Rhetoric, Number, Measure, and Historicism
The beginnings of a response to mensuralism from the classic Solesmes point of view.
Beauty Ever Ancient, Ever New
Every Gregorian melody is a precious gift, and every time we meet a melody again, we have a chance to consider some new aspect.
An Interview on Mocquereau’s Method
I recently appeared on Square Notes, the Sacred Music Podcast to discuss some of the basics of Dom Mocquereau’s system of Gregorian rhythm. It’s impossible to give a full treatment to such a complex topic in a mere forty minutes, but I touched on a lot of the foundational ideas, with especial emphasis on the […]
What is the Tonic Accent?
We should define our terms. What makes a syllable accented, and what makes an accent a tonic accent?
Gregorian Rhythm Wars • “The Limits of History”
There’s nothing necessarily authentic about the “authentic” rhythm.
Gregorian Rhythm Wars • “On the Nuance Theory of Plainchant”
A brief historical survey of free rhythm in plainchant, as practiced from the modern monastic foundation of Solesmes (1833) to the present.
Gregorian Rhythm Wars • “Disputed Questions” (16 Nov 2022)
A few further thoughts on what ways of singing chant are “allowed.”
Gregorian Rhythm Wars • “Charlie’s First Response to Jeff” (13 Nov 2022)
Ostrowski, wishing to avoid fussiness, may justifiably refuse this invitation. But to argue, as he has, that these signs and the prayerful and aesthetic movements they embody are “illicit” is just wildly off the mark.
An Upcoming Concert in NYC
Announcing a concert next Saturday in honor of Christ the King.
The Solesmes Episema and Contemplation
Are we even singing the Solesmes rhythm at all?
Solmization from the Inside: Part 2
What can medieval and renaissance music pedagogy offer to us now?
Pre-Reformation Polyphony among the Recusants
What happened to all that polyphony once Catholicism became illegal?
PDF Download • Mocquereau on Trochee Trouble
This can seem like a dry topic, but it actually often deals with practical issues faced by every choirmaster who wants to promote plainchant.
Pothier Teaches Us to Sing an Antiphon
A look at Dom Pothier’s performance instructions for a communion antiphon reveals a great deal of complexity in this pre-Mocquereau interpretive approach.
Summer Courses in Sacred Music in New York
This summer, there are several interesting graduate-level courses on offer at St. Joseph’s Seminary in New York.