Sing Lustily and with Good Courage!

Having a go...

2011-10-12T18:09:00.002+11:00

With the new Roman Missal in my hand, and also with the Processional Book prepared by the Society of St Gregory for the Bishops Conference of England and Wales, I decided to have a go at writing some music for the Communion Antiphon for the 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time when I am next cantoring at my local parish. I used the first antiphon from the missal and Psalm 20 (19) from the Revised Grail for the verses.

Here are the results:
PDF of the Communion Chant "We will ring out our joy"

Midi file of the Communion Chant "We will ring out our joy"

Tell me what you think. It isn't supposed to be high art, or Gregorian chant. It is supposed to be easily singable by a parish not too interested in music while they go to communion.

Gregorian Chant versus Modern Ditties

2011-04-25T11:59:00.002+10:00

While I am posting here, I will put a link to this article in Canada's National Post "In the search for the Voice of God, some believe Gregorian chants are preferable to folk music" (to which Fr Z drew my attention here with his comments).

I had some experience of this during the Triduum just completed. On Thursday night, I attended the Pontifical Solemn Mass of the Lord's Supper on Thursday night at St Aloysius. The music was simply sublime. There was plenty of congregational involvement, for instance, in the singing of the Kyrie, Gloria, Sanctus, Agnus Dei and other responses. And of course, in the "Pange Lingua" at the end. But it was simply a delight to hear these ancient chants where they belong, not on a CD, but in Church. As my feet were being washed by Bishop Meeking, the choir was singing the beautiful chant "Ubi Caritas", which I know well, but which I have never heard used before in the setting for which it was written.

Then my little Lutheran heart was a little disappointed when I attended my local parish for the Good Friday service. Instead of the great chorals such as "O Sacred Head", we had "Were you there when they crucified my Lord" and "We remember". No "Reproaches" at the vernation of the Cross. No "Pange Ligua" either. Don't get me wrong - the music was well presented by the musician and cantors. It just was so... 1970's, rather than the rich heritage of the Church for this day. As the article in the Canadian National Post describes it, I had to listen to the radio to hear anything of this heritage.

And then I was really annoyed at the Easter Vigil. Once again, the actual text of the rite offers so much in terms of psalmody and antiphons that could have been sung in any number of ways, if not in chant. The Asperges ceremony was done in complete silence! (I have in fact, written a hymn using the verses from the Missal that could have been sung at this point.) But again, we had various folk style songs instead of the psalms in response to the readings, often not bearing any connection with the appointed psalms. Don't even get me started on the song they used to replace the Litany of the Saints. Suffice it to say, it (a) wasn't a litany, and (b) included a lot of people who are not saints. We did sing the French easter carol "Now the green blade rises", but other wise there was no traditional Easter hymnody at all. Again, don't get me wrong. The choir and musicians did an excellent job. It was just the selection of music that left me feeling hungry for more.

I finally got my "more" at the dawn service at St Paul's Lutheran Church at Box Hill on Sunday morning, at least "more" in terms of hymnody, and got to sing "He is risen, he is risen, tell it with a joyful voice" at full throttle (well as full as I could manage at 6:30am, anyway!).

All this grumbling is simply to say: we have the riches of 2000 years to use in our liturgies. During Holy Week, very many of the texts have been actually set down in the rite for use. It's time, folks, to revive this heritage for the sake of the Faith!

Hymn for Holy Saturday

2011-04-25T11:25:00.001+10:00

I haven't posted on this blog for a long while, but today I saw that Deacon John had posted the (anonymous) patristic reading from the Office of Readings for Holy Saturday, and it reminded me that I had written a hymn based on this text. I note that I haven't posted it here before. So here it is for your benefit. My suggested tune is Wie soll ich dich empfangen by Melchior Teschner, which you can listen to here.

Today a heavy silence
reigns over all the earth;
a silence and a stillness,
and not a word is heard.
The King himself is sleeping,
the trembling earth is still,
our God-made-flesh, though resting,
now consummates his will.

