Views from the Choir Loft

Simple Steps To Improve Parish Music

Sacred Music US • Website for Fr. Weber’s Resources

Fr. David Friel · March 31, 2019 ·

A website exists to disseminate Fr. Samuel Weber’s sacred music resources

Summer Chant Courses—Dunwoodie

Fr. David Friel · April 1, 2018 ·

Two course offerings from the St. Cecilia Academy for Pastoral Musicians

Dunwoodie Chant Conference • Review of a Successful Event

Fr. David Friel · March 15, 2017 ·

I was renewed in spirit for a future filled with hope for liturgical music.

Dunwoodie Sponsors New Sacred Music Conference

Fr. David Friel · September 23, 2016 ·

“Gregorian Chant in Pastoral Ministry and Religious Education” — March 10 & 11, 2017

Which Masses Would You Choose?

Fr. David Friel · April 3, 2016 ·

If you had the opportunity to add more festive music to selected feasts in the liturgical year, to which would you give preference?

St. Cecilia Academy for Pastoral Musicians

Fr. David Friel · November 22, 2015 ·

The program seeks to broaden the knowledge of already well trained musicians so that they can become well trained liturgical musicians.

OFFERTORY: Chant Propers in Three Parts for Sundays & Feasts

Fr. David Friel · June 14, 2015 ·

Exciting New Collection of Simple English Propers!

A Criticism & Good News

Fr. David Friel · April 26, 2015 ·

Another Look at Fr. Weber’s “The Proper of the Mass”

“Proper Of The Mass” (Ignatius Press) • Part 4 of 7

Fr. David Friel · April 19, 2015 ·

The Next Big Thing Is Here

The Future of the Pipe Organ

Fr. David Friel · March 15, 2015 ·

“The manifold possibilities of the organ remind us of the immensity and the magnificence of God.” (Pope Benedict XVI)

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