Views from the Choir Loft

Dr. Gregory Hamilton • Article Archive

Dr. Gregory Hamilton is a widely published composer and accomplished performer. His compositions include works for organ, piano, choir, flute, cello, and orchestra. An active conductor, Dr. Hamilton also performs extensively as a soloist and accompanist on the organ, piano, harpsichord. He has also performed regularly on the keyboard, theorbo and lute with the Orchestra of New Spain. He is currently on the faculty of Holy Trinity Seminary in Dallas TX.—Read full biography (with photographs).

Dr. Gregory Hamilton · September 3, 2020

(Installment #5) “Catholic Hymnals” • Dr. Gregory Hamilton

The word “hymn” is one of the earliest music words in all languages…

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Dr. Gregory Hamilton · July 20, 2020

Biography • Dr. Gregory Hamilton

Dr. Gregory Hamilton is a widely published composer and accomplished performer currently on the faculty of Holy Trinity Seminary in Dallas TX.

Dr. Gregory Hamilton · April 1, 2020

Repeating Repertoire? • Dr. Hamilton

Psalm 51 occurs a dozen times in the lectionary during the year, for such diverse days such as St. Thomas Aquinas, weekdays during ordinary Time, many days in Lent, and the Easter Vigil.

Dr. Gregory Hamilton · March 10, 2020

Psalms, Psalmody, Psalmists, Psalm Singing

Some of you may not know, but in seminaries and houses of religious, the 150 psalms are still recited or sung every month.

Dr. Gregory Hamilton · February 20, 2020

Secret Sympathy

“Our souls are moved to the ardor of piety by the sacred words more piously and powerfully when these words are sung…” —St. Augustine

Dr. Gregory Hamilton · January 28, 2020

“Performance” and the Liturgy.

I have sometimes been told that I was “performing” in the Liturgy, and this has made me think about the meaning of this term and why people say it…

Dr. Gregory Hamilton · January 18, 2020

Of Weddings, Funerals and other Comedies

A lot of what we do in serving our communities is rather unglamorous…

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Dr. Gregory Hamilton · March 27, 2019

Beauty in the Service of the Lord

“Recently, playing a prelude before a Mass, I thought of the preeminence of beauty in our faith.” —Dr. Hamilton

14 June 2021 • “From Rehearsal…”

One of our choristers recorded this audio excerpt from a recent rehearsal we had. I know there are certain people on the internet who claim that “proper voice leading & harmonies died with Bach in 1750AD…anything goes these days.” But I could not disagree more with such an assertion. The proper rules of harmony and counterpoint make incredible music—and I would suggest that tiny excerpt (from our volunteer choir rehearsal) shows this reality.

—Jeff Ostrowski

3 June 2021 • Re: “Mass of the Angels”

In the past, we have provided thirteen organ accompaniments to Mass VIII (a.k.a. “Missa de Angelis”). Some versions of the KYRIALE use the melody from Sanctus VIII for Agnus VIII also. Dr. Peter Wagner’s 1903 edition of the KYRIALE does this, as we mentioned earlier this month. Please sing through Sanctus VIII and then sing O Quam Suavis Est from the feast of Corpus Christi. Do you hear it?

—Jeff Ostrowski

1 June 2021 • Unsure of Author

The editors of this 1667AD Missale Romanum weren’t sure who wrote the VEXILLA REGIS hymn, so they wrote this in the margin. (To be fair, the original text by Bishop Fortunatus was greatly altered under Pope Urban VIII.)

—Jeff Ostrowski

Impelled by the weightiest of reasons, we are fully determined to restore Latin to its position of honor, and to do all We can to promote its study and use. The employment of Latin has recently been contested in many quarters, and many are asking what the mind of the Apostolic See is in this matter. We have therefore decided to issue the timely directives contained in this document, so as to ensure that the ancient and uninterrupted use of Latin be maintained and, where necessary, restored.”

— Pope John XXIII (22 February 1962)