He’s gone in search of Adam,
our father, his lost sheep;
he visits those in darkness
and in death’s shadow deep.
He’s gone to free from sorrow
lost Adam in his bonds,
and Eve, with him held captive,
who for her freedom longs.

Thus says their true Creator
and truest Son of Eve,
“I order you, O sleeper,
awake from death and live!
For I did not create you
to lie in Hades’ cell.
I am your Resurrection;
you dead, arise from hell!”

Est ist ein Ros' entsprungen

2009-12-26T09:54:00.003+11:00

Many people are unaware that the beloved German carol "Est ist ein Ros' entsprungen" exists in two versions - an original Catholic version and an altered Protestant version. Certainly the choir director and conducter at St Paul's Box Hill were unaware of this, printing the Catholic version (with full and accurate translation) in the service order while the Choir actually sang the Protestant version.

The difference comes about because the original carol is a hymn about Mary. There are many different variations - the original had 23 verses in all (see here for the complete history on The Hymns and Carols of Christmas) - but they definitely fall into two camps: the Catholic Carol and the Protestant version.

Here is the Catholic Version as printed in the St Paul's Lessons and Carols program:

1. Es ist ein Ros entsprungen,
Aus einer Wurzel zart,
Wie uns die Alten sungen,
Von Jesse war die Art,
Und hat ein Blümlein bracht
Mitten im kalten Winter
Wohl zu der halben Nacht.

2. Das Röslein, das ich meine,
So uns das Blumlein bringt,
Maria ist's, die Reine,
die uns das Blüm'lein bracht';
Aus Gottes ew'gem Rat
Hat sie ein Kindlein g'boren
Bleibend ein reine Magd.

3. Das Blümelein, so kleine,
Das duftet uns so süß,
Mit seinem hellen Scheine
Vertreibt's die Finsternis.
Wahr' Mensch und wahrer Gott,
Hilft uns aus allen Leiden,
Rettet von Sünd' und Tod.

Translation:

1. A Rose has sprung up, from a tender root. As the old ones sang to us, its lineage was from Jesse. And it has brought forth a flower in the middle of the cold winter, right upon midnight.

2. The Rosebud that I mean, of which Isaiah told, is Mary, the pure, who brough us the Flower. At God's immortal word [strictly, "God's eternal Council"], she has borne a child remaining a pure maid.

3. The Flower, so small, that smells so sweet to us, with its clear light dispels the darkness. True man and true God! He helps us from all trouble, saves us from sin and death.

Note that in this version, the rosebush is the line of Jesse, Mary is the "Rosebud", and Jesus is the "little flower" that she brings forth.

The Choir sang that word for word except the second verse which followed a more Protestant understanding of the identity ofthe "Rose" in the song (which appears to stem from Praetorius 1609 according to Wikipedia):

2. Das Röslein, das ich meine, davon Jesaia sagt,
hat uns gebracht alleine Marie, die reine Magd.
Aus Gottes ew’gem Rat hat sie ein Kind geboren
wohl zu der halben Nacht.

Translation:

2. The Rosebud that I mean, of which Isaiah told, Mary alone, the pure Maid, has brought us; Out from God's eternal Council, she has borne a child half-way through the night.

So, you see, there is quite a difference. In Praetorius' version, the Rose is always and completely Jesus only, not Mary. My oldest German hymnals don't even have this carol in it - it appears only to have re-entered German Lutheran usage in the middle of the 20th Century. In one way, it just goes to prove that we often don't really understand the words of the carols that are so familiar to us.

Lessons and Carols at St Paul's Lutheran Church Box Hill

2009-12-26T09:29:00.006+11:00

Well, we did have an enjoyable Christmas this year. Our children are growing up, so instead of going to the 6:30pm Family Mass at their school's mass centre, we went to 8:30pm Lessons and Carols at their Lutheran Parish of St Paul in Box Hill. I then went to Midnight Mass in my parish, and in the morning we were back at St Paul's so the rest of my family could make their Christmas communion. That also gave us time to have a relaxed Christmas Eve dinner of seafood together, before opening the first gift - a new Nativity set.

