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Category Archives: Commentary
Libera me, Domine
My mother-in-law died at the end of May. She had been ill for many years and was haunted by the memory of things for which she blamed herself, and perhaps by other things for which she was not at fault, … Continue reading
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Gloria Cartusiæ
October 6 is the feast of St. Bruno of Cologne, founder of the Carthusian Order. The Carthusians are famous as by far the most austere Western monastic order. Their motto is Stat crux dum volvitur orbis (“The Cross is steady … Continue reading
Carmina Angelorum
In my last post I mentioned that my family sings chant as part of our everyday prayer, specifically grace before meals. It’s not the only bit of chant I’ve incorporated into the daily round; we also sing the prayer to … Continue reading
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Pure Spiritual Milk
Notre Dame’s Church Life Journal blog has an interesting article on how chant makes the liturgy friendlier for children: Why Chant is Good for Children A couple passages are worth noting in particular: Music in the Roman Rite functions seemingly … Continue reading
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Ut, A Hymn, A Latin Hymn
Happy Solfège Day! Wait, Happy Nativity of St. John the Baptist! Wait, they’re the same day! Yes, today we celebrate both the last and greatest of the Old Testament prophets and the musical mnemonic that enabled Julie Andrews to caper … Continue reading
Ten Years of Chant
Ten years ago, the Guild sang at Mass for the first time on this, the feast of the Presentation of the Lord. We’ve been through many changes since then: singers have come and gone, invitations to sing have ebbed and … Continue reading
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Tagged anniversary, candlemas, presentation of the lord, recording
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Textual Reflections on Ubi caritas
When the fit strikes me, I can ramble interminably about music, liturgy, and the unique intersection of the two found in Gregorian chant. As we travel the liturgical kathemerinon we inevitably pass certain chants that have a high probability of triggering one of my rambles, and thus it was that my choir got to hear an extended spiel on the text of the Holy Thursday chant Ubi caritas. I was sufficiently pleased by the result to refine it into the following short essay. Continue reading
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Liturgical Music Meme
Thanks to my colleagues at Cantate Deo (gentlemen, do remember that revenge is a dish that is best served cold), I have been struck full force with a “meme,” that is, one of those silly answer-these-questions things that tend to … Continue reading
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What To Sing For Mass
I have already presented what I see as the three key activities of the Guild: Build a schola cantorum capable of singing at least a sizeable portion of the Gregorian repertory, Ordinary and Proper. Foster the use of Gregorian chant … Continue reading
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At the Lord’s Table
In the Extraordinary Form calendar, this past Sunday was Quinquagesima, for which the appointed communion antiphon is this first-mode gem: Manducavérunt, et saturáti sunt nimis, et desidérium eórum áttulit eis Dóminus: non sunt fraudáti a desidério suo. They ate, and … Continue reading →