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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

Youth Choristers – Formation Beyond Singing

Patrick Torsell · February 10, 2020

F young people are to be instrumental in restoring and supporting truly beautiful, dignified sacred music in our churches, they need to learn more than just how to sing well. If you are blessed with any sort of youth/children’s choir program, or teach music in a Catholic school, make some time in your rehearsals or classes to go beyond the pedagogy and note learning. This can be difficult because it always seems like there’s so much music to learn, and so little time. But if we really want to develop not just future church singers and musicians, but also an informed laity who appreciate sacred music, we have to get beyond the “how” to the “why.”

In our Chorister program (which comprises about 80 students ages 6-18) we make a point to ensure that each student walks away with a solid grasp not only of the forms and types of music that fit the criteria of “good” sacred music as taught by the Church’s legislation on sacred music (e.g. chant, polyphony, traditional hymnody), but also the underlying reasons. We discuss Pope St. Pius X’s Tra le sollecitudini, and review the teachings of more recent church documents and popes. We listen to dozens of examples of music, both fitting and not fitting for the liturgy, and analyze what makes it appropriate or inappropriate for the Mass.

We give the students criteria to consider and questions to ask when assessing the fitness of a piece of music for the liturgy. First, we ask with St. Pius X: “how closely does it resemble Gregorian Chant?” Not that all church music has to sound like an imitation of Chant; but does it share that otherness which sets it apart for the worship of God? Does it flow in a way that orients the heart and mind to prayer, avoiding jarring and overly dramatic elements?

Next, we like to do a little experiment by asking the choristers to express the first thought or idea that comes to mind when they hear a piece of music. For example, I’ll play an excerpt of a “jazz Mass,” and often get a response like: “it sounds like a movie scene in a smoky bar.” Or I’ll play one of the folk-style songs played by a guitar group, and they respond: “it sounds like the music grandpa listens to on the radio!” Then maybe I’ll play a bit of Palestrina’s Missae Papae Marcelli, and we finally arrive at: “it sounds like Church,” or even: “it’s like what the Angels would sing in Heaven!” It usually only takes a few seconds of listening to determine whether a piece of music calls to mind Heavenly things or earthly things, and even the youngest choristers can tell the difference. This, of course, is not a fool-proof measure of the fitness of music, as it certainly involves subjective elements, and is impacted by experience and conditioning. But it’s a good starting point to get them asking the right questions.

Finally, we break it down into three criteria: 1) Style: is the style of the music holy and sacred? That is: is it truly set apart for worship of God, or does it imitate secular, popular styles?; 2) Content: are the words truly sacred and doctrinally sound, oriented upward to the worship of God rather than downward toward man and worldly things?; and 3) Delivery: is the musician or choir presenting the piece in a dignified manner, accurately, skillfully, and oriented toward God’s glory? Is the instrumentation appropriate?

By asking these questions and encouraging the choristers to think critically about the qualities of the music we sing at Mass, we hope to send them off to adulthood not only with improved singing skills, but also with a heightened awareness of what makes sacred music “sacred,” and why it matters. It may take a little time away from rehearsal, but it’s time well spent.

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

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Filed Under: Articles Last Updated: February 10, 2020

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About Patrick Torsell

Patrick Torsell is a staff substitute organist at the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Denver, CO, and associate organist at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel (FSSP), Littleton, CO—(Read full biography).

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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    Why A “Fugue” Here?
    I believe I know why this plainsong harmonizer created a tiny fugue as the INTRODUCTION to his accompaniment. Take a look (PDF) and tell me your thoughts about what he did on the feast of the Flight of Our Lord Jesus Christ into Egypt (17 February). And now I must go because “tempus fugit” as they say!
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    New Bulletin Article • “12 October 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 12 October 2025) talks about an ‘irony’ or ‘paradox’ regarding the 1960s switch to a wider use (amplior locus) of vernacular in the liturgy.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Reminder” — Month of October (2025)
    Those who don’t sign up for our free EMAIL NEWSLETTER miss important notifications. Last week, for example, I sent a message about this job opening for a music director paying $65,000 per year plus benefits (plus weddings & funerals). Notice the job description says: “our vision for sacred music is to move from singing at Mass to truly singing the Mass wherein … especially the propers, ordinaries, and dialogues are given their proper place.” Signing up couldn’t be easier: simply scroll to the bottom of any blog article and enter your email address.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    “American Catholic Hymnal” (1991)
    The American Catholic Hymnal, with IMPRIMATUR granted (25 April 1991) by the Archdiocese of Chicago, is like a compendium of every horrible idea from the 1980s. Imagine being forced to stand all through Communion (even afterwards) when those self-same ‘enlightened’ liturgists moved the SEQUENCE before the Alleluia to make sure congregations wouldn’t have to stand during it. (Even worse, everything about the SEQUENCE—including its name—means it should follow the Alleluia.) And imagine endlessly repeating “Alleluia” during Holy Communion at every single Mass. It was all part of an effort to convince people that Holy Communion was historically a procession (which it wasn’t).
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Canonic” • Ralph Vaughan Williams
    Fifty years ago, Dr. Theodore Marier made available this clever arrangement (PDF) of “Come down, O love divine” by P. R. Dietterich. The melody was composed in 1906 by Ralph Vaughan Williams (d. 1958) and named in honor of of his birthplace: DOWN AMPNEY. The arrangement isn’t a strict canon, but it does remind one of a canon since the pipe organ employs “points of imitation.” The melody and text are #709 in the Brébeuf Catholic Hymnal.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Did they simplify these hymn harmonies?
    Choirs love to sing the famous & splendid tune called “INNSBRUCK.” Looking through a (Roman Catholic) German hymnal printed in 1952, I discovered what appears to be a simplified version of that hymn. In other words, their harmonization is much less complex than the version found in the Saint Jean de Brébeuf Hymnal (which is suitable for singing by SATB choir). Please download their 1952 harmonization (PDF) and let me know your thoughts. I really like the groovy Germanic INTRODUCTION they added.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“A theologian who does not love art, poetry, music and nature can be dangerous since blindness and deafness toward the beautiful are not incidental: they are necessarily reflected in his theology.”

— Josef Cardinal Ratzinger (Interview, 1985)

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  • “Reminder” — Month of October (2025)

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