AVE YOU NOTICED youngsters today have all kinds of modern conveniences (and technology) we never had as children? By the same token, we had luxuries our parents’ generation did not have. And you can go back even further. Our ancestors who got hungry had to tromp into the wilderness—even when it was 15 degrees outside!—and kill animals to eat. Growing up, I went to great lengths to obtain certain recordings unavailable in America, such as Horowitz playing Chopin’s 3rd Scherzo. It was necessary (in those days) to trade “cassette tapes” with connoisseurs in Canada, Italy, China, and many other countries. How thrilling it was whenever a new cassette tape arrived!
Change Is Scary: In some ways, I appreciated such recordings all the more because I had to “work” for them. But these days, such recordings—even the rarest!—can be obtained instantly on YouTube. As choirmasters, we have an obligation to embrace new technologies that help our choirs sing better, even though “change” can be obnoxious. I completely understand the tendency to cling to what is familiar. Believe me—I get it. I’m someone who harbors an irrational fear of anything I’m not familiar with.
A Choir Secret: Our choirs have experienced a lot of sickness lately. The other day, however, everyone was healed—and we had just a few minutes (!) to put together the Sunday High Mass. Because of the remarkable way the Brébeuf hymnal formats the Choral Supplement—with each verse written out—our choir was able to learn SATB parts with only a few minutes’ rehearsal time. (Please remember that very few of our choir members read music.) Listen to the beautiful effect on verse two of the following hymn, which is for the season of SEPTUAGESIMA:
Saint John Henry Newman wrote a beautiful hymn for the souls in purgatory, and the Brébeuf hymnal sets it to that same melody (ST FLAVIAN):
Polyphony Is More Complicated: Needless to say, singing polyphony requires more than just a few minutes. Therefore, for the Sunday mentioned above, we “pulled out” several pieces we’d sung in the past. Here’s an excerpt from a Kyrie (De Beata Virgine II) by Father Guerrero:
* Mp3 Download • “Kyrie” by Father Guerrero
—Live recording from Septuagesima Sunday, 13 February 2022.
We sing Credo 7, but we insert a few polyphonic sections (#62964):
* Mp3 Download • “Credo” by Father Guerrero
—Live recording from Septuagesima Sunday, 13 February 2022.
For the Offertory, I asked them to pull out Matri Divinae, a wonderful collection for three voices:
* Mp3 Download • “Aufer a me” by Kevin Allen
—Live recording from Septuagesima Sunday, 13 February 2022.
The Sanctus (#5454) is one of my favorite pieces. Its beauty is truly sublime. The singers did a nice job—and the more we sing it, the better it will get:
* Mp3 Download • “Sanctus” by Father Guerrero
—Live recording from Septuagesima Sunday, 13 February 2022.
I have asked my singers to avoid putting a diphthong on Latin words like “Deus.” (It should be sung “Dehh-oos” not “Day-Yoos.”) But singers are not infallible; so we will continue to work on those pesky diphthongs!
