Category Archives: Liturgical Music

Survey Says?

Posted on 18 February 2014 by

The Chant Cafe has been rather quiet the past several days. I did notice a link on this post to a survey offered by the CDWDS and the Pontifical Council for Culture. Forty questions are offered under the following headings: Formation … Continue reading →

Posted in Liturgical Music | Leave a comment

Wandering In A Musical Wilderness

Posted on 29 January 2014 by

On the Chant Cafe I noticed an earnest and heartfelt essay from the viewpoint of the organ bench and choir loft. I really feel for people who seem to be in anguish about church music. I think one problem, a … Continue reading →

Posted in Liturgical Music, The Blogosphere | Leave a comment

The Meme Of Banal

Posted on 26 January 2014 by

I notice over at the Chant Cafe some discussion about reform2 Americans reforming Roman liturgical music. (Paul went there, so I suppose …) It rung a bell with some Praise Music as performance I saw there from earlier this week. … Continue reading →

Posted in Liturgical Music | 1 Comment

What Inspires?

Posted on 14 January 2014 by

Another illustrative thread at the CMAA here. First a citation to an editorial that seems to confuse the decades: In the 1960s, many of our church leaders were seminarians.  It was a time when Gregorian chant was forcibly submerged below … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Commentary, Liturgical Music, Music | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Placing Apostrophes and the Grill

Posted on 30 December 2013 by

The Hawaii Catholic Herald interviewed two composers three months ago on the eve of the big liturgy conference out there in the Pacific. CNS picked up a slice of the story today. These stories behind the music–I find them fascinating. … Continue reading →

Posted in Liturgical Music | Leave a comment

Maybe The Gloria Is Inadequate

Posted on 23 December 2013 by

One of the current discussions in Catholic liturgical music is setting the Gloria. My parish invested time to introduce a through-sung setting, and mostly, it has paid off. The responsorial format, over the years, has often (but not always) resulted … Continue reading →

Posted in Liturgical Music, Liturgy | 4 Comments

Advent Music: My Soul In Stillness Waits

Posted on 15 December 2013 by

I mentioned this song ten years ago today. I mentioned then that I wish Marty Haugen had set or adapted all of the O Antiphons instead of just four of them. The piece is well over thirty years old now, … Continue reading →

Posted in Advent, Liturgical Music | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Seeking Spiritual Union

Posted on 20 November 2013 by

Many of my Catholic sisters and brothers desire two colors. White. Black. Period. White and black give perfect clarity in all situations, and help one know exactly what to do. In the case of liturgy, when to sing, what to … Continue reading →

Posted in Liturgical Music, The Blogosphere | 3 Comments

Commitment

Posted on 2 November 2013 by

I saw at the Café, Adam Bartlett is picking up on a generation-old argument for a permanent hymnal. It’s not a bad argument to make. Economically and green-wise, it’s often a good solution for parishes. My own parish is approaching … Continue reading →

Posted in Liturgical Music | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Conflicts and Tensions in Church Music

Posted on 27 October 2013 by

One more thing about that Joseph Swain interview in CWR. He mentions three “conflicts” at the conclusion of the chat. I think I see them as more tensions. But yes, in some places, especially on the internet, conflict breaks out. … Continue reading →

Posted in Liturgical Music, The Blogosphere | Leave a comment

Analyzing Folk Music

Posted on 26 October 2013 by

In medicine, diagnosis is essential. Doctors missed my mother’s heart disease because they were treating her as a female man. They looked at her symptoms in the 90′s, and saw anemia. So she was medicated for anemia and it caused … Continue reading →

Posted in Liturgical Music | Tagged , | 2 Comments

#addawordruinahymn

Posted on 11 October 2013 by

I have a Twitter thing, but you don’t see it in the margin; I mainly use it for the parish liturgy. And not all that much. I missed a lot of the fuss this week on #addawordruinahymn. It looked mostly … Continue reading →

Posted in humor, Liturgical Music | 1 Comment

Facing Others in Ministry

Posted on 7 August 2013 by

I was reading an excellent article in the journal Emmanuel by Father Michael L. Gaudoin-Parker. As I was reading “Preaching: Facing the Other: St Peter-Julian Eymard’s Approach” it struck me how apt the notion of facing people serves the deepest … Continue reading →

Posted in Liturgical Music, Ministry, Saints, spirituality | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Liturgical Trio

Posted on 4 August 2013 by

I feel certain it was an Iowa rarity in liturgical music, if not a first. I was part of a three-percussion-instrument accompaniment for the parish’s 10:30 small choir. Piano, marimba, and trap set. My friend Hillary asked the church to house … Continue reading →

Posted in Liturgical Music, Liturgy | Tagged | Leave a comment

Washing Wedded Feet

Posted on 3 August 2013 by

My pastor likes to steer couples away from the unity candle. Or sand. Or stuff like that after the exchange of vows and rings. I had never experienced washing feet at a wedding until I arrived at my current parish. … Continue reading →

Posted in Liturgical Music, Liturgy, Rite of Marriage | Tagged , | Leave a comment