FATHER Z on PARTICIPATIO ACTUOSA

Fr. Z's post here.

Active participation is made possible by baptism and by our willed, conscious, active interior union with the action of the Mass and the true Actor, Jesus Christ. Attentive watching and careful listening are not easy, friends. Effort and practice are needed to get past the distractions.

Peace,
BMP

Orchestrations, Anyone?

Ever have to write out an orchestration for instruments, but you can't exactly remember either the transposition or the written range? Happened to me today, writing out a part for a Fluegelhorn. So off I go to the Internet, and found the following website with instrument ranges and transpositions. It's very thorough.

I'll be adding this site to the Links on the sidebar.

~nb

THE MULTI-PURPOSE TEST/PROMO AUDIO

You can listen below, or save the file by clicking here. (42:58/29.5 MB)
Real show coming soon!
Peace,
BMP

Organ Students with Too Much Time on Their Hands....

This came in on the PipOrg-L mailing list. Someone reports what he and his classmates had written to fit the melodies in the Bach "Wachet auf" chorale prelude. (Yes, the hard one, in E-flat with the cantus firmus in the left hand and sixteenth notes in the right). This was going around Oberlin in the 60's-70's.

Maybe they should spend more time practicing fugues and trio sonatas than making up silly songs, LOL. :-)

~nb

--------------

(for the right hand countermelody:)

We all can play the organ (organ)
Ever so clear and brightly!
We play the Six Sonatas (natas)
Pedalling oh so lightly.
We do not employ the swell expression shade
To manipulate them is verboten!
No strings, just foundations,
With flutes and mutations;
And this we heed (we heed)
The cantus firmus is played on a reed (a reed)
And we shall do our best to stay right on the beat ...
To do so is (trill sound here) quite a feat.

The c.f. was "J.S. Bach, we do adore thee;"
I don't remember what the pedal part was (chuckle).

Fatima Choir Returns To Sunday Duties

The Fatima Parish choir will return to their regular Sunday morning duties Sunday, 1 October. Here's the music list for the 26th Sunday:

Procession: Hymn: Christ is Made the Sure Foundation
Ordinary: Missa VIII, de Angelis
Gradual: Psalm 19 (Basilica Psalter)
Credo III
Offertory: Create in Me, Carl Mueller
Offertoire, Jean-Francois Dandrieu
Communion: Ave Verum, Edward Elgar
Hymn: Father We Thank Thee Who Hast Planted
Postlude: Dialogue sur les grands jeux, Louis Marchand

COMING SOON!

To a desktop, laptop, or wristtop near you!

Why? Because you can take it ANYWHERE!
Details soon!

Peace,
BMP

APPLE and ANYTHING "POD"

Hat tip to Disciples with Microphones.

It seems like Apple may be "cracking down" on use of their trademark words "pod" and "iPod". (Actually, they already own the rights to the proper noun "iPod", but they have applied for the common noun "pod".)

From Mac News World:
When Terry Wilson filed for trademark protection for her "Tightpod" laptop protectors, she received a cease-and-desist order. The order from Apple reads in part: "The Tightpod mark will inevitably cause consumer confusion as to the source of the products, and dilute Apple's famous iPod mark."

From The Listening Post at Wired Blogs:
Apple Computer has slapped Podcast Ready with a "cease and desist" letter, claiming that the terms "Podcast Ready" and "myPodder" infringe Apple's trademarks, and that they cause confusion among consumers.

What about us podcasters? Will we become simply "webcasters?" After all, many of us, myself included, have our podcasts on multiple "podcatchers" and/or "podreaders", including Apple's own iTunes. Oh well, until I hear otherwise from Apple, Christus Vincit still has a podcast.

Peace,
BMP

MILINGO GO BYE-BYE

I just got back from choir rehearsal only to find that my good neighbor Domini Sumus has delivered the good news.

She writes:
In my opinion, what took so long? This should have happened a long time ago.

In my snarky little opinion, she's absolutely right.

Peace,
BMP

OT 26 at the Cathedral

Prelude: Absolution -- Alexandre Guilmant

Entrance: God Has Spoken by His Prophets / RUSTINGTON

Gloria: Carroll Andrews (Peter Jones at 11)

Psalm 19: Michel Guimont

Celtic Alleluia

Offertory Hymn: How Firm a Foundation / FOUNDATION

Offertory Anthem (11): Lord, for Thy Tender Mercy's Sake -- Richard Farrant

Sanctus: Vermulst Peoples Mass
Acclamation C: Englert
Danish Amen

Agnus Dei: Isele in D

Communion: Gift of Finest Wheat / BICENTENNIAL

Recessional: Go Make of All Disciples / ELLACOMBE

Postlude: P & F in C Major -- attr. to Bach

THE LIKELY EXCUSE

Another Paul Nichols cartoon that made its way to the Christus Vincit Hit List!

GO PAUL!

Peace,
BMP

CHRISTUS VINCIT PODCASTING 48

You can listen below, or save the file by clicking here. (42:58/29.5 MB)
Inclusive Language: why it needs to be gone!

Introduction, and Praise to the Lord, the Almighty: the Missing Verses (Related links: Blog posts by Nick and myself; Cyberhymnal.org)

Feasts for the Week:
SS. Cosmos and Damian; St. Vincent dePaul; St. Wenceslaus;
St. Lawrence Riuz and his companions;
SS. Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, Archangels; St. Jerome

Music List: Twenty-Fifth Sunday of Ordinary Time

Music:

Praise to the Lord, the Almighty (tune: Lobe den Herren); Tu Mandasti (Mode VIII)
Cast Thy Burden upon the Lord (Felix Mendelssohn, from Elijah) sung by the Holy Ghost Choir
You Take Away by Bob Hughes, courtesy of the Podsafe Music Network

Commercials: Byzantine Catholic Word, iPadre Podcast and Videocast, Disciples with Microphones

