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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

Kevin Allen’s “Dómine Convértere” Sung At Saint Peter’s Basilica (Vatican City)

Jeff Ostrowski · April 13, 2022

REATEST. Usually, it’s unwise to use the word “greatest.” If I call someone the greatest violinist in the world, I make a fool of myself. If I call someone the greatest preacher in the world, I come across as dimwitted. Nevertheless, I believe Kevin Allen to be the greatest living composer of Catholic choral music. I would struggle mightily as a choir director without his oeuvre. Choirs just love to sing his music!

Saint Peter’s Basilica: The music of Kevin Allen was recently featured in Vatican City. Specifically, Mr. Allen’s Dómine Convértere was sung during a “penitential liturgy” with Pope Francis at Saint Peter’s Basilica (25 March 2022). This piece comes from a collection called “Cantiones Sacrae Simplices,” which was commissioned by Corpus Christi Watershed. You can learn more at EMPORIUM KEVIN ALLEN.

Fabulous Opportunity: You can meet this marvelous composer if you attend Sacred Music Symposium 2022. That’s because Kevin Allen is a presenter this year. Here’s a live recording of my parish choir—which is made up completely of volunteer singers—singing Kevin Allen’s Si ambulávero at Mass:

An Essential Collection: That piece—Si ambulávero—is from a collection of pieces called “Matri Divinae Gratiae.” Every choirmaster should obtain this collection as quickly as possible. I could not live without this collection; my choristers just love it. Learn more at EMPORIUM KEVIN ALLEN.

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

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Cantiones Sacrae Simplices, Composer Kevin Allen, Matri Divinae Gratiae, Si Ambulavero Last Updated: May 3, 2022

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About Jeff Ostrowski

Jeff Ostrowski holds his B.M. in Music Theory from the University of Kansas (2004). He resides with his wife and children in Los Angeles.—(Read full biography).

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Quick Thoughts

23 May 2022 • FEEDBACK

From a reader: “I wasn’t looking for it. But, I stumbled across your hand-dandy arrangement of Pachelbel’s Canon. Jeff, this is the greatest thing since sliced bread! I had to play a wedding on Saturday. The bride requested the Canon. There were 11 bridesmaids! The organ loft is a football field away from the communion rail. It’s so difficult to play and keep checking the mirror. Your arrangement is absolutely genius. One can skip and choose which variations to use. The chord names are handy so that when my eyes are off the music, I always know where I am at. A thousand times thank you for sharing this arrangement!”

—Jeff Ostrowski
19 May 2022 • “Trochee Trouble”

I’m still trying to decide how to visually present the “pure” Editio Vaticana scores, using what is (technically) the official rhythm of the Church. You can download my latest attempt, for this coming Sunday. Notice the “trochee trouble” as well as the old issue of neumes before the quilisma.

—Jeff Ostrowski
16 May 2022 • Harmonized Chant?

This year’s upcoming Sacred Music Symposium will demonstrate several ways to sing the CREDO at Mass. This is because—for many parishes—to sing a full-length polyphonic CREDO by Victoria or Palestrina is out of the question. Therefore, we show options that are halfway between plainsong and polyphony. You can hear my choir rehearsing a section that sounds like harmonized plainsong.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“Church officials frequently asked Tomás Luis de Victoria for his opinion on cathedral appointments because of his fame and knowledge. He was faithful to his position as convent organist even after his professional debut as an organist, and never accepted any extra pay for being a chapelmaster. Held in great esteem, his contract allowed him frequent travel away from the convent, and he attended Palestrina’s funeral (in Rome) in 1594.”

— ‘Dr. Robert Stevenson, 1961 (mod.)’

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