Views from the Choir Loft

Church Music Association of America CMAA

Fr. David Friel · May 9, 2021

Virtual Sacred Music Colloquium 2021

Alongside many familiar faces, several new presenters are joining the faculty this year.

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Fr. David Friel · October 12, 2020

Sacred Music Boot Camp 2020

Three days of practical chant instruction and immersion in the treasury of Catholic sacred music

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Fr. David Friel · June 11, 2020

Virtual Sacred Music Colloquium 2020

The CMAA will offer a virtual version of its annual, week-long workshop.

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Fr. David Friel · June 25, 2017

Composition with Pencil & Paper or Computer Software?

A lunch-time conversation at Sacred Music Colloquium 2017 in St. Paul, MN

Fr. David Friel · June 24, 2016

Colloquium 2016 • Day 4

Reflections on Offering a Colloquium Mass

Fr. David Friel · June 23, 2016

Colloquium 2016 • Day 3

The Organic Development of the Liturgy and the New Music Breakouts

Fr. David Friel · June 22, 2016

Colloquium 2016 • Day 2

Explanatory Images from Wilko Brouwers

Fr. David Friel · June 21, 2016

Colloquium 2016 • Day 1

A concert of early music by the ensemble “Pro-Arte Saint Louis”

Fr. David Friel · November 16, 2014

Colloquium Friends & Chant Workshops

“Adventus Dona” in the Diocese of San Diego

Jeff Ostrowski · August 24, 2014

Photo: Church Music Association of America (1964)

This historic photograph was taken at the organizational meeting for the CMAA the same year “Inter Oecumenici” was issued by the Vatican.

Hymn Lyrics Which Don’t Fit

If we grow up singing hymns, we’re incapable of judging them—because we’re “too close” to them. People who know and love “Abide with me, fast falls the eventide” probably never realized the first word is one of the most egregious examples of incorrect accentuation. (The correct accent for “abide” is on the second syllable, not the first.) Similarly, when “O God, our help in ages past” is sung to SAINT ANNE, the word “under” should be replaced with “beneath”—otherwise the accentuation is incorrect. Another egregious example would be “Come Holy Ghost” (sung to LAMBILLOTTE), which incorrectly accents the final syllable of the word Comforter (“O Comforter, to Thee we cry…”).

—Jeff Ostrowski

12 July 2021 • FEEDBACK

A reader from Chicago writes: “Your work is exemplary, and these past 15 months have put into clear focus for me just how important Corpus Christi Watershed is as an evangelizing voice in the Church. During this pandemic, we have moved away from the ‘big publisher’ psalters, employing nearly exclusively your settings, which (in my opinion) are melodically appealing and perfectly embody the essence of ‘sacred music’—evoking chant, but looking forward to the future. Bravo, composers! We are pleased to have been able to contribute a small gift toward the vast amount of CCW music we have used in the past 16 months. Your site is professional, and your content is excellent. Moving from hymnody to propers during the pandemic was a revelation.”

—Jeff Ostrowski

PT Barnum, Henri Herz, + 1,000 candles

In the annals of pianism, there were some fakers: Vladimir de Pachmann, Ignacy Jan Paderewski, Leopold de Meyer, and Henri Herz. A hilarious story is told by Harold C. Schonberg about Henri Herz, his manager (Bernard Ullman), and 1,000 candles. I think you will enjoy reading it.

—Jeff Ostrowski