News from the Blogosphere - Related Links:
Church Music Association of America, The Cafeteria Is Closed,
Intermountain Catholic Broadcasting,
Cathedral of the Madeleine (Salt Lake City, UT), The New Liturgical Movement,
Cathedral of Saint Patrick (Harrisburg, PA); Paul Nichols;
Seán Cardinal O'Malley's new Blog; The Curt Jester

New Comedy Clip - Shamus' Adventures in Classical Latin: - In this segment's debut, Shamus attempts to sing Gloria VIII (Missa de Angelis) in Classical Latin.
Last things (Petitions to send, and some good news!) (Link: I.A. Music)

Vote at Podcast Alley / Message Board / Subscribe at iTunes

MUSIC FOR HOLY MASS

Holy Ghost Church, Tiverton RI
October 1, 2006 - Sunday XXVI

Praise the Lord, ye heav'ns, adore him (Hymn to Joy/553)
Mass of the Bells (Gloria, Sanctus, Anamnesis, Amen, Agnus)
The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart (Alstott)
Twynham Alleluia
O God, beyond all praising (Thaxted/547)
Chant Lord's Prayer in English (Snow)
Lord, you give the great commission (Abbot's Leigh/362)
All people that on earth do dwell (Old 100th/312)

Peace,
BMP

THE BLOGGER IN RED

Meet America's highest-ranking Catholic Blogger - Seán Cardinal O'Malley, Archbishop of Boston, and America's highest-ranking Franciscan!

He's getting wonderful rave reviews, too. Check out this review by the Curt Jester:

His latest post will surely go down in history as the first person in the episcopacy to use LOL! I wonder if new chat acronyms might need to be added.
(one of the examples Jeff cites: LMAO=Laughing my alb off).

Peace,
BMP

CATHOLIC WEENIES

A new site by Paul Nichols where you can nominate someone for Catholic Weenie. Such names as McCarrick, Reese, and Gumbleton have already made the rolls. I gave nomination to another key weenie name: Chittister.

Don't forget to check out the rest of Paul's site, where you can find comics, characatures, house portraits, and of course, the Better in Latin product line.

Peace,
BMP

COMING SOON

to a Religious Education Conference near you!

Starring:
the Cardinal, the KoolAid Man, a band, and a liturgical dance troupe. Join them and some of America's top liturgeists as they "pimp your liturgy" on national TV.

Peace,
BMP

CAN I DO A CONCERT AT MY CATHEDRAL?

With certain conditions met, yes! TNLM correspondent Shawn Tribe has the skinny from Zenit.

Peace,
BMP

OT 25 at the Cathedral

Prelude: "The peace may be exchanged." (from RUBRICS) -- Dan Locklair

Entrance: Praise to the Lord, the Almighty / LOBE DEN HERREN

Gloria: Carroll T. Andrews (Peter Jones at 11 am)

Psalm 54: Michel Guimont

Celtic Alleluia

Offertory Anthem (11am): Prayer for Peace -- David Cherwien

Offertory Hymn: Prayer of St. Francis

Sanctus: Vermulst Peoples Mass
Acclamation: Eugene Englert in C
Danish Amen

Agnus Dei: Isele in D

Communion Motet (11am): O Sacrum Convivium -- Remondi (St. Greg Hymnal)

Communion Hymn: At that First Eucharist / UNDE ET MEMORES

Recessional Hymn: Father, We Thank Thee / RENDEZ A DIEU

Postlude: Lobe den Herren -- J. G. Walther

THE MADELEINE HAS A WEBCAM

Well, sort of! The camera that is used for broadcasting the Mass for the Web at the Cathedral of the Madeleine in Salt Lake City now doubles as a webcam of sorts.

Check it out!

At any one point, you can sit in on a quiet church, listen to the tuning of the piano (which is going on as I write this, btw), or even a choir practice. Quite nifty!

Peace,
BMP

GATHER REPREHENSIVE

Now a blog!

It's funny how over the years I've referred to Gather Comprehensive as Gather Apprehensive. Well, now meet Gather Reprehensive - yes: Gather Reprehensive, the Blog! I stumbled onto it (in a good way) via a comment he posted on the Ox Files. I followed the links with a hunch that I was going to like what I see (and I do). Not only is the content good, he even linked us. So, a big snark welcome to Gather Reprehensive to the Christus Vincit Definitive Blogroll!


Oh, and here's GR's sales pitch for the namesake hymnal:

Come. Journey. Dance. Gather.
Feel it. Touch it. Live it. Gather.
Yes, the long-awaited Gather Reprehensive is now available at the Sisters of the Burning Bush Liturgical Goods Shoppe & Reiki Parlour and other fine Christian booksellers and wiccan supply outlets.
Justice. Grain. Moon. All of the meaning, all in one book.

Peace,
BMP

CHANT DOES RENO!

Jeffrey Tucker announces in The New Liturgical Movement and in Musica Sacra that a workshop on Chant will be held at the Cathedral of St. Thomas Aquinas in Reno, Nevada.

Here is the flyer (in .pdf format).

Peace
BMP

YOU CAN RUN, BUT YOU CANNOT HIDE

from Haugen-D'Haas

Just ask Gerald. Poor guy couldn't even go to Mass at the Cathedral without that stuff. IMO, the Haugen-D'Haas stuff is bad enough. Even worse is the self-conceited closing hymn he and Erin had to endure (which, btw, got applause - not a good thing).

Peace,
BMP

CHRISTUS VINCIT PODCASTING 47

You can listen below, or save the file by clicking here. (35:11/24.1 MB)

We discuss the Psalms of Peres Joseph Gelineau, SJ (left), and Lucien Deiss, C.S.Sp. (right).

