Author: Richard Chonak

On Sunday, March 5, to mark the 50th anniversary of the Church’s Instruction on Music in the Liturgy Musicam sacram, over 200 musicians, pastors, and scholars published a declaration under the title “Cantate Domino canticum novum”.

The statement recalls the Second Vatican Council’s teaching which describes sacred music as “a treasure of inestimable value”, and it speaks of elements in common practice “that contribute to the present deplorable situation of sacred music and of the liturgy.”

We, the undersigned—musicians, pastors, teachers, scholars, and lovers of sacred music—humbly offer to the Catholic community around the world this statement, expressing our great love for the Church’s treasury of sacred music and our deep concerns about its current plight.

The statement calls on the Church to (1) reaffirm the musical heritage of the Roman rite: Gregorian chant and sacred polyphony; (2) give children an exposure to the beauty of true musical art; (3) promote the professional training of lay church musicians; (4) insist on high standards for music in cathedrals and basilicas; (5) encourage every parish to offer at least one fully sung Mass every Sunday; (6) provide musical training for the clergy, to enable them to sing their part of the liturgy; and (7) educate liturgists in the musical tradition of the Church.

These recommendations, along with a discussion of widespread failings in musical practice, are fleshed out in the full document, which is available here. Versions in five other languages and a list of the signatories can be reached through the coverage at our sister site New Liturgical Movement.

But I began by suggesting your own recitation, and the Church rewards it today with her own spiritual support. The Manual of Indulgences reminds us that (under the usual conditions):

A plenary indulgence is granted to the faithful devoutly assist either at the recitation or the solemn singing of

1. the Veni Creator, either on the first day of the year to implore divine assistance for the course of the whole year, […]
2. the Te Deum, on the final day of the year, to offer thanks to God for gifts received throughout the course of the entire year.

A few days ago, Bishop Arthur Serratelli of Paterson, New Jersey, offered an Advent-inspired

reflection on the biblical tradition of looking to the East for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Fittingly enough, he mentions the liturgical tradition of prayer directed toward the East, whether geographical or symbolic, and reminds us of the purpose of that practice: it is to foster an other-worldly, God-centered focus which should characterize our participation at Mass, regardless of whether the priest speaks ad orientem or versus populum:

Whether celebrated with priest and people facing each other or with priest and people together facing the same direction, every Eucharist is Christ coming to meet us, gracing us with a share in his own divine life. Every Eucharist is a proleptic sharing in the feast of heaven. Therefore, in every celebration of the Eucharist, both priest and faithful should focus their attention not on each other, but on the Lord.

Read more….

Yesterday, the Boston-based network Catholic TV welcomed guests from Gloriae Dei Cantores, the renowned ecumenical choir on Cape Cod, to talk about their performance and recordings of choral music and Gregorian chant in particular:

Professor Peter Kwasniewski sent a note about his college’s program of music scholarships, so we pass it along for interested readers:

Since its opening in 2007, Wyoming Catholic College has always supported a strong choir program and a men’s schola. On average, about 40 students participate in the choir, and about 10 men in the schola.  

The choir practices cover more than repertoire: we work on voice production, solfege, music theory, and some history and theology, especially as regards the liturgy (we sing for both EF and OF Masses). Schola practice, too, delves deeply into the structure and “rhetoric” of the Proper chants for Sundays and Holy Days so that we may sing them better. 

Students who have prior experience playing the organ are given opportunities to play at Sunday High Mass, and if they are good enough, they can receive a work-study scholarship for this position. In addition, students who can play instruments well are included in small ensembles for performing Renaissance and Baroque music during liturgies, paraliturgical functions, and social events. 

Recently it was decided to go one step further. To attract musically talented students who wish to study at a Catholic liberal arts Great Books college, WCC is offering an indefinite number of “Pope Benedict XVI Fellowships for Sacred Music” for qualified applicants. The fellowship is a merit-based grant given to freshmen who can demonstrate musical talent, experience, and interest, and who are planning to sing in the College Choir and/or Schola. 

For more details, visit this page, and look under “Fellowships and Merit Scholarships”:
http://www.wyomingcatholiccollege.com/admissions/financial-aid/index.aspx
Please address inquiries to Trevor Lontine, Director of Admissions, at trevor.lontine@wyomingcatholiccollege.com.

For some years, Massachusetts-based hymn expert Peter Meggison has been working to keep classic devotional hymns alive by commissioning new recordings of them.  Having made over a dozen sessions with choirs and small ensembles, he distributes the songs on CDs and on the web.  Most of the music on the site is from the era 1850-1950, and represents popular hymns sung at Catholic Masses and devotions in America and England.

This summer he collaborated with conductor and organist Michael Olbash to offer something different. Instead of late-Victorian hymns in English, the aim was to present a once-familiar sound from the traditional Mass itself: the sound of the Latin chants of the Requiem Mass, sung with organ accompaniment.

A choir of 11 met for an afternoon in St. John Church in Clinton, Massachusetts in June to perform the music, and it is now available on the project’s website at http://www.catholicdevotionalhymns.com/recordings/2016-requiem-mass/ .

Here’s an opportunity to check out:

CHANT COLLOQUIUM 2016
August 11-14, 2016
Saint Augustine’s Seminary, Toronto

The Gregorian Institute of Canada is pleased to announce its 11th Annual Colloquium, to be held at St. Augustine’s Seminary, Toronto, ON, August 11-14. Our plans include a series of practical chant workshops ranging from introductory to advanced, featuring the outstanding clinician Adam Bartlett, composer and editor of Simple English Propers (CMAA, 2011), and editor of the Lumen Christi Missal, Lumen Christi Simple Gradual, and Lumen Christi Hymnal (Illuminare Publications, 2012-2015). Active as a teacher, workshop leader and speaker, Adam has traveled widely offering catechetical and training workshops on topics of Catholic sacred music and liturgical chant.

The colloquium also includes a series of scholarly papers in honour of the late Andrew Hughes, renowned Canadian chant scholar and Professor at the University of Toronto.

In addition to the workshops and lectures, there will be daily offices and Sunday mass sung with Gregorian Chant.

The Program and Registration Form are online at www.gregorian.ca .