“Simplified” Accomp. (1,700 downloads)
The last one I uploaded was downloaded more than 1,700 times in a matter of hours. Therefore, folks seem interested in such a project.
President's Corner
“Lenten Polyphony for Two Voices”
On 28 February 2024, we posted this article with two women singing at Mass. Specifically, they were singing a piece for Lent called “Open, O Hard and Sinful Heart.” Since that time, the video has garnered thousands of views on YouTube and reached more than 34,000 on Facebook. If you’d like to download a special […]
Re: “Sacred Music Symposium” (2024)
Today, an announcement was sent out regarding the 2024 Sacred Music Symposium. If you’re not subscribed to our mailing list, you missed this announcement. I’ve tried everything I can think of to get folks to subscribe to our mailing list. Simply scroll to the bottom of any CCW article and enter your email address. It […]
“Simplified” Keyboard Accompaniment
Are you an inexperienced organist? Were you formally a pianist? I invite you to download this simplified organ accompaniment for hymn #124 in the Saint Jean de Brébeuf Hymnal. I’m toying with the idea of creating a whole bunch of these, to benefit amateur organists. What is your opinion of such a project? Let me […]
Offered in a Spirit of Dialogue
Pope Francis said famously: “To dialogue entails a cordial reception, not a prior condemnation.” The following brief utterances of mine are offered in that spirit. Pope Saint Pius X called the sacred liturgy “the primary and indispensable source of the true Christian spirit.” If the reformers had told the fathers of Vatican II they desired […]
Polyphony For Three Voices!
Writing excellent music is easier in four voices than three. We often sing from MATRI DIVINAE GRATIAE, a 3-voice collection by Kevin Allen for Soprano, Alto, and Bass. Someone made a recording of my volunteer choir singing “Si Ambulávero” (from that collection). This “raw recording” starts toward the end of the psalm tone then launches […]
PDF Download • “Chant Chart”
A thoughtful priest from another country wrote me a magnificent message praising a PDF comparison chart I recently posted. It deals with “staffless” CARMEN GREGORIANUM (Gregorian Chant). Download it for free by scrolling to the bottom of this article. Of course, I hope you will read the article instead of just scrolling past it.
“Somber Song!” • Sexagesima Sunday
As we approach the holy season of Lent, the prayers and readings become more lengthy. When we arrive at Easter, the prayers and readings will become extremely brief. As we get closer to Lent, some of the music becomes quite somber. I can’t think of a more somber piece than the INTROIT for Sexagesima Sunday. […]
“Saint Mark” • Hymn Tune
Regarding the hymn tune called “ST MARK”—have you ever heard or sung this? If you scroll towards the bottom of this recent article, you can hear my choir (which is made up 100% of volunteers) singing it. Some people say the ST MARK melody sounds a little ‘protestant.’ What do you think? I rather like […]
“Seeking Employment” • Please help!
You can download my official résumé.
Gregorian Chant … with a drone?
It’s possible to sing Carmen Gregorianum with a drone note (a.k.a. “ison”) but is this always a good idea? I’ve heard it done very poorly. We tried singing GLORIA IX with an ison last Sunday. Feel free to listen to this excerpt (Mp3) and let me know your thoughts.
Abbat Pothier on Gregorian Chant
“There is, then, in the Church, in the Catholic liturgy, a music that, as we have just stated, is both a word and a song, a music rich and powerful, although simple and natural, a music that is not self-seeking, which does not attend to itself but comes forth as the spontaneous utterance of religious […]
Organ Accompaniment Booklet (25 pages)
Those who celebrate VESPERS each week may wish to download my organ accompaniment booklet (25 pages) for the 2nd Sunday after Epiphany. This was originally released about a year ago (link), but minor improvements have been made.
Know your hymns? How Well?
Several singers from my choir recently recorded this beautiful hymn (Mp3), using famous lyrics from the Brébeuf Hymnal. How well do you know your hymns? Can you name that tune? If so, please email us. If you correctly name that tune, I’ll declare: “You really know your hymns!”
Organ? Or SATB unaccompanied?
Pipe organ (with voices) or unaccompanied SATB? Which do you prefer? Yesterday at Mass, my volunteer choir gave you an opportunity to compare “apples to apples.” Simply click here and compare the first verse with the second. For the record, that melody is called by various names: ALTONA, VOM HIMMEL HOCH, ERFURT, and so on.