Introduction and the evolution of Faith of our Fathers

Feasts for the Week:
St. Januarius;
SS. Andrew Kim Taegon and Paul Chong Hasang and companions;
St. Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist; St. Pio of Pietrelcina (Padre Pio)

Music List: Twenty-Fourth Sunday of Ordinary Time

Music:
Faith of Our Fathers (tune: St. Catherine); Our Blessing Cup (written by yours truly)
Triumph by Mark Heimonen, courtesy of the Podsafe Music Network

Commercials: The DaVinci Cast, iPadre Podcast / Videocast, Disciples with Microphones
Shamus, the Christus Vincit Weatherman returns!
Top Ten List: Top Ten Signs You're at a Bad Mass (Encore from Podcast #7 from 1/14/2006), brought to you by Tith-O-Matic.
Last things (Blog mentioned: The Cafeteria Is Closed), featuring Faith of Our Relatives

Vote at Podcast Alley / Message Board / Subscribe at iTunes

MUSIC for HOLY MASS

Sunday XXV at Holy Ghost

As customary on the last Sunday of each month at Holy Ghost, we use the Latin (Jubilate Deo) Ordinary setting. We are beginning to teach Gloria VIII. This will finish off the manilla cards in our pews. Like the case of any possibility of a "papal crackdown" on music, we're doing this in little bits. In my first year (2004), the congregation learned the Sanctus and Agnus Dei. In my second year (2005), they learned the Memorial Acclamation "Mortem tuam annuntiamus, Domine." Now beginning my third year at Holy Ghost, we're working on the Gloria. We will begin use of it at Christmas at ALL Masses.
On the last Sunday of the month during the choral season, we'll be adding on a sung Introit to a Psalm Tone, in Latin. Also, during Communion, as the choir receives the Most Blessed Sacrament, I will chant the Communion antiphon to the melody in the Gregorian Missal.

Without further ado, here is this weekend's list:

(10:30 only) Salus populi ego sum, dicit Dominus (Psalm Tone 8G)
Praise to the Lord, the Almighty (Lobe den Herren/25)
Mass of the Bells (Peloquin) (Gloria)
The Lord upholds my life (Alstott)
Alleluia (Mode VI) / Verse sung to Psalm Tone 6F
O God, beyond all praising (Thaxted/547)
Jubilate Deo (chant) (Sanctus, Memorial, Amen, Agnus)
Lord's Prayer in English (chant/Snow)
(10:30 only) Tu mandasti mandata tua (Mode V/Gregorian Missal)
(10:30 only) Cast thy burden upon the Lord (Mendelssohn)
(except 10:30) Keep in mind (Deiss/657)
Praise the Lord, ye heav'ns, adore him (Hymn to Joy/553)

Peace,
BMP

Handless Organist

A friend of mine sent me a discussion thread he he had been reading with some amusement from a random (very random) liturgista site regarding some Dean Martin-esque night club act somewhere which included a handless singer. Since we are mostly all organists, this reminded me of a curiosity I came across recently, namely, the "handless organist". I bet she has a helluva pedal technique...

MEMED BY THE CAVEMAN HIMSELF

Music Meme

Best title ever for a piece of music
Like the Catholic Caveman, who tagged me, I will go with a long title. Sixteen Little Red Noses and a Horse that Sweats by Jim Stafford. (Second would be his I Ain't Sharin' Sharon)

Most underrated guitarist
Wally Bryson of the Raspberries, though the Caveman's choice of Chicago's Terry Kath (1946-1978) is up there. Jim Croce's (+1973) lead acoustic guitarist also ranks up there.

Music that moves me to tears
All by Myself by Eric Carmen, especially the Rachmaninoff piano solo in the 7:13-long album version.

Most unusual lead instrument in a piece of music
That would be Ted Nugent's guitar, played with a violin bow, on his Double Live Gonzo album. In any of my podcasts, it would be Shamus' voice.

Coolest name ever for a Rock 'N Roll band
Gotta love that generic band name from the 1960's, The Band

Worst genre of music ever
It's a tie between Rap and Hip Hop, and that stuff today that people actually have the colossal nerve to call R&B. I'm sorry, when I think R&B, I think BB King. I agree with Caveman that Rap is definitely the "bastard child" of disco, and disco was a bad thing. However, the "bastard child" really turned out to be a "problem child", far worse than its ancestor, IMO.

Best guitar jam
I will agree on Freebird.

Music that's ever scared your kid
I don't remember any particular piece of music that scared any of my kids (remember, I'm a father of four). I can remember music that scared me as a kid, however - that would be anything on the organ by the old bitty of an organist at the neighborhood church, played and/or sung. It was just dang awful! When she finally retired, it was a breath of fresh air. Her replacement came in when I was nine. That replacement and I have been good friends for three decades now.

National Anthem that most gets the blood pumping
Other than the U.S., Canada, and Deutschland, I really don't know many national anthems. I will say Canada. In addition, it's a lot easier to sing than our own here in the U.S., and doesn't blatantly promote rockets and bombs. (George Carlin once said, We have the only national anthem that mentions f***ing rockets and bombs in it!)

OK Brian, who will you tag?
Anyone who dares to read this.

Peace,
BMP

KNOCKED OUT!

Hat tip to Mary Jane.

This is what happens when you celebrate the wedding before the wedding!
Enjoy!

Peace,
BMP

BLESSING OF THE BEER BOTTLE ORGAN

Organ now located in German chapel


Hat tip to the Curt Jester!

Anyone remember my original post about this organ (pictured left)?

Well, after many an Oktoberfest, it made its way to the Alte Kapelle (Old Chapel) in Regensburg, Germany, and was blessed today by none other than our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI.

Click here to read the Papal Address at the Blessing Ceremony.

Peace,
BMP

CHRISTUS VINCIT MILESTONE

This is post #750 on the Christus Vincit Blog.

CHRISTUS VINCIT, CHRISTUS REGNAT, CHRISTUS IMPERAT!!!

~nb

Holy Father Speaks about Pipe Organs

Received this on a pipe organ listserve. The poster cites Catholic News Service for the text. His Holiness was blessing a pipe organ in Regensburg.

