“What earlier generations held as sacred, remains sacred and great for us too…” Pope Benedict XVI (7 July 2007)
I also feel this is the reason that many church musicians in England don’t matriculate into doctoral programs—their choir schools imparted more than a doctoral program could ever give.
Organ improvisation is on the mind of many organists these days as they cope in the absence of choirs and other musicians.
We can sometimes be so caught up in advancing Gregorian chant that we fail to remember that every single age in the history of the Catholic Church has seen forms of popular religious music…
I doubt the Divine Office in the vernacular could have been more beautifully sung.
If we want great artists, we must have places to train them in the best of the tradition and be able to crown their studies with a deeply imbued Catholic ethos.
In all my life I don’t think I have ever heard it mentioned that the art of improvisation, done well, ranks alongside the greatest works of Palestrina or Mozart.
The most problematic genre for use in broadcasting is the English setting of the Mass Ordinary since all of the major settings are currently under copyright.
This image of Christ as the Good Shepherd constitutes the supreme model for all pastors, clerical or (in a broader and unordained sense) lay—anyone leading others into the Sheepfold of the Church. It is, therefore, crucial to understand the various nuances of pastor, or shepherd.
Michelangelo, without training and in wont of the best paints and plaster, would have struggled to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.
At the heart of the great conductor is one who is born in wonder, one who stands in awe and amazement of heaven’s divine gift of music.
The reality in any great liturgical choir is that there is simply too much music to learn by rote.
While other musical scales and musical traditions find their origin in the overtone series, only western civilization has developed nature’s original gift into one of the world’s great achievements: Western music.
“The tunes and ditties of the radio will be meaningless in the magnitude of one’s final moments; only the psalms can bear the weight of the moment.” —Barry Rose
Once we realize how high that standard for accepting a chorister is, it becomes easier to understand the boy’s rapid musical progress in the choir.
A comment on the importance of the role of director of music a Westminster Cathedral, following the resignation of Martin Baker, offered by Gregory Treloar.
Educators who seek to shape students in both wisdom and virtue, and who share the belief that music and aesthetics play an integral part in the content of a Catholic liberal arts education should apply.
Jeff’s recent post made me think that perhaps a recap of all the events so far at Westminster Cathedral would be helpful to readers.
Everyone is searching for a silver bullet. Perhaps it’s a certain education method, a special book or a technique. Standing somewhat in opposition to all of these various techniques and methods is the English choir school, where the director stands in front of the boys and says “that’s an A, now sing it!”
What is absolutely necessary for the existence of a choral foundation?
We commend his soul to the mercy of our Heavenly Father.
