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“What earlier generations held as sacred, remains sacred and great for us too…” Pope Benedict XVI (7 July 2007)

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Views from the Choir Loft

Richard J. Clark • Article Archive

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 full biography (with photographs).

Richard J. Clark · August 3, 2018

Scogna and Olbash talk Gregorian Chant • “On a Sacred Note”

Who doesn’t like to talk about Gregorian Chant?

Richard J. Clark · June 29, 2018

Gregorian Impressions • Plainchant Settings for Organ

A new collection of organ works based on familiar and beloved plainchants

Richard J. Clark · June 15, 2018

James David Christie • International Performer of the Year

As both performer and teacher, James David Christie models excellence and beauty.

Richard J. Clark · June 1, 2018

“On a Sacred Note” • Catholic TV Network • 13 Part Series on Sacred Music

“My wish is that our viewers will walk into Sunday Mass with a new attentiveness…” — Stephanie Scogna

Richard J. Clark · May 4, 2018

“Priests of God, bless the Lord!” • Practice Video

“Sacerdotes Dei” — Introit for the Ordination of Priests

Richard J. Clark · April 20, 2018

Listening and Mission

All that matters is God’s call of service—God’s agenda. This mission of service is primary. Service is a form of love.

Richard J. Clark · March 16, 2018

Eight Lessons • “Make Musicians Love Working With You”

Good-hearted musicians amplify success musically, economically, and spiritually.

Richard J. Clark · March 2, 2018

Blue Heron shines the light on Ockeghem—“The best composer you’ve never heard”

“He is in every way a composer of Bach’s stature and accomplishment both technically and expressively.” ~ Scott Metcalfe

Richard J. Clark · January 19, 2018

Two Choral Works and Propers for Lent

Chant-based works for Lent

Richard J. Clark · January 12, 2018

Msgr. Michael F. Groden’s Contribution to Sacred Music

Quite curiously, the first full-time employee this developer and builder hired as pastor was a musician. A musician? Really? Yes.

Richard J. Clark · December 15, 2017

Discouragement and Hope

Despite such a bleak picture, so many musicians remain faithful and loyal servants of the Church. This is hope.

Richard J. Clark · December 1, 2017

I’ve made this an essential part of concert preparation.

I’m embarrassed to say, I feel I have only discovered this necessity recently.

Richard J. Clark · November 24, 2017

Unapologetically Roman Catholic in New York City

They open the doors to people of all faiths and backgrounds. But they will celebrate the Eucharist, Adore the Blessed Sacrament, and administer the sacraments boldly out on the open for all to witness and experience.

Richard J. Clark · October 27, 2017

A Requiem on All Souls Day at St. Patrick’s Cathedral

This work is based on the Gregorian Chants of the Requiem Mass. It was directly inspired by the Requiem Mass in the Extraordinary Form at the 2012 Sacred Music Colloquium in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Richard J. Clark · October 6, 2017

Three Entrance Antiphons for the Celebration of Marriage

Free Download: Three Entrance Antiphons For the Celebration of Marriage

Richard J. Clark · September 8, 2017

Saint Paul’s Choir School • New CD with AimHigher Recordings/Sony Classical

“When I introduce young minds to the beautiful heritage of Church music, it’s always amazing to see just how much they love the great music we have been given.” — John Robinson

Richard J. Clark · September 1, 2017

Implement Vatican II • Pope Francis Invokes “Magisterial Authority”

The liturgical battle over celebrating Mass “ad orientem” is insignificant at this time. Far more important is reverent liturgy and the proper implementation of Vatican II.

Richard J. Clark · August 21, 2017

Ministry of Consolation • A Case for Congregational Singing at Funerals

“If you, the bereaved, cannot give voice to your grief in this moment, we shall do it for you.”

Richard J. Clark · August 11, 2017

“That’s not Eucharistic” • Why We Sing the Communion Antiphons

What does the Incarnation have to do with the Communion Procession? A great deal.

Richard J. Clark · July 28, 2017

The “Charism” of Saying “No”

The ability to say “no” is an important gift of which much good can come, if used with wisdom, mercy, and kindness.

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Quick Thoughts

6 January 2021 • Anglicans on Plainsong

A book published by Anglicans in 1965 has this to say about Abbat Pothier’s Editio Vaticana, the musical edition reproduced by books such as the LIBER USUALIS (Solesmes Abbey): “No performing edition of the music of the Eucharistic Psalmody can afford to ignore the evidence of the current official edition of the Latin Graduale, which is no mere reproduction of a local or partial tradition, but a CENTO resulting from an extended study and comparison of a host of manuscripts gathered from many places. Thus the musical text of the Graduale possesses a measure of authority which cannot lightly be disregarded.” They are absolutely correct.

—Jeff Ostrowski
2 January 2021 • Temptation

When I see idiotic statements made on the internet, I go nuts. When I see heretics promoted by people who should know better, I get angry. Learning to ignore such items is difficult—very difficult. I try to remember the words of Fr. Valentine Young: “Do what God places in front of you each day.” When I am honest, I don’t believe God wants me to dwell on errors and idiocy; there’s nothing I can do about that. During 2021, I will strive to do a better job following the advice of Fr. Valentine.

—Jeff Ostrowski
31 December 2020 • “COMITES CHRISTI”

The feasts for Saint Stephen Proto-Martyr (26 December), Saint John the Evangelist The Disciple Whom Jesus Loved (27 December), and the Feast of the Holy Innocents (28 December) seem untouched by any liturgical reforms. These are very powerful feasts—I believe they once possessed octaves—and I believe they could sometimes “overpower” a Sunday feast. The rules for octaves in the olden days are extremely complex. These feasts are sometimes referred to as a single entity as: Comites Christi (“Companions of Christ”). This is just a guess, but there seems to be a triple significance: STEPHEN martyred after Christ lived, JOHN was a martyr who knew Christ personally, and the HOLY INNOCENTS were martyred before Christ’s birth.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“Iconographic tradition has theologically interpreted the manger and the swaddling cloths in terms of the theology of the Fathers. The child stiffly wrapped in bandages is seen as prefiguring the hour of his death: from the outset, he is the sacrificial victim, as we shall see more closely when we examine the reference to the first-born. The manger, then, was seen as a kind of altar.”

— Pope Benedict XVI (2012)

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