~nb

The organ has always been considered, and rightly so, the king of musical instruments, because it takes up all the sounds of creation and gives resonance to the fullness of human sentiments. By transcending the merely human sphere, as all music of quality does, it evokes the divine. The organ’s great range of timbre, from piano through to a thundering fortissimo, makes it an instrument superior to all others. It is capable of echoing and expressing all the experiences of human life. The manifold possibilities of the organ in some way remind us of the immensity and the magnificence of God.

Psalm 150 speaks of trumpets and flutes, of harps and zithers, cymbals and drums; all these musical instruments are called to contribute to the praise of the triune God. In an organ, the many pipes and voices must form a unity. If here or there something becomes blocked, if one pipe is out of tune, this may at first be perceptible only to a trained ear. But if more pipes are out of tune, dissonance ensues and the result is unbearable. Also, the pipes of this organ are exposed
to variations of temperature and subject to wear. Now, this is an image of our community.

Just as in an organ an expert hand must constantly bring disharmony back to consonance, so we in the Church, in the variety of our gifts and charisms, always need to find anew, through our communion in faith, harmony in the praise of God and in fraternal love.

5 Members of SSPX Return to Full Communion with Rome

This article was posted out on ZENIT. While released yesterday, I'm having trouble determining if this is "new" news or "old" news....

~nb

ROME, SEPT. 11, 2006 (Zenit.org).- Five priests and seminarians, including past members of the Society of St. Pius X, founded by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, have returned to full communion with the Catholic Church.

They founded the Good Shepherd Institute, a new society of apostolic life of pontifical right, established last Friday in Rome. Its members are people who wish to celebrate the liturgy exactly as was in force in the Latin Church until 1962.

The institute brings together priests who wish to "exercise their priesthood in the doctrinal and liturgical Tradition of the Holy Roman Catholic Church," explained Cardinal Jean-Pierre Ricard, archbishop of Bordeaux, in a communiqué. The new institute is located in his archdiocese.

In the apostolic letter "Ecclesia Dei," Pope John Paul II said that the "unlawful" ordination of four bishops within the Society by Archbishop Lefebvre, on June 30, 1988, was a schismatic act.

That ordination cut short the attempt for an agreement between the Holy See and the Society of St. Pius X, carried out in John Paul II's name by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, then prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

Archbishop Lefebvre died in March 1991 and was succeeded by one of the ordained bishops, Bernard Fellay, in the leadership of the group.

Pope's desire

In his communiqué Cardinal Ricard said: "Since the beginning of his pontificate, Pope Benedict XVI has expressed his concern for a return to full communion by those who followed Archbishop Lefebvre and wished to offer welcome gestures."

Cardinal Ricard, 61, who is also president of the bishops' conference of France, explained that "the Pope himself made the decision to establish this new institute. In this decision there is the will to propose an experience of reconciliation and communion that will have to be affirmed and deepened with deeds. For this reason, the statutes of this institute are approved 'ad experimentum' for a five-year period."

"We share profoundly this concern of the Pope for reconciliation and communion and we welcome filially his decision," stated the cardinal, who is also a member of the Pontifical Commission "Ecclesia Dei."

That commission was established by John Paul II to facilitate the full ecclesial communion of the priests, seminarians, communities and men and women religious connected in some way to Lefebvre's group, who wish to remain united to the Successor of Peter in the Catholic Church, keeping their spiritual and liturgical traditions.

The archbishop of Bordeaux said that a "convention" will be agreed to by the institute and the archdiocese on how the former will operate.

The cardinal acknowledged that what is needed is a "whole endeavor of pacification, reconciliation and communion, as violence has characterized the relations even over the last months of several members of that institute with the diocesan Church. Each one will have to contribute his part."

Opposition aired

In 2002, Cardinal Ricard asked the municipality of Bordeaux to discontinue assigning a priest of the then unapproved institute to the Church of St. Eloy in that city. The cardinal's request drew much media attention.

Bishop Fellay, head of the Society of St. Pius X, issued a communiqué Friday expressing opposition to the agreement reached by the institute as he believes it is "a communal solution in which the Tridentine Mass would be confined in a particular statute."

Other followers of Lefebvre are already reconciled with Rome, as is the case of the personal apostolic administration "St. John Mary Vianney" of Campos, Brazil, which arose from a group led by Bishop Licinio Rangel. He was consecrated by three bishops ordained illicitly by Lefebvre.

Their return to the Catholic Church took place Jan. 18, 2002, in a solemn ceremony presided over by Cardinal Darío Castrillón Hoyos, president of the "Ecclesia Dei" Commission.

NEW COOL SIDEBAR FEATURE

Terror Alerts - Sesame Street Style
Hat tip to Fr. Erik

Scroll down the sidebar a bit and you'll find the "Terror Alert" feature. Each color is represented by a Sesame Street muppet. Clicking on it will bring you to the code you can paste on your blog or homepage.






Green = Oscar
Blue = the Cookie Monster
Yellow = Bert
Orange = Ernie
Red = (of course) ELMO!

Today, as you can see, we're in between Bert and Ernie. Let's pray we don't ever get to an Elmo Alert!

Peace,
BMP

CHRISTUS VINCIT PODCASTING 46

You can listen below, or save the file by clicking here. (40:24/27.7 MB)

Today's installment of The Christus Vincit Wish List takes us through the N and O sections of the OCP search engines, expanding our list of songs from those search engines that we wish would appear in the Music Issue.


Shamus opens the show up before I wake up. However, once I finally wake up, we have a brief session of prayer for the 2,996 victims of the infamous terrorist attacks on U.S. soil on September 11, 2001.

Feasts for the week:

Most Holy Name of the BVM; St. John Chrysostom; Exaltation of the Holy Cross;
Our Lady of Sorrows; SS. Cyprian and Cornelius

Music List: Twenty-Third Sunday of Ordinary Time

Music:
We Gather Together (tune: Kremser); Crux Fidelis (Chant, Mode I)
Now Thank We All Our God (tune: Nun Danket)
Power to Believe, by Johnny Proctor, courtesy of Podsafe.

