Seven Solutions • “Getting Catholics Singing Again”
At the conservatory, we’re surrounded by hundreds of professional musicians; but stepping into a Catholic parish the situation is quite different.
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11 October 2021 • “Sing All Verses?”
Some claim Catholics deserve condemnation because (unlike Protestants) Catholics often omit verses when singing hymns at Mass. Is that true? The wonderful Sophia Institute Press—as part of a series on authentic sacred music—has provided an answer (PDF) to this question.
“Bewildering!” • Weird Assertion by Bishop Arthur Roche (Congregation for Divine Worship)
Is backroom bowdlerization of Sacred Scripture truly irreversible?
Two Hymns Loved By Everyone … Except Purists!
Fulton J. Sheen: “In those days there were no scandal columns, but there were scandalmongers.”
What Can Be Done With Only Two Cantors?
What do you do for Quinceañera Masses, Anniversary Masses, Funerals, and Birthday Masses?
Brave Schola Director Posts Live Recording
This is a beautiful melody worth learning, worth singing, and worthy of the temple.
Where do Catholics find hymns?
The wonderful Sophia Institute Press has begun a “Q+A” section which tackles common liturgical questions, and here’s a sample: “At a conference I recently attended, the speaker said hymns don’t belong at Mass; was he telling the truth?” And you can read the answer. To access the complete set (which is a work in progress), […]
28 September 2021 • FEEDBACK
From a reader: “I have read the pages explaining the Blessed Sacrament in the Brébeuf hymnal and plan on continuing to contemplate them. Moreover, the Christ the King Hymn is beautifully sung on the recording you posted (to the Watershed blog), and I wish my church would sing these hymns instead of modern ones from […]
PDF Download • “Can A Hymnal Be Too Catholic?”
Can Protestant translations be dangerous? This paper presents items worth considering.
“Catholic Sensibility” • What Makes A Hymnal Catholic?
I personally find the following pairings (hymn text + hymn melody) to be reprehensible…
Gregorian Chant • Prayer to Saint Michael the Archangel
From a rare book of Franciscan chants (1902)
New CD release from the FSSP in Europe!
Christmas Matins from Bavaria…
“Salve Regina” • Organ Accompaniment
Readers already realize that seventeen (17) splendid organ accompaniments for the simple “Salve Regina” can be freely and conveniently downloaded here. But what about the solemn tone for the “Salve Regina”—has anyone composed an organ accompaniment for that? Yes, Canon Jules Van Nuffel has composed one for the solemn version.
“Complete At Last!” • An Easy Polyphonic Agnus Dei
The ability of your singers to sight-read music instantly does not guarantee a good performance.
“A Tale Of Two Missals”
Sometimes words are superfluous. Sometimes no commentary is needed. If you look at this Tale of Two Missals (PDF)—which compares the Canon from the “Modern” ICEL Missal with a “Dark Ages” Missal, I think you will understand exactly what I’m getting at.
23 September 2021 • FEEDBACK
From a reader: “Corpus Christi Watershed is the greatest musical organization ever created in the Church!”
Church “Narthex” • What’s that?
Do you know what the church narthex is? It’s kind of like a separate room, blocked off by a wall. A buddy of mine (sitting in the narthex) took some iPhone recordings of our congregation singing Vespers. Here’s how they sound sans organ. [Note: Whenever I play for Vespers, I make sure to have some […]
“A Truly Eucharistic Hymn” • Christ the King (SATB)
Did Vatican II “restore” the hymns—as mandated by §93 of Sacrosanctum Concilium?
Clarion Call To All Choirmasters! • (26 Sept.)
Forty images of (IMHO) the patron saints of church musicians.
“Homily for the 17th Sunday after Pentecost” (EF) • Father Valentine Young, OFM
“In our day and age I think it is good that we all be reminded that Christ will eventually overcome his enemies.”