They are excellent chants. You can download them and use them in your parish at no charge, making copies at will. You need only to send a note to Fr. Weber’s email, printed on the paper. In my own view, these should be in the Missal itself.
That Stuttering Moses
The first phrase repeats in this weekend’s Offertory chant. Fr. Kirby comments:
Moses’ compelling prayer became one of the most poignant Offertory Antiphons of the Mass: Precatus est Moyses in conspectu Domini Dei sui. “And Moses besought the Lord his God” (Ex 32:11). Listen to a recording of the piece or sing it through for yourself if you have time today. Do it as lectio divina. All the intensity of Moses’ prayer passes into the melody. Listening to it, one has the impression of being right there next to Moses, face to face with God on Mount Sinai. In the prayer of Moses one hears already the accents of the prayer of Jesus crucified to the Father: “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Lk 23:34).
Upcoming Events Announcement
Many have asked…
Winter Chant Intensive: January 3-7, 2011; New Orleans, LA. Details and registration information forthcoming.
Sacred Music Colloquium XXI: June 13-19, 2011; Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA. Details and registration information forthcoming.
Simple Propers for the 24th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year C
As promised, here is another experimental set of “Simple English Propers” that are aimed at the average parish situation.
Download simple propers for the 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C.
The processes in use here were described in great detail last week. The same processes were applied to this weeks proper texts. Antiphon translations are taken from the Gregorian Missal, and psalm verses are taken from Douay Rheims, although slightly modified to reflect a more modern English.
We at the Chant Café would love to see a conversation about these settings spring up in the comment box. As I said before, these are “experimental”, and there is nothing that can advance an experiment like review and critique. Please don’t be shy. No one’s feelings will be hurt. We really want feedback from all walks. Many of the more “expert” opinions have already been discerned, but feedback from people who are considering the needs of their parishes who don’t sing the propers at all would be most valuable!
Music directors and schola directors–Ask yourself: “What would I do if I found myself in a parish that didn’t know what propers were, and had no exposure to chant in any form, whatsoever.” How would you bring them along? What would you recommend to a parish musician across town that would like to begin singing the propers at Mass? With no experience in chant, with virtually nothing but a humble interest? Where would suggest they start?
This is the sort of need that this project is seeking to address. Please share your thoughts, especially while we’re still in “experimental mode”!
New Shipment from Paraclete
The Latin Mass and a Great Hat
Thanks to the Fr. Hermeneutician for this wonder clip from Christmas Holiday (1944), based on a novel by Somerset Maugham. If they had asked me, I would have suggested saving the carol for the social after Mass 🙂
Are you drawn in?
Some of you will remember Fr. Cizcek from the Colloquium. Look at this:
What is going to strike most of us is the choice of music in this video. I was puzzled at first. I am liking it more and more and here’s why: This is a video. It is a popular medium. It is not the Mass itself. If it were Mass, I don’t think Father would have allowed this pop, Euro sound. Coupling this music with beautiful shots of the priest, his actions, and the altar is startling and edgy and exciting. That’s what videos are supposed to be.
What do you think?