Commercials: The DaVinci Cast, iPadre Podcast / Videocast, Disciples with Microphones
Christus Vincit Sports: NFL Opening Week, and Brian gets his payback on Shamus
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: Fear Not Edition, courtesy of the Dissident Book Club.

Late breaking news - Links from this segment:
The New Liturgical Movement, Christus Vincit - the Blog, and Cantate Deo

Vote at Podcast Alley / Message Board / Subscribe at iTunes

MUSIC for SUNDAY XXIV

Holy Ghost Church, Tiverton, RI
Faith of our fathers, living still (St. Catherine/484)
Penitential: parrot Father
Mass of the Bells (Peloquin) (Glo/Sanc/Mem/Amen/AgDei)
I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living (Proulx/Gelineau)
Alleluia (Murray)
O God, beyond all praising (Thaxted/547) - NEW
Lord's Prayer (chant/Snow)
Our blessing cup (Page)
Lift high the cross (Crucifer/723)

Peace,
BMP

ANOTHER WORD IN SPANISH

Not the Elton John song by that same title

This morning for the first time ever, I played a funeral Mass in Spanish. This was not at my regular parish church, but at an inner-city church in Providence. After reading some feedback and suggestions from some people from a couple of message boards, my final liturgy sheet looked like this (the church has Celebramos/Let Us Celebrate, World Library Publications' bi-lingual missalette):

Introit: Yo soy el Pan de vida (I am the Bread of life/Toolan)
Psalm: El Señor es mi pastor (Psalm 23/Psalm Tone 8G)
Alleluia: Mode VI
Offertory: Pescuador de Hombres (Lord, you have come/Gabarain)
Sanctus/Agnus: Mass XVIII (Latin)
Communion: Lu Ruda Lucha Termino (The strife is o'er/VICTORY)
- My original plan was Deiss' "Acuerdate de Jesuchristo" (Keep in Mind), but the missalette had the refrain only and I could not find the accompaniment book.
Farewell: (I don't remember the title, but it was the Spanish version of "Come to his/her aid, O saints of God", which I sung to Psalm Tone 5)
Recessional: In Paradisum

I thought my Spanish was a little shaky (I near stuttered a couple of times), but the pastor there thought my Spanish was fine. I can read it OK at best. I will not attempt to hold a conversation in Spanish, however. Was a good experience though, and a couple of Spanish mourners saw me and also said I did fine. So, they're happy, I'm happy.

Peace,
BMP

PROPERS vs. HYMNS

Or, Liturgical Music vs. Other Suitable Songs

Michael E. Lawrence posts this at the New Liturgical Movement:

It is not uncommon to see an article from time to time which laments the contemporary songs used at Mass in most places. "What happened to all the great hymns of yesterday?" is often a question asked in anguish in such publications.

Little ink seems to be spilled, however, over the treasure that the widespread use of hymns has seemingly buried--the Proper chants of the Mass (Introit, Offertory, and Communion; the Gradual and Alleluia are a bit different and will be discussed below). It is quite probable that most Catholics are unaware of the Propers and that they would be surprised to find out that the only hymns integral to the Mass itself are the Gloria and the several Sequences that occur throughout the year. Even many Catholics who consider themselves to be traditional are perfectly content with using hymns at the Mass in place of the Propers.

Click here to read the rest of the story. It's an excellent read.

Peace,
BMP

First Choir Rehearsal at the Cathedral

Well, last night we got "off and running" with the first Cathedral Choir rehearsal of the new season. Was missing a few people, but pretty much everyone turned out. Jumped right in and started rehearsing the fall repertoire: getting some known anthems back to speed (Martin "When I Survey", Farrant "Lord, for Thy Tender Mercy's Sake"), looked at some new stuff (Cherwien "Prayer for Peace", Rutter "Open Thou Mine Eyes", Beck "Offertory"). But I think the highlight was sightreading the main choral parts of the Biebl "Ave Maria". They LOVE IT! We'll be using it on Advent IV, and at Lessons and Carols.

~nb

PS: GO STEELERS!

HOW TO PREVENT CONGREGATIONAL SINGING

A Trialogue on the Blogue

Pes' plan for preventing popular participation, as originally posted as a comment on The New Liturgical Movement - in blue.

Cantor's replies to the snippets from Pes, as originally posted in his own post in Cantate Deo - in red.

My own snarky little replies below - in black.

Pes: 1. Do not distribute anything with musical notation because most people can't read music. When you have an illiterate group of people, the last thing you want is for them to learn from seeing examples.

Cantor: You’d be amazed (or, maybe not) how many people seem not just uninterested in learning to read music, but unwilling. It boggles me.

BMP: In my own experiences - back in the mid 1980's, when many churches around my neck of the woods used the J.S. Paluch Seasonal Missalette as their pew book, I can recall teaching the congregation The King of Love My Shepherd Is. In itself, it was a fine move. However, I used the more popular tune ST. COLUMBA, while the missalette used DOMINUS REGIT ME. Assuming that hardly anyone read music, I figured, as long as the people had the words in front of them, I could get away with teaching the different tune. Wouldn't you know - on my way back to the loft, a lady pulled me over and said in a "neener neener neener" type of voice, "That's not the tune that's written. I know music!"

Pes: 2. Do not distribute the words to any song not found in the missal or missalette. If the cantor sings a different responsorial psalm or text than that given in the missal/missalette, by no means should you provide it.

Cantor: Actually, I have found responsorial psalms not to need musical notation or even words for the congregation. I would prefer to give it to them, but we don’t have a reprint license or the infrastructure for having weekly worship aids. And our hymnals don’t have music for the responses.

BMP: We don't either. Most will sing the Psalm response, whether the music is in front of them or not, or even if the music to the Psalm response is different from the one in the missalette (we have OCP's Today's Missal in the pew, but often use GIA's Worship as a Psalm source). That is, unless you're that lady I mentioned in my last missive above.

Pes: 3. Have the cantor and choir seize responsibility for singing as much as they can that is licit.

Cantor: Enh, I’m not sure this is that much of a problem. We expect congregations to sing too much, IMO.

