Views from the Choir Loft

Richard J. Clark

Richard J. Clark is the Director of Music of the Archdiocese of Boston and the Cathedral of the Holy Cross. He is also Chapel Organist (Saint Mary’s Chapel) at Boston College. His compositions have been performed worldwide. Read more.

Our children must at the very least be exposed to the great music of the Church.

Richard J. Clark · July 12, 2019 ·

Traditional hymnody is often easier to sing: simpler melodically and rhythmically, and generally more substantive in theology.

In Gratitude for Choral Singers

Richard J. Clark · July 5, 2019 ·

I am deeply grateful to faith-filled choral singers because of their willingness to understand these 10 things

Funerals: The Most Challenging Pastoral Responsibility

Richard J. Clark · March 22, 2019 ·

The centrality of Christ in the Funeral Mass is a priceless gem, a lifeline urgently needed in grief.

“Woman of No Distinction” World Premiere

Richard J. Clark · February 22, 2019 ·

What makes this work unique is its perspective: written entirely from the point of view of the Samaritan woman.

Just Released! • 2019 Pastoral Letter on Sacred Music (Archbishop Sample)

Richard J. Clark · January 25, 2019 ·

“Every pastor and music director has a serious responsibility to read and become familiar with the ‘Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy…” —Archbishop Sample

New England Catholic Choral Festival & Mass • 2019

Richard J. Clark · January 11, 2019 ·

It’s never just about the music. It’s about formation and transformation.

Hope • A Side of the Boston Cathedral No One Sees

Richard J. Clark · December 21, 2018 ·

As the “Mother Church” of the Archdiocese of Boston, the Cathedral of the Holy Cross has a side that is often unseen and overlooked.

2019 • Announcement of Easter & Moveable Feasts • Novus Ordo

Richard J. Clark · December 14, 2018 ·

Free download of The Announcement of Easter and the Moveable Feasts for 2019

Musicians in Collaborative Parishes • Sharing Best Practices

Richard J. Clark · November 23, 2018 ·

There is no shortage of challenge in pastoral ministry. This is an understatement of a lifetime!

Mark Dwyer • Concert to Benefit the E. & G. G. Hook & Hastings (1875) Organ at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross

Richard J. Clark · October 23, 2018 ·

Mark Dwyer shines the light on two glorious pipe organs all in one glorious concert.

Could Pope St. Pius X Sing?

“On 12 March 1908, the complete publication of the Roman Gradual was issued by the Vatican Press. On that very day, Dom Pothier solemnly presented the first copy to the Holy Father. A witness of the audience says that Pius X wished to be the first to see the new book; he opened it at random, at page 128 of the supplement pro aliquibus locis—it was the Introit of the new Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes. The Pope sang it with perfect taste to the last note.” (Catholic Choirmaster, February 1915)

—Jeff Ostrowski

Julius Bas Accompaniment

A very prolific harmonizer of Gregorian chant in the early 20th century was Mr. Julius Bas. He often uses a very strange technique, wherein he employs rests to eliminate the Alto, Tenor, and Bass voices. Consider what he did with “Lumen ad revelationem” here:

* JPEG • Lumen ad revelationem

It seems quite lazy, and I’ve never seen anyone else use such a technique, although Dr. Peter Wagner often switched to parallel octaves when he ran out of ideas… (Yuck!)

—Jeff Ostrowski

Hitting wrong notes

Fr. Valentine Young, OFM, used to say: “The organist can play 1,000 correct notes and one wrong note—and the only thing people will care about is the wrong note.” Last Sunday I hit some wrong notes, and felt bad. Then I remembered a story about Rudolf Serkin and started to chuckle. Charles Rosen (or was it Leon Fleisher?) told the story of Serkin playing a Beethoven Sonata in front of a large audience. The theme is all in octaves; but Serkin hit some wrong notes, and played parallel 7ths instead. This so unnerved him that every time the theme returned, he played the entire thing in parallel 7ths! We must remember that even the greatest hit wrong notes. Alfred Cortot, Vladimir Horowitz, Wilhelm Backhaus, Edwin Fischer, Sviatoslav Richter, Egon Petri—they all hit wrong notes, which we can hear on recordings. (Josef Hofmann was an exception, but he was super-human so he doesn’t count!)

—Jeff Ostrowski