Midnight Mass at my parish was a bit of a disappointment. Except for four carols instead of four hymns, it was just spoken mass like any Sunday. No incense, no carols, no chant (not even sung congregational pieces of the liturgy), in fact, come to think of it, I didn't even see a Christmas tree! The young woman who played the piano and led the singing was very good (a great talent, even), but she wasn't given much scope for anything other than the carols. It was all over in 45 minutes.

Lessons and Carols at St Paul's, however, was a great treat. The choir and organist there are top notch, and their selection was brilliant. Here is the program:

Processional (Choir): Wexford Carol / "Good People all, this Christmas time" (arr. by John Rutter)

(Choir and Congregation) Once in Royal David's City (arr. P. Ledger)

(Congregation) Joy to the World

(Choir) Remember Christians all (Thomas Ravencroft)

(Choir) Est ist ein Ros' entsprungen (auf Deutsch - see my separate entry above about this text)

(Congregation) Of the Father's Love Begotten (sung alternately between Men and Women)

(Choir and Congregation) O Little Town of Bethlehem (arr. Vaughan Williams, Philip Ledger, Thomas Armstrong)

(Choir) Ave Maria (Franz Biebel) - "Lutheranised" - see my other blog on this.

(Congregation) Away in a manger (arr. David Willcocks)

(Choir) Starry Night (words by Anne Willcocks, music by David Willcocks) - this was a real treat, containing a surprisingly Catholic Mariology for a Lutheran service (see here for full words and music)

(Congregation) Silent Night

(Congregation) The First Nowell

(Choir) Lully, lulla, thou little tiny child (an unusual but effective setting by Kenneth Leighton)

(Choir) From heaven above to earth I come (one verse based upon an organ prelude by J.S. Bach)

And of course:

Recessional (Congregation) Hark the Herald Angels sing

My daughters enjoyed this service immensely (as did the rest of us), singing happily and staying awake for the whole service - which ended around 10pm.

For anyone brought up in the Protestant traditions, singing and music is soooo essential to the Christmas celebration. If only we Catholics could learn from this...

A great Christmas Carol site

2009-12-21T23:11:00.001+11:00

While looking for the history of "O Come, O Come Emmanuel", I found this site, which is quite terrific in many ways:

http://www.hymnsandcarolsofchristmas.com/index.htm

The O Antiphons

2009-12-21T22:53:00.002+11:00

I just came across Fr Z.'s little site on the "O Antiphons".

We have been singing these as a family devotion during the lighting of the Advent wreath this year in John Mason Neale's beloved versification. Problem is the vast array of "modernisations" of Neale's hymn. It is hard to find any agreement among the modernisers, so we are using his traditional text.

But then it is hard to find a hymnal that gives all seven verses. Perhaps the reason is that Neale's original version - if this website is anything to go by (and the reproduction of the various originl editoins seems to indicate that it is) included only five of the seven antiphons.

Here are Neale's original verses:

1. Draw nigh, draw nigh, Emmanuel
And loose Thy captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here,
Until the Son of God appear;
Rejoice! rejoice! Emmanuel
Is born for thee, O Israel!

2. O Rod of Jesse’s stem, arise,
And free us from our enemies,
And set us loose from Satan's chains,
And from the pit with all its pains!
Rejoice! rejoice! Emmanuel
Is born for thee, O Israel!

3. Thou, the true East, draw nigh, draw nigh,
To give us comfort from on high!
And drive away the shades of night,
And pierce the clouds, and bring us light!
Rejoice! rejoice! Emmanuel
Is born for thee, O Israel!

4. Key of the House of David, come!
Reopen Thou our heavenly home!
Make safe the way that we must go,
And close the path that leads below.
Rejoice! rejoice! Emmanuel
Is born for thee, O Israel!