BMP: True. In all actuality, I know a few progressives out there that still think that "active participation" means that the congregation has to sing EVERYTHING that has a dang melody to it. Sure, there are some cool anthems out there for choirs. If people in the pew want to try their hand at singing them, what's stopping them? What? You're singing the Mozart Ave Verum? Cool! I'm gonna sing it with you while I'm receiving - AH-VEEEEEEEEEEEEEEH, AHHHHHHHHHH-VE, VEEEEEEEEEEEH-RUUUUUUUM COOOOOOOOOOOR-PUS! The only things not meant for a congregation to sing are celebrant-only parts (collects, doxology to the Eucharistic Prayer - people join at "Amen", etc.) and cantor-only parts (Psalm intonation and versicles). If a congregant knows a choral anthem, they're more than welcome to take it on in the pew if they think they can hack it! ;)

Pes: 4. If the cantor is female, pitch the melody to suit her range, not the congregation's. Especially if she is a soprano.

Cantor: Time and time again, I find that male cantors are more effective in stimulating popular song, and their words are clearer for people to understand.

BMP: Both of my cantors are female. I train them to be as clear as possible when singing the cantor-only parts, though when I first took over, I'll admit that some people had felt "relieved" that there was a male voice at the console. I also let the cantor know that yes, they can back off from the mic in singing the people's parts. I'm a firm believer in that GIA button, Back off! Let the people sing! I open up the organ for that opening hymn no matter what, and even boldly sing with the cantor (she will get the Psalm verses and other cantor-only parts to herself, and with soft organ). If I wanted a "cantor" for the hymns, I would have asked for a "song leader". The organ is our "song leader". BTW, I make it clear that I do not raise the keys for the cantors, that I keep the people's sung parts (Mass and hymns) accessible to the people.

Pes: 5. The cantor should sing as operatically as possible, so as to suggest that anything less than operatic is of lesser quality.

Cantor: Being a classically-trained singer myself, I take some offense at this. :)
There is, of course, good operatic singing and bad operatic singing. Lamentably, we hear far too much of the latter, even on recordings.

BMP: Very much right, Cantor. My organ instructor from nearly 20 years ago has a good strong operatic bass voice. However, at the console, he sees to it to not be so heavy on the voice. In fact, he, too, will open up the organ for the people's singing. He, like me, would just as soon NOT use a microphone at all. On the other hand, I can recall one soprano whose vibrato was about as heavy and shaky as the San Francisco/Oakland earthquake of 1989. She was asked by the family to sing at a particular funeral. The pastor and I both agreed after - NEVER AGAIN! To us, it was just a bunch of loud shakes of the throat. You couldn't understand a bloody thing. This probably explains why I do NOT listen to opera (except for those you see in cartoons - Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd's What's Opera Doc comes to mind).

Pes: 6. Have the cantor hound the congregation into singing with histrionic gestures, thereby a) distracting focus from the liturgical action, and b) belittling the majority of faithful Catholic regularly-attending worshippers.

Cantor: Gestures and cues need not be over the top. Just raising the arm does the job nicely. As I explain to my cantors, it should be seen as going along with a breath. Just as in choirs, if you encourage good breathing, better singing results.

BMP: In fact, gestures and cues in many cases may need not even exist. In the case of Psalms and other "responsorial" pieces, that's where the difference in organ tones (verses on a lightly-registered swell, antiphon on a generously-registered great) really plays a key role, especially at those Masses where the cantor is also the organist. (On a lighter note, raising the arm could raise some hygeine issues if you're not careful. Make sure your top, whether it be a dress or a shirt, is sleeved. Also, wear plenty of deodorant, or as my mom used to call it in my younger days, "foo-foo juice".)

Pes: 7. Select melodies that are:
a) catchy and trite, so more than half the congregation will feel foolish for singing them, or

Cantor: Catchy and trite are not the same thing. ENGELBERG is, to me, very catchy, but far from trite.

BMP: I fully agree with the Cantor here. Now, if you really want "catchy AND trite", try the highly-syncopated, 5/4-timed, Sing of the Lord's Goodness.

Pes: b) virtuosic in intervallic and/or rhythmic complexity, so that after a few bars 98% congregation will feel inadequate to the task, or

Cantor: True enough - this infects much of the pop-ish stuff they put in hymnals. At the same time, a few guys, like Proulx, do a fine job of creating music that is contemporary, singable, and elegant.

BMP: once again, fully agree. Alexander Peloquin comes to mind as falling in the same category with Richard Proulx. Peloquin's music was very often contemporary, sometimes singable by the average congregation with no difficulty whatsoever, some a little more difficult, and very often elegant.

Pes: c) blatant parodies (in the technical sense) of popular melodies, so that all the congregational (particularly the young's) focus will be consternation at the similarity, or

Cantor: Maybe not “consternation”, but yeah. I do think a lot of people just don’t want to be reminded that they’re in church.

BMP: Try this little "before and after" parody:
Outside the snow is falling and friends are calling, "Yoohoo dwell in the shelter of the Lord..."

Pes: d) simply unknown to most of them.

Cantor: Unknown melodies are part-and-parcel of music in the Church, I think. Yes, there should be a common repertoire, but we need not to emphasize it at the expense of the Mass Proper.

BMP: Very true. Actually, how about we just make the Proper of the Mass (and hymns based thereon) THE ULTIMATE common repertoire?

Pes: 8. Have the musical choices at Mass careen wildly from genre to genre. When the congregation expects chant, pelt them with polyphony. When they expect contemplative beauty, shake them up with something contemporary. Nothing so effectively confuses and confounds as pastiche.

Cantor: I’m not sure I agree with people who say a variety of styles in the same liturgy is problematic. I can see the argument, but I think counter-examples can easily be found.

BMP: Thomas Day once (ok, more than once) said in his book, Why Catholics Can't Sing, that if you mix it up too much, "you get mush." I really don't mind a contemporary piece with some reverent flavor to it. However, I don't think I'd want to go to receive Communion or even leave church to the strains of Promenade across the church, throw yer partner from the perch, etc.

