Every Chior director should have and use a copy of Simple English Propers For the Ordinary Form of Mass Sundays and Feasts. Adam Bartlett, the composer and editor, has created chants that lift the Ordinary Form of the Mass to the beauty it deserves and just as the title promises, they are simple. Published by Church Music Association of America, copyright 2010, ISBN #978-1-60743-724-6 this is a user friendly introduction to using chant. My background includes belonging to up to five choirs at the same time and many years of singing in church and for pure joy. Singing is a … Continue reading
Tag Archives: chant
Religious music is wonderful for reinforcing our understanding of our Faith and excellent for building our Catholic cultures, but not all religious music is appropriate for use during the Mass. Just up front I want to let my readers know that: I am totally in favor of singing the mass as the norm rather than speaking it; I am completely in love with the high quality older music that has survived the test of time; I believe the choir should be in the loft or at least well out of the line of sight of the congregation because it is … Continue reading
Today is Pentecost. Descent of the Holy Spirit and Birthday of the Catholic Church are celebrated on this day. This is lovely ancient music. Latin Veni,creàtor Spìritus, mentes tuòrum visita, imple supérna gràtia, quae tu creàsti péctora. Qui dìceris Paràclitus, donum Dei,Altìssimi, fons vivus,ignis,càritas, et spiritàlis ùnctio. Tu septifòrmis mùnere, dextrae Dei tu dìgitus, tu rite promìssum Patris, sermòne ditans gùttura. Accénde lumen sénsibus: infùnde amòrem còrdibus: infìrma nostri còrporis virtùte firmans pérpeti. Hostem repéllas lòngius, pacémque dones pròtinus: ductòre sic te praevio vitémus omne nòxium. Per te sciàmus da Patrem, noscàmus atque Fìlium, te utriùsque Spìritum credàmus omni témpore. … Continue reading
The Chant Cafe had a marvelous post titled Doing Something About It rather than merely complaining about a problem. VERY GOOD. In this case, it is about the music for Mass and the persons who are working hard to DO SOMETHING about the problem rather than just complaining about it. In particular, I found the upcoming Words With Wings interesting and exciting. I hope to get this when it comes out so that I can use it in my home school efforts. House Unseen, Life Unscripted, is a blog I very much enjoy so when I saw the article Why … Continue reading
I enjoy good church music including chant and the Chant Cafe is a fun blog on this topic. Enjoy this clip of lovely chant. … Continue reading
I’m a music lover and there are many kinds of music I love very much, but not all kinds of music are suitable to all situations. I’m writing here of music in the liturgy. There has been a lot written from the Vatican about the importance of music that is appropriate to the dignity of the Mass and serves as prayer and worship which is our role in participating in the Mass. Sadly, the music so often in use is banal, lacking in theological depth, even heterodox, and either impossible to sing or so repetitive that it is hardly worth … Continue reading