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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

Singing the Mass

Richard J. Clark · November 7, 2014

Can’t sing? Sing the dialogues!

Reverence, prayer, and internal participation increased through this act of external participation.

Fr. David Friel · October 12, 2014

The Society for Catholic Liturgy

Two Contributions from CCW Bloggers

Fr. David Friel · July 20, 2014

Basic Steps To Improve Music At Your Parish — Part 5

Silence is one of the most important sounds of the liturgy.

Richard J. Clark · July 11, 2014

Unified Repertoire | Piano, Guitar, and Organ Accompaniments for the ICEL Chants

If the ICEL chants (or another Gregorian setting) are used at all the masses in a parish, it develops unity. It also helps a parish refrain from being multiple communities under the same roof.

Richard J. Clark · June 20, 2014

Archbishop Sample’s Letter on Sacred Music (5 of 8)

The biggest problem in Roman Catholic liturgical music is the prevailing misunderstanding of its very purpose.

Richard J. Clark · May 30, 2014

Mass in Honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Star of the Sea

Michael Olbash’s “Mass in Honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Star of the Sea” demonstrates the mandate of Pope Saint Pius X that music for the liturgy be Sacred, Beautiful, and Universal.

Richard J. Clark · May 23, 2014

Mass in Honor of Pope Saint John Paul II on “Sounds from the Spires” and the Youth-Based Chant Movement

On air discussion with Dr. Jennifer Pascual, Director of Music at St. Patrick’s Cathedral – the youth-propelled chant movement, the new economic model of publishing, and how these are reshaping the liturgical landscape…and broadcast of the “Mass in Honor of Pope Saint John Paul II”.

Richard J. Clark · April 27, 2014

Mass in Honor of Pope Saint John Paul II

FREE DOWNLOAD of the complete score AND recordings.

Fr. David Friel · April 13, 2014

Who Should Proclaim the Passion?

The “Circular Letter Concerning the Preparation and Celebration of the Easter Feasts”

Richard J. Clark · April 4, 2014

A priest who sings both energizes the liturgy and fosters interior prayer.

Once the mass began, the children began singing the Gregorian Introit, and fifteen thousand young people immediately stilled to complete silence.

Richard J. Clark · February 7, 2014

Disparagement Is Not Helping the Cause of Liturgical Reform

Disparagement is not catechesis. It is destructive. If we are to catechize and evangelize, we must put God first, not our own preferences. Meanwhile, we must catechize and strive for the ideal.

Richard J. Clark · January 17, 2014

Gregorian Propers at a Nuptial Mass in “Southie”?

“Southie” is a section of Boston better known from the films “Good Will Hunting” and “The Departed.” It is also infamous for the convicted murderer and gangster, James “Whitey” Bulger. But, yes, glorious Gregorian Propers, polyphony, and hymnody at a Nuptial Mass in “Southie.”

Richard J. Clark · January 3, 2014

Living with Uncertainty

But blessings come and go. Crosses are plentiful. Uncertainty makes life scary. But, no matter who you are, rich or poor, lowly sinner or saint, these words are prayed (hopefully sung) in the funeral mass: “In Paradisum…”

Fr. David Friel · December 15, 2013

Tallis Scholars Live

In Praise of A Polyphonic Credo

Richard J. Clark · November 29, 2013

A Challenge for the “Big Three” — Is there a Market for the Propers?

I have a challenge to the “Big Three” publishers. The propers are the new frontier of liturgical composition. I propose that they get ahead of the curve now.

Richard J. Clark · November 22, 2013

Saint Cecilia and Why the Word is Preeminent

I confront a challenge most musicians of sacred music face: the battle between the Word and musical “feel.” From the Word, emanates a life: all that is love, all that is beauty, all that is sacrifice and service to God.

Richard J. Clark · May 31, 2013

Decisions, Decisions…Progressive Solemnity, and Who Gets to Decide?

The Mass is a sung prayer and our greatest prayer. As such, it is not our goal to “make” something happen in liturgy. Only God can do that. Any role we have is God’s gift of grace to us. The sooner we understand that, the better we will fulfill our ministry and mission.

Richard J. Clark · May 24, 2013

Surprise! Musical Hierarchy in “Sing to the Lord: Music in Divine Worship”

The priorities of what we should sing at mass are full of surprises for some. I hope in the end that the greater “surprise” will be in how our prayer is formed by what we sing. I hope this will be the most pleasant surprise of all.

Richard J. Clark · March 20, 2013

Free Communion Propers for the Easter Season, Year C

Free download of Communion Propers for the Easter Season, Year C

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Quick Thoughts

Surprising Popularity!

One of our most popular downloads has proven to be the organ accompaniment to “The Monastery Hymnal” (131 pages). This book was compiled, arranged, and edited by Achille P. Bragers, who studied at the Lemmensinstituut (Belgium) about thirty years before that school produced the NOH. Bragers might be considered an example of Belgium “Stile Antico” whereas Flor Peeters and Jules Van Nuffel represented Belgium “Prima Pratica.” You can download the hymnal by Bragers at this link.

—Jeff Ostrowski
15 February 2021 • To Capitalize…?

In the Introit for the 6th Sunday after Pentecost, there is a question regarding whether to capitalize the word “christi.” The Vulgata does not, because Psalm 27 is not specifically referring to Our Lord, but rather to God’s “anointed one.” However, Missals tend to capitalize it, such as the official 1962 Missal and also a book from 1777 called Missel de Paris. Something tells me Monsignor Knox would not capitalize it.

—Jeff Ostrowski
15 February 2021 • “Sung vs. Spoken”

We have spoken quite a bit about “sung vs. spoken” antiphons. We have also noted that the texts of the Graduale Romanum sometimes don’t match the Missal texts (in the Extraordinary Form) because the Mass Propers are older than Saint Jerome’s Vulgate, and sometimes came from the ITALA versions of Sacred Scripture. On occasion, the Missal itself doesn’t match the Vulgate—cf. the Introit “Esto Mihi.” The Vulgate has: “Esto mihi in Deum protectórem et in domum refúgii…” but the Missal and Graduale Romanum use “Esto mihi in Deum protectórem et in locum refúgii…” The 1970s “spoken propers” use the traditional version, as you can see.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“As late as 1834, British society had many restrictions on any person not adhering to the Anglican church. For example, Roman Catholics could not attend a university, serve on a city council, be a member of Parliament, serve in the armed forces, or even serve on a jury.”

— Regarding the Church of Henry VIII

Recent Posts

  • Part 2 • “Starting Your Own Traditional Latin Mass”
  • Is This Really The Same Church??
  • Solmization from the Inside
  • “Old Solesmes” Method • What’s That?
  • Four Reasons to Improvise at the Organ

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