Category Archives: Liturgical Music

Reopening

Posted on 20 June 2020 by

We had our first re-opening Mass earlier tonight. We had some bugs, but it went okay. We were below our limit of fifty. I think we would have had room for eight or ten more people. Our mid-morning Mass tomorrow … Continue reading →

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On Ray Repp

Posted on 5 May 2020 by

A brief announcement on PrayTell elicited an unfortunate snicker from the back of the class. Some traditionalists are not really up on their Latin, it seems: De mortuis nihil nisi bonum. I arrived relatively late to Catholicism. By 1969, the … Continue reading →

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Two Were Bound For Emmaus

Posted on 26 April 2020 by

I’ve been an admirer of Bob Hurd for almost forty years. I’d like to meet the guy someday and talk theological shop. I had a dream two mornings ago that I was playing “Two Were Bound For Emmaus.” I was … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary, Easter, Liturgical Music, spirituality | Tagged | Leave a comment

Psalm 118: Alleluia, Your Mercy

Posted on 26 April 2020 by

One side benefit to having streaming and recorded liturgy at my parish is that I can get certain things peeled off the long feed if I like them. My friend Brian shared Psalm 118 with me last weekend, and we … Continue reading →

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At Vigil With Psalm 51

Posted on 15 April 2020 by

Another Easter Vigil first for me this past Saturday: playing and singing the fifty-first, which is the designated Scripture that follows Ezekiel 36:16-17a, 18-28 when baptism is not celebrated. I’m a fan of Tom Kendzia’s setting of this, led by … Continue reading →

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ILP v OCP

Posted on 24 September 2019 by

I note that Vince Ambrosetti, after twenty-six years, noticed that one of his early songs was supposedly copied into “Christ Be Our Light.” Legal proceedings have been initiated. I met Mr Ambrosetti, musician/composer turned businessman, some years ago when he … Continue reading →

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Setting Philippians 3

Posted on 8 April 2019 by

If your community proclaimed the year C readings this past weekend, you enjoyed a Pauline gem from his letter to the Philippians. The Roman Lectionary assigns verses 8 through 14 to follow Psalm 126. Most Bible publishers set it as … Continue reading →

Posted in Lent, Liturgical Music, Scripture | 3 Comments

Of Psalm 51

Posted on 7 March 2019 by

Or, more accurately, Marty Haugen’s setting of it. For some reason, the contemporary/folk vector in the 70s didn’t produce a single setting that stuck like Isaiah 43 (“Be Not Afraid”) or Psalm 91 (“On Eagles Wings”). I doubt this offering … Continue reading →

Posted in Lent, Liturgical Music | 2 Comments

Of Ashes

Posted on 6 March 2019 by

When I haven’t programmed the song, I get more comments than when I do. Nearly all of the criticism I’ve seen is online, and since online folks aren’t my parishioners, it doesn’t register that much with me. When it came … Continue reading →

Posted in Lent, Liturgical Music | 1 Comment

Requiescat In Pace: Fr. Willard F. “Bill” Jabusch

Posted on 3 January 2019 by

An online friend alerted me to this news last month: Fr. Willard F. “Bill” Jabusch, 88, passed on December 8th. … Fr. Bill was a Catholic priest, educated at Mundelein Seminary, Loyola University and Northwestern University. His education was enhanced … Continue reading →

Posted in Liturgical Music | 3 Comments

On Gratitude

Posted on 22 November 2018 by

Every so often–once in five, six, or eleven years–the American observance of Thanksgiving aligns with the feast of Saint Cecilia. Often she is portrayed (as she is here by Orazio Gentileschi) with an organetto. Do church musicians get inspired by … Continue reading →

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NPM Restructuring

Posted on 4 August 2018 by

PrayTell notes changes afoot at NPM master control. This will be interesting to watch. From the link: Noting that “the landscape is changing,” (CEO Steve) Petrunak wrote that “NPM must also embrace change if we are to be a vibrant … Continue reading →

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Finding Joy

Posted on 13 July 2018 by

From a few facebook friends, I know an NPM conference is occurring this week. I skipped through some of a reading session on YouTube, and I’ve also noticed a discussion here about said session and others. Sometimes the discussion devolves … Continue reading →

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Summer Glory

Posted on 9 July 2018 by

I don’t get around much anymore. That’s been mostly true since this day in 1988 when I loaded up my new car with my possessions (they all fit in a single car back then) and headed for my first adventure … Continue reading →

Posted in Liturgical Music | Tagged | 9 Comments

Phos Hilaron

Posted on 18 May 2018 by

Φῶς ἱλαρὸν ἁγίας δόξης ἀθανάτου Πατρός, οὐρανίου, ἁγίου, μάκαρος, Ἰησοῦ Χριστέ, ἐλθόντες ἐπὶ τὴν ἡλίου δύσιν, ἰδόντες φῶς ἑσπερινόν, ὑμνοῦμεν Πατέρα, Υἱόν, καὶ ἅγιον Πνεῦμα, Θεόν. Ἄξιόν σε ἐν πᾶσι καιροῖς ὑμνεῖσθαι φωναῖς αἰσίαις, Υἱὲ Θεοῦ, ζωὴν ὁ διδούς· διὸ … Continue reading →

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