Chant Café

Following the April 15th webinar on monastic Compline, I’m offering a 4-part series on chanting monastic Vespers, for which I will be joined by Dom Benedict Andersen of Silverstream Priory in Ireland. We will spend 40 minutes learning, and then chant Vespers together. Each week will cover a new topic, and it’s not necessary to join each week, though the information shared will be cumulative throughout the series. A Vespers booklet with all the music (Gregorian chant, and an English adaptation of the chants for personal use) will be shared with all participants.

Part 1 – Psalms and Psalm Tones
Part 2 – Antiphons and Complex Psalm Tone Endings
Part 3 – Hymns, Responsories, and Magnificats
Part 4 – How to sing different feasts and seasons after the webinars end

5:00-6:10 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (New York)
May 3, 10, 17, & 24, 2020
Price: Free

Click here to register.

Sponsored by the Sacred Arts Guild of Alberta.

Sacred Music Institute of America offers Free Online Class

Organ Pieces to Practice at Home and Online Learning with Organist David Baskeyfield – a Survey of Manuals-Only Repertoire — FREE CLASS ONLINE SATURDAY, 4/25/20 AT 1pm (EST)

From the Sacred Music Institute:

We heard from many musicians who either missed the event offered earlier this month or had difficulty logging on, so David Baskeyfield has graciously offered to repeat this event live this Saturday, April 25th at 1pm (EST).

Due to the Coronavirus situation, many of us are currently shut out of our churches and, more widely, being encouraged to stay home. Organist David Baskeyfield will present a brief survey of manuals-only organ repertoire that can be practiced on the piano or any keyboard. During this time of restricted social interaction, we would particularly like to emphasize that online lessons are continuing through the Sacred Music Institute. Since online lessons may be a new style of learning for many people, during the presentation David will teach some very short “demo” lessons with currently enrolled students to give an idea of what online teaching looks like. The Institute and this presentation are perfect for all levels of skill and experience whether you’d like to expand your repertoire and technique or gain some new perspectives on service playing.

This event is free and open to all; however, access to this free event is limited, so attendees must register in advance in order for us to send you the link to join this online presentation.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/online-learning-made-easy-with-organist-david-baskeyfield-tickets-102908451950

These are my translations of two office hymns that ask for the intercession of our Guardian Angels.

Aeterne rerum conditor…mare

Eternal maker of all things,
you govern everything as King:
the sea, the sun, the heavn’ly vault,
and pay each one for good or fault.

To ruination you condemn
the arrogant and all like them;
they shall receive what is their due,
but help us, Lord, who call on you.

With ever-growing confidence
we pray for heavenly defense:
our champions in armies send,
to us,through them, may grace extend.

O may they visit, cleanse, inspire,
and gently teach us to aspire
to noble paths of good and right,
and may they end the demons’ might.

O angels’ Glory, safely lead;
by paths secure make us proceed.
Give us these guards, your gifts of grace,
that we may come to see your face.

O Lord of angels, let us raise
unto your honor songs of praise,
whose wondrous ordered working brings
both us and them to heav’nly things.

Custodes hominum

Let us in chorus sing the angel guardians,
Friends from the heav’ns who aid our fragile nature,
gifts of the Father, saving us in danger:
enemy ambush.

For since the traitor angel fell from honor,
losing the place he merited by nature,
now filled with envy, he seeks the destruction
of God’s elected.

Fly here to us, then, vigil-keeping guardians.
Protect our souls from every kind of illness.
Clear out our country from whatever trouble
keeps us from resting.

Praise to the holy Trinity forever,
Ruling the threefold marvel of creation,
reigning in glory through the endless ages,
God everlasting.

As one of the first of the states to partially re-open some businesses, South Carolina has set an interesting precedent for the new normal. I think it would be useful for church professionals to take note.

Under the order, retail stores may reopen today, Monday, April 20, at 5:00 p.m., but must adhere to strict social distancing requirements, operating at 20% occupancy or five (5) customers per 1,000 square feet, whichever is less. In addition, businesses must not knowingly allow customers to congregate within six feet of one another, excluding families, and follow relevant CDC and DHEC guidelines.

The directive very reasonably 1) takes account of the size of the building, and 2) considers families as units.

Churches in many states are currently considered one room, no matter what their size, and gatherings are limited to a handful of people, even in spacious buildings.

With First Communion season coming up, and ordinations right around the corner, many church professionals might be wondering how to manage large events during an uncontrolled pandemic.

The Air Force Academy presents one model of how things might be done. Keeping strictly to social distance rules, the Academy held commencement exercises on Saturday, April 18th.

Note that the graduates only could be present, and not their families. Large open-air spaces happened to be readily available. Order and discipline were already established among the graduates.

The current situation in Singapore shows that a one-time successful “flattening of the curve” is not sufficient at this time. An ongoing vigilance will be required for the foreseeable future.

Adapting to the new normal will take a great deal of creativity among those responsible for providing sacraments to the People of God. It is a good time to be praying for the blessings of concord, wisdom, gentleness, and perseverance.

A beautiful and convincing homily on the facticity of the Resurrection.

The NY Times published a beautiful piece about the Dominican friars today.