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“What earlier generations held as sacred, remains sacred and great for us too…” Pope Benedict XVI (7 July 2007)

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Views from the Choir Loft

Two Recent Talks on the Liturgy

Charles Weaver · March 7, 2021

WOULD LIKE to draw our readers’ attention to two recent talks on the liturgy by two of our authors. First, I gave a presentation recently to the Academy of Sacred Drama, a group based in New York that mounts performances of oratorios. Since the pandemic has forced them to cancel public performances, they have sponsored a series of online events. My talk was directed primarily at concert audiences from various religious backgrounds, to give them a sense of the importance of sacred music within the context of the Catholic liturgy, and how beautiful music in a liturgical setting differs from beautiful music in a concert performance. In the course of that, I touched on foundational matters for the work we do as Church musicians.

You can visit the Academy’s site here and view their other upcoming events.

Second, Fr. David Friel also recently gave a talk on the sacred liturgy. While this video is for those who already practice the Catholic faith and want to deepen their connection to the liturgy, I found many points of agreement and complementarity between these two conversations, especially concerning the role of believer’s personal offering and the meaning of silence.

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

Filed Under: Articles Last Updated: March 7, 2021

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About Charles Weaver

Charles Weaver is on the faculty of the Juilliard School, and serves as director of music for St. Mary’s Church. He lives in Connecticut with his wife and four children.—(Read full biography).

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Quick Thoughts

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
7 June 2022 • FEEDBACK

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

“As liturgical art, church music is obliged to conform to ecclesiastical law. But to construct artificial polarities here, between legalistic order and a dynamic church music, demanded by the alleged needs of the day, would be to forsake the foundation of a music rooted in liturgical experience. What is in fact the pastoral value of the shoddy, the profane, the third-rate?”

— Dr. Robert Skeris (1996)

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