Pes: 9. Deploy unusual choices of instrumentation, such as guitars, bass guitars, synthesizers, drums, and of course obscure varities of percussion. The novelty and incongruity of this will strike many in the congregation as worth more notice than the words being sung.

Cantor: Novelty only lasts for a short time. The first time we had timpani in our church, the people sang heartily.

BMP: You want novelty (and a really good laugh)? Click here and here!

Pes: 10. Above all, deploy maximum volume. Cantors, especially if they have operatic voices, should belt lustily into a microphone. Choirs should always be amplified, no matter what their position. Organs, naturally, should "lead" congregational singing by effectively drowning it out.

Cantor: Tom Day’s article in the latest Pastoral Music elaborates on this point. Good read.

BMP: Wow! Pastoral Music actually publishing an article by someone outside of the Haugen-D'Hass regime?! I'm amazed. I won't say "drown it out". I'd hate to hear that most of my best singers in the pew are down with laryngitis next week. Generously registered? Absolutely.

Pes: Oh, and everything should be in 6/8.

Cantor: The following all use compound meter (i.e. 3/8, 6/8, 12/8) and are sung very well in most parishes:
Glory and Praise to Our God
O FILII ET FILIAE
Mass of Light
Mass of Creation
Celtic Alleluia
HYFRYDOL
LAMBILOTTE
Like a Shepherd
Silent Night
Away in a Manger (not one of my faves, but it gets sung) Note from BMP: the Kirkpatrick tune is gorgeous; runs roughshod over the Mueller tune.
IN DULCI JUBILO
THE FIRST NOWELL
Sing to the Mountains
VICTORY (The Strife is O’er)
LOBE DEN HERREN
ST. COLUMBA
LAND OF REST
Canticle of the Sun
ST. DENIO
GROSSER GOTT

BMP: And let's not forget the previously mentioned 5/4 swing tempo in "Sing of the Lord's Goodness". I like to think of it as a minor key version of Everything's Alright from Jesus Christ Superstar. And let's not forget real hymn tunes such as ST. CATHERINE, ASH GROVE, and KREMSER, and a few good Alexander Peloquin goodies like Mass of the Bells, Jesus, Shepherd of Our Souls, and Lord Jesus, Come (from Lyric Liturgy). Speaking of Lyric Liturgy, check out the Gloria, written for the most part in a 5/dotted-quarter time signature (ya think 15/8 would have been easier?).

Peace,
BMP

FRESH FROM THE NCD

The following classified ad is found in this week's issue of the National Catholic Distorter:

PARISH ASSOCIATE -- A non-traditional Catholic parish has need of a parish associate in Rhode Island. Part-time position. Seeking a cleric desiring to grow with a five year old National (independent of Rome) Catholic parish. Are you up to the challenge? Phone: (401) 944-0001 Download information at: http://members.aol.com/churchdonations/priest.pdf E-mail: SaintPatrickRI@aol.com

Note the words "independent of Rome". (The Polish National Catholic Church is not fully in communion with Rome - yet. St. Patrick's is not even close. See comment by Domini Sumus.) Anyhoo, the Diocese of Providence has this to say:

"There have been a number of inquiries regarding the organization operating under the name "St. Patrick's Catholic Church" at 2068 Cranston Street, Cranston. This organization is affiliated with the National Catholic Apostolic Church & is in no way associated with or approved by the Roman Catholic Church. In spite of announcements that may imply to the contrary, the sacramental rites & services provided at that church are not acceptable & are performed without the permission or approval of the Diocese of Providence."

But of course, this is the National Catholic Distorter that we're talking about - the same paper that boasts its columns by such dissidents as Sr. Joan Chittister. Could this be, in fact, not so much the National "Catholic Reporter", but the "National Catholic" Reporter? Hmmmmmm!

UPDATE 9/7/06 10:45 AM: An e-mail by Anthony and a comment by Domini Sumus regarding the PNCC led me to go back to that "Guidelines for the Reception of Communion" article that appears in the inside cover of each issue of the Today's Missal missalette. Here's an excerpt from the article:
(From Canon 844, par. 3)
Members of the Orthodox Churches, the Assyrian Church of the East, and the Polish National Catholic Church are urged to respect the discipline of their own Churches. According to Roman Catholic discipline, the Code of Canon Law does not object to the reception of Communion by Christians of these Churches.
I corrected my error accordingly. Thank you both for the heads up. (Living proof that I can be just as wrong as anyone else)

Peace,
BMP

OT 24 at the Cathedral

Prelude: Ruhig bewegt (Sonata II) -- Paul Hindemith

Entrance: Lift High the Cross / CRUCIFER

Gloria: Carroll T. Andrews (Peter Jones at 11:00)

Psalm 116: Gelineau

Celtic Alleluia

Offertory Anthem (11:00): When I Survey the Wondrous Cross -- Gilbert M. Martin

Offertory Hymn (others): Lord, Whose Love in Humble Service / BEACH SPRING

Sanctus, etc.: Peoples Mass -- Vermulst

Agnus Dei: Isele in D

Communion: Unless a Grain of Wheat

Recessional: Take Up Your Cross / BRESLAU

Postlude: Lift High the Cross -- Charles Ore

FIRST REHEARSAL OF THE NEW SEASON

Not too shabby!

Two extremes in music:
1) As the deer longs for flowing streams (sung to an alteration of the tune O WALY WALY) is our Communion for this Sunday. First time they've sung this in about a year. No problems there. (Side note: the choir agrees with me in the respect that the composer/arranger should have kept the tune in 3/4 instead of trying to make a 4/4 tune out of it - reminds me that Kevin Keil had killed "Come, Holy Ghost" in the same way. The only difference is that Keil added that tacky little self-praising refrain to his killing. The choir still likes the O Waly Waly.)

