HE DIFFICULTIES which constantly assail the conscientious choirmaster are far too numerous to set forth here. Our vocation strains one emotionally, mentally, and physically. Even the simplest task—such as choosing a translation to sing the psalms—is beset with difficulties, leading the poor church musician into a morass of corruption, greed, copyright exploitation, and incompetence. We receive messages from all over the world (which we’d very much like to share with our readership) but the constraints of time frequently prevent this. However, today I’d like to share a message we received from someone with a doctorate. Afterwards, I provide a few reflections of my own.
The following came from a reader in Texas.
[We usually redact names for anonymity’s sake.]
EAR CCWATERSHED: This is Dr. [name redacted], former music director at [name redacted] in Texas. I just sent a donation of $100 in response to your urgent request. I will donate again as soon as possible. I respect your work so deeply and consider you the very best resource for those who want to restore classic sacred music to its rightful place in the usage of the Catholic Church.
A Sad Story • I want to share a very sad story with you. First let me describe our program. I believe it was an absolutely stellar program, unique among [information redacted]. I had two large choirs (20+ members in each) and a plainsong choir, serving four (4) Masses per week. We are home to a thriving Latin Mass community of seventeen (17) years and a large—and quite active!—Novus Ordo community, both of which served [information redacted]. I had served as the primary musician in the parish for all of its seventeen years, and as Music Director of both for ten years. I had a donor/colleague who worked with me and shared my aesthetic objectives. Because of this person, I was able to have a semi-professional choir of 12 members (vocal performance majors at the university) which served the parish and joined the volunteer choir to serve one of the Novus Ordo Masses. We performed exclusively classic sacred music at all Masses. We used the SAINT GREGORY HYMNAL for the decade of my tenure at [name redacted]. We had twelve (12) polyphonic Masses in our repertoire and usually learned a new Mass each month. In addition, we performed Mozart Masses, selections from Mendelssohn, Bach Passions, the Brahms Requiem, and various 18th and 19th century composers. We had several organists—and I served in that capacity also—and a resident string quartet of excellent players. Our program was considered the jewel of our community and also of the diocese. We had a strong teaching focus, aiming to equip [information redacted] to go out from our program and establish similar programs wherever they might reside … and many had done precisely that. We’d also produced two seminarians who were highly motivated to establish such programs. The congregation was totally supported our objectives: both financially, and with a deep love for the music they experienced there. I never heard that even one person complained of the lack of ‘popular’ music.
Terminated Without Discussion • Our priest was delighted with the program, or so it appeared. However, during Holy Week this year he asked me to resign (which I did). He gave no reason and would not even discuss the issue. I still have no reason for his actions. My donor/colleague has not spoken to me since then, so I have no information from him. The small remains of the program are under the oversight of a student. Almost everyone has left. So that’s the end of my beautiful and joyful career as a church musician. I lost my friends, students, my religious community, and my favorite avocation. I’m telling you this because I know that the condition of sacred music in our country is dear and close to your heart … and that you long to see it healthy and thriving. Perhaps in knowing this sad situation, you can help someone else who is struggling with loss and failure. In the end I am the winner because I touched many lives, and I had the opportunity to learn how to create such a program. Your organization—and Mr. Jeff Ostrowski in particular—were a large part of how I learned this priceless skill. I cannot adequately express my deep appreciation for your wonderful gift.
(1 of 4) Jeff’s Response • For many readers, the story (above) will not come as a surprise. It is a fact that some priests are cruel and unjust to their musicians. I realize every vocation has evil bosses—but sometimes it seems like church musicians are targeted disproportionately. It doesn’t help matters that we’re artists, and artists tend to posses a melancholic temperament. As a result, we tend to “ruminate.” In other words, when someone we care about—or someone we’ve gone out of our way to help—betrays us, acts rudely toward us, speaks to us in a brusque way, or shows a lack of gratitude, it hurts us deeply. We’re the polar opposite of a sanguine temperament. You could murder the entire family of a sanguine, and he’d forgive you the next day. But that’s not how melancholy people operate.
(2 of 4) Jeff’s Response • I’m no stranger to terrible employers. My articles occasionally provide hints vis-à-vis the crazy situations I’ve experienced at the hands of priests. For instance, read this opening paragraph. I would never again wish to undergo such experiences—although I learned an awful lot from them … for which I’m grateful. When it comes to the person above, who after 17 years was asked to resign but given no reason (!), I could point to many examples from the lives of the saints. But I’ve done that in the past, so I’m not going to do that today.
(3 of 4) Jeff’s Response • Look at things a different way. Suppose everything was easy for a choirmaster working in the Catholic Church. Suppose there was a website one could visit with absolutely everything laid out perfectly. Is that really what we want? Doesn’t Saint Paul say the Christian must “work to earn his salvation in anxious fear” (Philippians 2:12)? I realize we face many obstacles, but isn’t it desirable to have something to offer our Savior? Father Robert Skeris used to quote a famous poem: “Say not the struggle nought availeth.”
(4 of 4) Jeff’s Response • I will close with a brief clip of Richard Milhous Nixon talking about a message he received in the spring of 1973 from Clare Boothe Luce (d. 1987) after Watergate had exploded.