5. Ruler and Lord, draw nigh, draw nigh!
Who to Thy flock in Sinai
Didst give, of ancient times, Thy Law,
In cloud and majesty and awe.
Rejoice! rejoice! Emmanuel
Is born for thee, O Israel!

Songs in Word of Life's "Top 100" Not approved by NLCMB review of "As One Voice"

2009-09-11T01:34:00.005+10:00

How much difference would the National Liturgical Commission Music Board's evaluaton of songs make to the standard of music sung in our parish liturgies if all parishes scrupulously followed their recommendations (something which, by the way, will only happen in your dreams)?

One indication would be to compare the list songs in "As One Voice" that did not get the NLCMB's approval with Word of Life's "Top 100" hymns. (Word of Life would know - they are the main licencing body used by Australian Catholic parishes and have all the stats).

Thirteen of the WOL "Top 100" did not get the NLCMB's "tick". They are as follows (the number indicates the song's ranking on the list of the Top 100):

3 Come to the water (Andersen, F)
6 Come as you are (Brown, D)
15 Companions on the Journey (Landry, C)
19 Our supper invitation (Bates, K)
20 Galilee song (Andersen, F)
28 Song of the body of Christ (Haas, D)
32 Blest be the Lord (Schutte, D)
61 Celebrate (Brown, M)
64 Yahweh is the God (Norbet, G)
86 To be your bread (Haas, D)
90 We are many parts (Haugen, M)

Hymn titles from "As One Voice" rated "NO" by the National Liturgical Commission Music Board