2) Cast thy burden upon the Lord (Mendelssohn). Though a new anthem to this choir, I went with something short and sweet to start the season with. They're picking it up quite nicely and they're definitely on pace with being ready to sing it on September 24 as the Communion anthem. Mind you that anthems aren't a regular part of the choir's repertoire, but that set of anthems will slowly build in due time. This is a choir that started from scratch when I got there, as my predecessor's entire choir left with her. So, I have to say, the first week of rehearsing the Mendelssohn went over quite nicely.

Peace,
BMP

OT 23 at the Cathedral

Prelude: Finale to Sonata VI -- Mendelssohn

Entrance: God, Whose Almighty Word / ITALIAN HYMN

Gloria: Carroll T. Andrews

Psalm 146: Gelineau

Celtic Alleluia

Offertory: You Are Mine

Sanctus, etc.: Creation

Agnus Dei: Isele in D

Communion: Amazing Grace / NEW BRITAIN

Recessional: O God, Our Help in Ages Past / ST. ANNE

Postlude: O God, Our Help in Ages Past -- C. S. Lang

--------------------------------------

Last weekend of Mass of Creation! Also, last weekend before choir returns!

~nb

RIP CROCODILE HUNTER

The Crocodile Hunter himself, Steve Irwin, was killed by a stingray today while filming a new documentary. He was 44.

Peace,
BMP

CHRISTUS VINCIT PODCASTING 45

You can listen below, or save the file by clicking here. (35:5/24.6 MB)

More tweaking with the new mic.Today we expand our wish list, which takes us through the J, K, L, and M sections of the OCP search engines, expanding our list of songs from those search engines that we wish would appear in the Music Issue. (Jesus, Thou Divine Companion is on this list, folks!)

New intro, and Labor Day!

Feasts for the week:

Mass for Human Labor (Labor Day); Birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary; St. Peter Claver

Music List: Twenty-Second Sunday of Ordinary Time

Music:

Jesus, Thou Divine Companion and Sing of Mary, Pure and Lowly (a cappella/tune of both: Pleading Savior)
I Sing the Mighty Pow'r of God (with organ to the tune Ellacombe)
Hail Mary, by Johnny Proctor, brought to you by Podsafe (If you like the harmonies of the Beach Boys, you'll LOVE the harmonies of Johnny Proctor!)

CVA Top Ten List: Top Ten Least Popular Traffic Tie-Ups, brought to you by Papal Bull Malt Liquor
Commercials: Catholic Family Podcast, iPadre Podcast/Videocast, Disciples with Microphones

News from the Blogsphere - Links from this segment:

Adoremus, The Cafeteria Is Closed, Christus Vincit, The BLOG, The Crescat, The Curt Jester,
The Dusty Choir Loft, Saint Joan of Arc Church (Minneapolis, MN), Shrine of the Holy Whapping

Don't forget to vote for us at Podcast Alley (Shamus sings the "Vote for Us" jingle to Pleading Savior, too!)

Late breaking news and listener feedback - Links from this segment:
The Ox Files, Dad29, Bleu Clair Rhapsody et la Symphonie de [crickets]

Vote at Podcast Alley / Message Board / Subscribe at iTunes

"NEW AND IMPROVED" PODCAST

The Christus Vincit Podcast sound is "new and improved"! Click here to listen!
BTW, stay tuned! Show #45 will be up tomorrow morning!

Peace,
BMP

MUSIC for SUNDAY XXIII at HOLY GHOST CHURCH

Saturday 4:30 PM
Sunday 7:30, 9, 10:30 AM
Choir sings at 10:30 AM

SEPTEMBER 10, 2006 - SUNDAY XXIII

We gather together to ask the Lord's blessing (KREMSER/29)
Penitential: parrot Father
Mass of the Bells (Peloquin/Glo; Sanc; Mem; Amen; AgD)
Praise the Lord, my soul; praise the Lord (Proulx/Gelineau)
Alleluia (Murray/verse sung to Tone 8G)
A mighty fortress is our God (EIN' FESTE BERG/442)
Chant/Snow (Lord's Prayer)
As the deer longs for flowing streams (O WALY WALY, alt./483)
Now thank we all our God (NUN DANKET/26)

REHEARSALS RESUME this Tuesday (September 5) at 7 PM in the church!

Peace,
BMP

HOW TO SPOT A MODERN PARISH LITURGY DIRECTOR

(aka the "Liturgeist") The Ox Files has the goods on that one! Everything from what they wear to the keys they carry and how to sack them. Enjoy!

UPDATE 2:40 PM 9/2/06: Dad29 elaborates on the above quite nicely!

Peace,
BMP

CRAP ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD

The big traffic-tyer-upper, reports the Crescat.

Yesterday's episode... a trash bag, old shoe, and a dead possum
Today's episode... a blown out tire on the side of the road
Friday's episode [BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND!!!]... man getting a ticket on the other side of the interstate.

Those were her episodes in the Carolinas. Reminds me so much of Rhode Island. I can recall my wife and I driving to Connecticut one night. Now, while still in RI, we were backed up in Warwick for a good couple of miles. Mind you, this was about 7:30 PM on a summer night. What exactly tied up the traffic? Was it an accident? NO. Was it a cop writing a ticket to someone doing 56 in a 55 zone? NO. Was it road kill, blown tire, breakdown? NONE OF THE ABOVE. No! It was the DOT crew EATING their meal on the Jersey Barrier. So, everyone's gotta slow down and see what the guys are eating. OMG!

Up here in southern New England, remember this:
People tie up traffic in Boston because they're MEAN!
People tie up traffic in Providence because they're STUPID! (Alas, the RhodeIdiot!)

Oh, and one other thing: I'm usually pretty cool about letting other drivers cut in - unless you have a dang cell phone glued to your ear. In that case, you ain't gittin' in fronta me!

Peace,
BMP

Another Reason to Love His Holiness

Gerald reports here that His Holiness has cancelled the Christmas pop music concert because he does not share his predecessor's love for pop music and wishes to avoid scandal.

~nb