Category Archives: Liturgical Music

The Basics

Posted on 21 May 2023 by catholicsensibility

I noticed this thread starter on a social media site: Many long years ago, as I was making progress in my singing lessons, I innocently asked what solos it would be good to know if I wanted to be a … Continue reading →

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The Human to Angel Conduit

Posted on 15 February 2023 by catholicsensibility

I noticed a comment on a social media thread seeking musical suggestions for the funeral of an infant: I don’t quite get a song about angels for this kind of service, though it’s a lovely hymn. Angels are an entirely … Continue reading →

Posted in Liturgical Music, Order of Christian Funerals | 1 Comment

Creator Plus

Posted on 28 November 2022 by catholicsensibility

To start with, I don’t have an issue with “Creator of the Stars of Night.” Nor with modern treatments of old hymnody–I program/perform them myself. What do you make of the addition of an antiphon to the aforementioned hymn? I … Continue reading →

Posted in Advent, Liturgical Music | 1 Comment

Digital Downloads

Posted on 7 September 2022 by catholicsensibility

More and more, liturgy publishers are promoting the downloading of music from the web. It’s happened a few times: I’ve needed a few extra copies of something for rehearsal. Pay, click, boom: copies are ready. After some years, I see … Continue reading →

Posted in Liturgical Music, Parish Life | Leave a comment

Chosen Race

Posted on 23 August 2022 by catholicsensibility

At a recent rehearsal, one of my singers commented on this lyric from one of our songs: For we who are a chosen race are holy, yet still seek … What is the message for an all-white choir to be … Continue reading →

Posted in Liturgical Music, Liturgy, Parish Life | 1 Comment

Vulnerability

Posted on 8 August 2022 by catholicsensibility

I was alerted to Richard Clark’s piece on Corpus Christi Watershed on “Continuity and Vulnerability …” It might not be the most popular bit published there. The author does make the suggestion that liturgical rites have a continuity from 1570 … Continue reading →

Posted in Liturgical Music, Liturgy, The Blogosphere | 8 Comments

Gather IV Review: Eucharist

Posted on 7 July 2022 by catholicsensibility

Continuing in this post with a review of a particular section of GIA’s newest edition of the Gather hymnal. Today, let give a quick look to the 41 entries under the heading of Eucharist, numbers 1005 through 1045. There are … Continue reading →

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Gather IV Review: Christian Initiation/Baptism

Posted on 14 June 2022 by catholicsensibility

Would we ever have thought to see items numbered 992 through 1004 in a hymnal? It’s not even three-fourths of the way through GIA’s newest edition of the Gather hymnal. In this post, let’s look at thirteen pieces in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Liturgical Music | 2 Comments

Gather IV Review: Ascension and Pentecost

Posted on 22 May 2022 by catholicsensibility

Last time in this series, we looked at music for Easter and its season. Continuing today with a look at the end of the season in GIA’s newest edition of the Gather hymnal. Let’s start with a survey of 24 … Continue reading →

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Gather IV Review: Easter

Posted on 18 April 2022 by catholicsensibility

What’s the next stage of our review of GIA’s newest edition of the Gather hymnal? Easter, naturally. The season, not the day. Twenty seven entries are hymn-tune heavy. Here’s a breakdown for numbers 556-582: traditional organ + choir, 10 contemporary stanza … Continue reading →

Posted in Easter, Liturgical Music | 1 Comment

Gather IV Review: Good Friday

Posted on 15 April 2022 by catholicsensibility

In the pages marked “Good Friday” in GIA’s newest edition of the Gather hymnal, we find seven entries specific to the day. As expected, “O Sacred Head” (549) and “Were You There” (554). I doubt you can have a serious … Continue reading →

Posted in Holy Week, Liturgical Music | 3 Comments

Gather IV Review: Holy Thursday

Posted on 14 April 2022 by catholicsensibility

By continuing a review of GIA’s newest edition of the Gather hymnal, I wanted to offer a peek at songs listed by liturgical season. Numbered pieces 444 through 626 would be huge for a single post. So a little bit … Continue reading →

Posted in Holy Week, Liturgical Music | Leave a comment

Sister Thea

Posted on 30 March 2022 by catholicsensibility

My wife mentioned that Thea Bowman did a parish mission at the church where we met, many years before I arrived there. I wonder if she mentioned there her description of Black sacred song she put into words for the … Continue reading →

Posted in Liturgical Music, Saints | Leave a comment

Breastplate

Posted on 17 March 2022 by catholicsensibility

In hymnals, we get a portion of the whole of the prayer attributed to Patrick of Ireland. The full wiki thing is here, with commentary and notes. Did you know there’s an eleven-part structure? invocation of the Trinity. invocation of Christ’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Liturgical Music, Saints, spirituality | 1 Comment

Gather IV Review Part 5b: Service Music

Posted on 9 March 2022 by catholicsensibility

Continuing in this post with a review of GIA’s newest edition of the Gather hymnal. Complete Mass settings were reviewed here. The hymnal also includes fragments of Mass settings and single acclamations. One of the shifts in contemporary church music … Continue reading →

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