2009-09-11T01:27:00.004+10:00

Title Author Number
A circle of love (Sandier) II:114
A journey remembered (Bates, Kevin) II:047
A shepherd I'll be to you (Bates, Kevin) I:001
A Voice in the wilderness (Robinson, Chris) I:062
Act Justly (Watts, Trisha) I:050
Advent Chant (Porter) II:123
All Creation sings (Reid) II:045
All I ask of you (Norbert, Gregory) I:150
All the ends of the earth (Hurd, Bob) I:004
Always there (Coleman) II:036
And the Father will dance (Landry, Carey) I:113
As grains of wheat (Rosania) II:153
As the deer longs (Hurd, Bob) I:120
Be it done unto me (Hurd, Bob) I:119
Be with me Lord (Joncas, Michael) I:116
Because the Lord is my Shepherd (Walker, Christopher) I:066
Behold the Cross (Hurd, Bob) I:105
Bless the Lord (Smith) II:083
Blessing on the King (Lynch, Michael B.) I:104
Blest be the Lord (Schutte, Dan) I:179
Bread broken, wine shared (Horner, Robyn) II:155
Break open the word and renew the face of the earth (Paxton, Ray) I:038
Bridegroom and bride (Bell/Maule) II:042
Bring many names (Wren/Young) II:010
Called to create (Spence/Lewis) II:121
Celebrate (Brown, Monica) I:044
Christmas in the scrub (Newton) II:168
Come as you Are (Browne, Deirdre) I:031
Come now, Holy Spirit (Kearney, Peter) II:087
Come to the water (Andersen, Frank) I:074
Comfort, comfort all my people (Mann, Robin) II:012
Communion Song (Grant, Peter) I:187
Companions on the Journey (Landry, Carey) I:188
Create in us (Hannah) II:021
Creator and poet (Sears, Sandra) II:084
Different gifts (Russell) II:013
Do not be afraid (Farrell, Bernadette) I:079
Do not worry (Reid) II:122
Don't be afraid (Bell/Maule) II:070
Dreams and visions (tanner) II:061
Easter People (Light) II:147
Enemy of apathy (Bell/Maule) II:075
Enviatu Espiritu (Hurd, Bob) I:095
Everlasting your love (Hurd, Bob) I:128
Father Welcomes (Mann, Robin) I:024
Feed us now, bread of life (Mann, Robin) II:093
First Sunday Advent (Smith, Colin) I:108
Flow river flow (Hurd, Bob) I:163
For you are my God (Foley, John) I:178
Freedom is coming (Fjedur) I:061
From heaven you came (Kendrick) II:077
Galilee Song (Andersen, Frank) I:005
Give thanks (Smith) II:017
Glorify the Lord with me (Doheny) II:026
God beyond all names (Farrell, Bernadette) II:023
God has made us a family (Landry, Carey) II:111
God is good (Chan) II:120
God is rich in mercy (Landry, Carey) II:027
God of all the earth (Winter/Maker) II:134
God's Circle of love (McRae) II:038
Going home (Halloran/Millward) II:082
Great is thy faithfulness (Chisholm/Runyan) II:127
Halle, halle, halle (Carribean) II:046
Heal me O God (Norbert, Gregory) II:052
Heaven and earth (Bell, John) II:053
Here in the busy city (Murray/Hopson) II:166
Holy, holy, holy Lord (Ham, Liat Chung) I:173
How lovely is your dwelling place (Joncas, Michael) I:041
How shall I call you (Mann, Robin) I:047
I am the Light of the world (Hayakawa, Greg) I:176
I found the treasure (Schutte, Dan) II:022
I have seen the Lord (Hurd, Bob) I:098
I know that my Redeemer lives (Soper) II:034
I rejoiced (Walker, Christopher) I:069
I say yes, my Lord (Pena, Donna) I:155
I shall dwell in the Lord's house (Ramondo) II:069
I will lift my eyes (Conry, Tom) I:084
I will sing and make music for the Lord (Smith) II:028
I will sing for ever of your love (Horner, Robyn) II:161
Icon of grace (Watts, Trisha) II:057
If today you hear his voice (Crocker) II:072
If we all could live in peace (Trad. Austrian) II:115
I'll be always loving you (Watts, Trisha) I:082
I'll sing your song (Marshall, Erica) I:034
In love we choose to live (Cotter) II:063
In the beginning was love (Rowe/Wolf) II:110
In the brightness (Horner, Robyn) I:070
In the radiance of your gaze (Honer) II:009
