How to Help Children Match Pitch (part I)
It all starts with teaching your kids to sing in head tone. Here are some ideas on how to do it.
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Archives for November 2020
30 November 2020 • “Case in point”
The Solesmes rhythmic markings, which often contradict the official rhythm, do such damage to the antiphons of the Divine Office that—in my humble opinion—they should be abandoned. (In reality, this will never happen.) But sometimes, they do great damage to the melody of the Graduale Romanum, and I would offer the Offertory for the 1st […]
The “Winking” Part • Where’d Father Lasance Get It?
A curious translation which Father Lasance “borrowed” for the Ash Wednesday Introit…
A Whale of a Pulpit
An unusual genre of ambo architecture
Extremely Rare! • Pages from the “Directorium Chori” (Solesmes Abbey, 1864)
The entire edition was destroyed in a fire (circa 1866) except four rare copies.
27 November 2020 • ACCENTS
Certain Latin words are constantly mispronounced. For example, Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana is supposed to be pronounced “Cármina” but people frequently pronounce it as “Carmína”—wrong! Another example: Nova organi harmonia is supposed to be pronounced “órgani” but many people erroneously say “orgáni.” A somewhat tricky word is incipit. In Latin, it would be “íncipit” while […]
Feast of the Holy Family • Where did it come from?
The Consilium asked (15 March 1965): “Is it pleasing that the feast of the Holy Family be suppressed?” • Discussion of the First Sunday After Epiphany; the Feast of the Holy Name; the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord; the two (2) instances of different “Jubilate Deo” Offertories which repeat; “Abhinc Duos Annos” (23 October 1913); and many other items+
“Homily — 1st Sunday of Advent, Year B” • Father Valentine Young, OFM
All of us are now closer to our moment of death than we were last year or in any time in the past.
Inspiration for Organ Improvisation
Organ improvisation is on the mind of many organists these days as they cope in the absence of choirs and other musicians.
St. Matthew, St. Jane, and the End of a Liturgical Year
St. Jane de Chantal’s Prayer of Abandonment can help you make peace with a liturgical year that was not what any of us expected.
Resurgam and the Month of All Souls
Thoughts on Death from Emily Dickinson
20 November 2020 • Epiphany Sequence?
A very interesting Missale from 1759AD has a Sequence for the Epiphany, but I don’t know where one could find the musical notation. The Seqence is called: “Prompto Gentes Animo Ferte Nunc Altissimo Honorem Et Gloriam.”
PDF Download • Several Useful Plainsong Books
“Variae Preces” (1892) — “Cantus Varii” (1902) — “Cantus Varii” (1928) — “Cantus Selecti” (1957)
18 November 2020 • FEEDBACK
From a priest in the Midwest: “That video by Andrea Leal which explains hymn meters and hymn text exchange is informative and a truly great explanation. Thank you for sending it to me. I hope all is well with you. God bless you as we soon enter into Advent.”
(Installment #14) “Catholic Hymnals” • Andrea Leal
I stand behind it to the extent that I have even volunteered to record several practice recordings, for which I have never received—nor will I ever receive—a single cent.
On the Dedication of Churches
Celebrating the dedication of St. Peter’s Basilica and St. Paul Outside the Walls
“Alma Redemptoris Mater” • Thirteen (13) Organ Accompaniments
When it comes to Gregorian harmonizations, this piece is surely the “pons asinorum.”
16 November 2020 • Exciting addition!
By kind permission of the Trustees of the London Oratory, we have added Mæstro Patrick Russill’s outstanding organ accompaniment for “Salve Regina” to the other versions currently available for free PDF download. Patrick Russill needs no introduction among church musicians the world over, and many consider his harmonization the finest of all.
Let’s Bring Back the Thank-You Note
I’m a little early for Thanksgiving, but I think any church musician will appreciate this story of gratitude.
Wilbur Wright and the McCarrick Report
The importance of telling the truth.
Should Hymn Lyrics Be Inordinately Archaic?
The question of “Thee, Thy, Thou, Thine” • Speaks about whether referring to the “original version” of a hymn text makes sense • Treatment of the beautiful hymn melody called “Lafitau” and a harmonization by Claude Goudimel (d. 1572) with the melody placed into the Tenor voice+
“Homily — 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A” • Father Valentine Young, OFM
God has a special task and calling for each and every one of us.
(Installment #13) “Catholic Hymnals” • Lucas Tappan
We can sometimes be so caught up in advancing Gregorian chant that we fail to remember that every single age in the history of the Catholic Church has seen forms of popular religious music…
Solemn Mass • Ruins of Saint Mary’s Cathedral (Nagasaki, 1949)
Due to government restrictions, California has been “locked down” since March, and all our Masses are celebrated outside.
Veterans Day: Remembering Those Who Made Our Music Possible
My grandparents served in World War II and helped defeat fascism. The service, faith, and prayers of people like them made it possible for us all to be church musicians today.