Chant Café

The light of dawn is reddening,

The heavens’ morning praises spring,

The earth exults: “The morning! Hail!”

While hell’s sad dwellers groan and wail.

Our King, the victor in the strife,

When death was smashed apart by life,

Has trampled hell triumphantly

And captive led captivity.

The Lord, whose barricade of stone

The soldiers kept sharp eyes upon

In vict’ry conquers through that gate

And rises forth in pomp and state.

 “The Lord is risen from the dead!”

The splendid angel loudly said.

And hell is evermore left free

To grumble in its misery.

Be this our thought through all life’s days,

Our Easter joy, our Paschal praise:

The grace in which we are reborn

Was won in triumph on that morn.

Jesus, to You let glory rise,

Who vanquished death and won the prize;

With Father and the Spirit blest,

Be endless ages’ praise addressed.

Trans. c. 2013 Kathleen Pluth

I was asked to remind readers of the courses being offered under the auspices of the Ward Centre at Catholic University of America.

So here’s the information and where to go to learn more:

I’m not a great reader of sermons. (Actually, not a great listener either.)  However, Fr. Cipolla of St. Mary’s, Norwalk, Connecticut provides a lovely meditation on the risks and rewards of beauty in the search of truth and goodness.

It’s over at Rorate Caeli and is definitely worth a read by those who love fine liturgy and music.

Many thanks to Fr. Cipolla, a man who always knows what he’s talking about.

This is from the Catholic News Agency.

I’m not certain this –

Although most people know the Requiem via the celebrated version by Mozart, the composer was himself inspired by Gregorian chant, explained Fr. Zachary Akers, music director of The Fraternity and a singer on Requiem, in a press release.

 is accurate.
(Woeful numbers of people hear Sarah Brightman in their heads at the mere mention of the word, requiem.)

Have you wondered about the Ward Method?
Thought it might change the way you teach music with children? For the better?
Did you do the basic course and you want to take it further?

The Church Music Association of America (CMAA) is offering you a chance to find out about Ward and take your practice deeper this summer at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, June 26-30, 2017.

There will be two courses offered.

Ward Method I – That All May Sing will be taught by Scott Turkington. Participants will learn the basic principles and the practice of this method developed by Justine Ward in the early 20th century and how it can be used with our 21st century children. Its fundamental principle is that all children can learn to sing, not just those with natural gifts.

Ward Method II – Intermediate moves beyond the first year. Wilko Brouwers will share his expertise and experience with the method to pass on more advanced techniques. It will expand on the training in Ward Method I.

Both Scott Turkington and Wilko Brouwers are experienced and gifted teachers, not only of children, but of teachers as well.

The CMAA is convinced that this method has great value for developing future generations of singers, both those in the choirs and those in the pews. You can be part of that project.

You can learn more details about the courses and register at musica.sacra.com by following this link:
CMAA Summer Courses.

Help the past and the present build our musical future!

ProOrgano.com

There is now available FREE OF CHARGE 30 video lessons designed to help the intermediate-level pianist learn the basics of organ service playing.

There are organs all over the country (maybe the world) that are silent for a lack of hands (and feet).

Some churches that just had a piano suddenly got a designated organ bequest.
Sometimes the pastor likes organ music and is thoroughly sick of the clavinova.

Could those hands (and feet) belong to you or someone you know?

Check it out at this link; https://proorgano.com/video-instruction/
And remember – it’s free!

PS: Organs are very cool because they can be very loud. Well, that’s one reason I like them!