Jesu Tawa Pano (Matsikenyiri) II:015
Jesus Christ is waiting (Bell/Maule) II:008
Joyful in hope (Herry, Michael) I:020
Lady Mary (Sears, Sandra) I:117
Lead us break bread together (USA Folk Hymn) II:098
Let all creation dance (Darwall/Wren) II:130
Let all the earth (Haugen, Marty) II:152
Let God's dream be born (Bates, Kevin) II:030
Let there be peace on earth (Miller/Jackson) I:190
Lift this child (Anna's Song) (Mann/Habel) II:125
Light of Christ (Zaragoza, Rufino) I:143
Lord of the Dance (Carter, Sydney) I:018
Love calls me back (Bates, Kevin) II:025
Love is the greatest gift of all (Marshall, Erica) II:086
Love will bring them home (Marshall, Erica) I:121
Loving Spirit (Murray/Trad) II:133
Masithi Amen (Molefe/Trad.) II:090
May we come to know the Lord (Gagnon) II:019
Mother Earth (Brown, Monica) I:157
My heart is a stable (Sears, Sandra) I:147
Nearer my God to thee (Adams/Mason) II:154
New People, New life (Beha, Helen) I:011
O God Nothing can take us from your love (Walker, Christopher) I:139
O God, hear us (Hurd, Bob) I:022
O Lord, your tenderness (Kendrick) II:107
On holy ground (Pena/Kodner) II:103
One Body (Watts/O'Brien) II:146
Open the heavens (Boniwell) II:163
Our blessing cup (Hurd, Bob) I:007
Our supper invitation (Bates, Kevin) I:185
Passionate God (Fulmer) II:068
Praise and glory (Zaragoza, Rufino) I:051
Pulsing spirit (Dufner/Trad.) II:058
Returning our gifts (Porter) II:065
Sanctus and Benedictus (Bell/Maule) II:081
Santo (Trad. Argentinian) II:092
See his hands (Sears, Sandra) II:048
See I make all things new (Watts/O'Brien) II:007
Send forth your spirit O Lord (Walker, Christopher) I:107
Sing to God (Kirkland) II:105
Sing to the Lord (Alstott, Owen) I:046
Song at the Centre (Haugen, Marty) II:106
Song for the Journey (Marshall, Erica) II:108
Song of gathering (Wise, Joe) I:023
Song of the Body of Christ (Haas, David) I:027
Speak from your heart (Brown) II:051
Spirit blowing through creation (Haugen, Marty) II:157
Spirit come transform us (Norbert, Gregory) I:096
Spirit of life (Mangan) II:043
Star-child (Murray/Young) II:018
Summoned by love (Watts/O'Brien) II:020
Table of plenty (Schutte, Dan) II:162
Taste and see (Hurd, Bob) I:067
Taste and see (Robinson, Stephen) I:088
Taste and see that the Lord is good (Barr) II:151
The Bridge Song (Bolton) II:006
The deeper River (Hannah) II:062
The fullness of God (Andersen, Frank) II:159
The great Southland (Bullock) II:141
The Light of Christ (Fishel, Donald) I:186
The Spirit of the Lord (Horner, Robyn) I:101
The story we share (Kearney, Peter) I:093
The whole world is waiting for love (Misetich) II:148
They'll know we are Christians (Scholtes) I:130
This day was made by the Lord (Walker, Christopher) I:183
This is all our joy (Horner, Robyn) II:100
This is the day (Joncas, Michael) I:193
Three round table rounds (Bates, Kevin) II:160
To be your bread (Haas, David) I:065
To you O my God, I lift up my soul (Hurd, Bob) II:014
Travel on (Carter, Sydney) II:033
Wake up (Watts/O'Brien) I:008
We are many parts (Haugen, Marty) I:086
We are marching (Trad. African) II:074
We believe (Walker, Christopher) I:149
We shall draw water (Inwood, Paul) I:072
We shall overcome (Adap. Horton et al.) II:149
We welcome this child (Kearney, Peter) II:144
We welcome you little baby (Holmes) II:112
Welcome home (Andersen, Frank) II:145
When I needed a neighbour (Carter, Sydney) II:136
When the night (Toolan) II:091
When we eat this bread (Joncas, Michael) I:099
Where is your song, my Lord (Kearney, Peter) I:122
Where there is love (Haas, David) I:087
Who will speak if you don't (Haugen, Marty) II:102
Yahweh (Norbert, Gregory) I:068
You are mine (Haas, David) II:002
You are the voice (Haas, David) II:080

