2025”
    My pastor requested that I write short articles each week for our parish bulletin. Those responsible for preparing similar write-ups may find a bit of inspiration in these brief columns. The latest article (dated 14 September 2025) discusses OFFERTORY ANTIPHONS and contains a wonderful quote by Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    PDF Download • Draft Copy (Pamphlet)
    A few days ago, I posted a draft copy of this 12-page pamphlet with citations about the laity’s “full, conscious, and active participation.” Its basic point or message is that choir directors should never feel embarrassed to teach real choral music because Vatican II explicitly ordered them to do that! We’ve received tons of mail regarding that pamphlet, with many excellent suggestions for improvement. Please feel free to chime in!
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Entrance Chant” • 23rd (Ordinary Time)
    This coming Sunday, 7 September 2025, is the 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C). You can download the “Entrance Chant,” conveniently located at the feasts website. I also recorded a rehearsal video for it (freely available at the same website). The Communion Chant includes gorgeous verses in FAUXBOURDON. I attempted to create a rehearsal video for it, and it’s been posted at the feasts website, called by some: “church music’s best kept secret.”
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    Karl Keating • “Canonization Questions”
    We were sent an internet statement (screenshot) that’s garnered significant attention, in which KARL KEATING (founder of Catholic Answers) speaks about whether canonizations are infallible. Mr. Keating seems unaware that canonizations are—in the final analysis—a theological opinion. They are not infallible, as explained in this 2014 article by a priest (with a doctorate in theology) who worked for multiple popes. Mr. Keating says: “I’m unaware of such claims arising from any quarter until several recent popes disliked by these Traditionalists were canonized, including John XXIII, Paul VI, and John Paul II. Usually Paul VI receives the most opprobrium.” Mr. Keating is incorrect; e.g. Father John Vianney, several centuries ago, taught clearly that canonizations are not infallible. Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen would be another example, although clearly much more recent than Saint John Vianney.
    —Corpus Christi Watershed
    Vatican II Changed Wedding Propers?
    It’s often claimed that the wedding propers were changed after Vatican II. As a matter of fact, that is a false claim. The EDITIO VATICANA propers (Introit: Deus Israel) remained the same after Vatican II. However, a new set of propers (Introit: Ecce Deus) was provided for optional use. The same holds true for the feast of Pope Saint Gregory the Great on 3 September: the 1943 propers (Introit: Si díligis me) were provided for optional use, but the traditional PROPRIA MISSAE (Introit: Sacerdótes Dei) were retained; they weren’t gotten rid of. The Ordo Cantus Missae (1970) makes this crystal clear, as does the Missal itself. There was an effort made in the post-conciliar years to eliminate so-called “Neo-Gregorian” chants, but (contrary to popular belief) most were retained: cf. the feast of Christ the King, the feast of the Immaculate Conception, and so forth.
    —Corpus Christi Watershed
    Solemn “Salve Regina” (Chant)
    How many “S” words can you think of using alliteration? How about Schwann Solemn Salve Score? You can download the SOLEMN SALVE REGINA in Gregorian Chant. The notation follows the official rhythm (EDITIO VATICANA). Canon Jules Van Nuffel, choirmaster of the Cathedral of Saint Rumbold, composed this accompaniment for it (although some feel it isn’t his best work).
    —Corpus Christi Watershed

Random Quote

“It introduces us to a still and serious world, deserted and rigid, without colour, without light, without motion; it does not gladden, does not distract; yet we cannot break away from it.”

— ‘Schweitzer on the THEME from Bach’s “Art of Fugue”’

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