Hymn titles rated "Yes" by the National Liturgical Commission Music Board

2009-09-10T23:56:00.002+10:00

This is the first in what I hope will be a series of investigations into a new document entitled "Hymn Titles from Australian Resource Books - Rated "Yes" by the NLC Music Board".

In paragraph 108, Liturgiam Authenticam made the following stipulation:

Within five years from the publication of this Instruction, the Conferences of Bishops, necessarily in collaboration with the national and diocesan Commissions and with other experts, shall provide for the publication of a directory or repertory of texts intended for liturgical singing. This document shall be transmitted for the necessary recognitio to the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments.

Well, that was in 2001, and since then, the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference has commissioned the National Liturgical Music Board to compile a list of “approved hymns” for use in the liturgy.

The task that faced this group was so immense that they simply had to put some limits on it. In the end, they decided to go through five readily available collections, “As One Voice”, “Gather Australia”, “Catholic Worship Book”, “New Living Parish Hymnal”, and “Together in Song”. Also, they excluded from this initial scan any liturgical or ritual music, since this will largely depend upon the new translations.

The criteria by which they judged the songs seems to me to be rather too broad, especially in relation to the texts:

MUSICAL EVALUATION CRITERIA

1) The music should enable the fostering of participation
2) The Technical aspects of musical language – melody, rhythm, pitch etc. / instrumentation/ and
accompanimental styles must enable participation.
3) Musical style must promote a sense of the “sacred” and avoid profane;
4) Music must reflect the ideals of true art and beauty.
5) Music must properly support text being sung-proper relationship of verbal and music accents etc.
6) Maintenance and promotion of traditional sacred repertoire – including chant and melodies
especially where they remain in the collective consciousness of catholics

TEXT EVALUATION CRITERIA

Several criteria were proposed to guide judgements about the suitability of texts, ie that they be:
· scriptural
· apt for the season
· theologically robust
· thematically and linguistically coherent
· in ‘modern/classical’ language (rather than in archaic or temporarily contemporary
language)
· in common possession and with likely appeal
· with poetic power.

Those versions have been preferred which:
· use ‘you’ rather than ‘thou’
· do not include words or phrases with an obsolete or archaic ring
· use inclusive rather than exclusive language in reference to human beings
· do not conflate verses
· have more effective rhyme.

LITURGICAL EVALUATION CRITERIA

1. Liturgically related to Scripture: A= Strongly Scriptural… B = Based on Scripture i.e. used as a departure point for poetic reflection
2. General Seasonal Suitability
3. Not Liturgical
Refer: Not specifically for the specified season– but liturgically suitable for another
Pastoral Judgement:
1 widely used ; 2 sometimes used 3 rarely used

I am afraid that "Pastoral Judgement" in a number of cases led to approving songs that would have been much better left out. On the other hand, "robustness" seems an odd category to use to evaluate the theological appropriateness or otherwise of a text.

In any case, the result was quite a long list (about 750 titles) that got a “yes” vote. Although the resulting list has been sent to Rome for approval (as LA required), it is, I understand, now a public document. Unfortunately, it is not yet available on the ACBC website (I understand this is due to external factors beyond the control of the ACBC office). If you want a copy, I suggest you email Bernard at bfk at ozemail dot com dot au .

The practical usefulness of such a list is really as a basis for a future resource to be published. As of this moment in time, there are no more available copies of three of the hymnbooks surveyed: New Living Parish, Catholic Worship Book, and Gather Australia (I understand that the remaining copies of the latter two went up in smoke when the Feb 7 bushfires burnt down the publisher’s storehouse).

And, of course, the real upshot of this document in the mean time is that from it one can infer which hymns and songs in the current resources DID NOT get a tick. It is my intention to publish this lists for each resource - starting with "As One Voice".

More Great Online Resources

2009-05-18T22:24:00.002+10:00

And here are a few extra suggestions from Ben George on my other blog:

http://isaacjogues.org/
http://lalemantpolyphonic.org/antoine_daniel_mass_parts/

Online Resources recommend by Jeffrey A. Tucker in "Sing like a Catholic"

2009-05-17T13:50:00.005+10:00

Jeffrey A. Tucker, in "Sing Like A Catholic" recommends a number of very good online resources. Here are the links.

MusicaSacra.com
Chabanel Psalms (these are really good)
Gregorian Missal
The Parish Book of Chant
Anglican Use Gradual
American Gradual

"Sing like a Catholic"?

2009-05-17T13:50:00.001+10:00

Yesterday, at the Anima Conference, I picked up a book from Mary Long's bookstall (from the Catholic Bookshop next to St Francis in the City) called "Sing like a Catholic" by Jeffrey A. Tucker (the link, BTW takes you to a page where, for free registration, you can download a full copy).

It is a passioned piece intended to follow up where Thomas Day's 1995 book "Why Catholics Can't Sing" with a practical guide to the restoration of the "treasure of inestimable value" (Vatican II) which is the traditional sacred chant of the Latin Rite in our parish liturgies.

There is some talk - of which I would be fully supportive - of inviting Mr Tucker to come to Melbourne to give some lectures/training sessions - but perhaps I am jumping the gun by even mentioning this in public?

His modus operandi is Fr Zuhlsdorf's "brick by brick" strategy. All it takes (all it HAS taken in the States) to begin a true revival of the true music of the Roman Rite of the Mass is dedicated and voluntary enthusiasts who have the support of their parish pastor to have a go and start learning and using the traditional chants in their liturgies. Get informed and experienced by attending training days, colloquiums etc. Download the music from the internet for free (he gives a host of sites that are now on the web, foremost of which is MusicaSacra.com), form a schola of singers, and go for it. Of course there is more to it than that, but the first requirement seems to be the will to do something rather than nothing.

Nevertheless, I am in two minds about Mr Tucker's project.

1) My first mind is to say "Yea and Amen". After attending Fr Lawrence Cross's Byzantine liturgy at the ACU chapel last Friday at 12noon (something I do every now and again) I am reminded of how beautiful a liturgy can be when the music that is sung is an organic part of the liturgy itself. Although I won't say a lot more about my "first mind" at this point, let the Reader understand that I see the restoration of chant in the liturgy as "a good thing".

2) But then my second mind kicks in - primarily because my task today is prepare the music for the liturgy at our "mass centre" at the girl's Primary School for next Sunday morning when I am rostered on as Cantor. This "second mind" is what I want to give some time to in this blog.

The liturgy in our parish has been on the up and up over the last four years or so. Two parish pastors ago, what happened at Sunday morning mass was so laid back it was almost horizontal. It was a valid Eucharist (more or less), but sometimes strained the definition of "liturgy" to breaking point. The pastor had been there for a dozen years, and this was "the way things were done" in our "community". A change of pastor's saw, as ever, a change in style of the liturgy, and it was a step in the right direction. Two years later another change of pastor has brought in another giant step in the right direction, and, thanks to the wise guidance of the intervening priest, the liturgical good sense of the new pastor has been widely accepted without comment.

That being said, music is still a problem. Many weeks the mass is spoken except for tape recorded songs. The groups who do provide music put a lot of effort and skill into leading the singing of the songs, but still the choice of song material is a little sad, and the emphasis continues to be upon the songs in the classic four-hymn sandwich rather than on the ordo or the propers of the mass. For eg. only at masses for which I am cantor is there a sung psalm and Gloria.

I myself am limited. I have tried encouraging others to join me to form a small choir, but with no success (keep in mind that the congregation at our mass centre is under 100 generally). I also have no musical backup – again, not through lack of trying. I have received criticism during the singing of the psalm because "no one wants to listen to your [ie. my] voice when they come to mass". Fair enough. Why should they? So I am disinclined to use music that would have large parts of me singing solo.

So, here's what I do.

I use a good quality keyboard with midi-file programs to provide the accompanying music while I cantor. I aim to have all the usual ordinary parts of the mass sung, although Kyrie and Lord's Prayer continue to be said. I use modern settings generally rather than chant settings (although I would love to introduce the simple settings we use unaccompanied when I cantor at lunch time masses at the Cathedral). I chose three or four hymns that follow my guidelines for good hymnody for the procession, communion and recessional (the fourth being for the offertory). For the communion, I tend to favour the use of simple repetitive chants such as Taize or Michael Herry's stuff so people can sing them without having to look at the overhead screen for the words while they are moving about.

In general visitors (rather than regulars) have commented upon my choice of music favourably, and it seems that the midi-file thing works very well in the circumstances (and yes, the keyboard can do a passable imitation of an organ).

So that's the reality. I applaud Mr Tucker's ideals and wish I could see them in my time and in my parish, but for the moment it seems like the hope of heaven rather than anything truly achievable.

And my one and only misgiving about the whole project of restoring the chant (which somewhat qualifies my "Yea and Amen" in my first mind) is that it seems that this is done at the expense of hymnody. I know we have had some god-awful songs thrust upon us over the last forty years, but the Church universal also has a treasury of hymnody which could be described as "of inestimable value". The Sunday mass is about the only time when Catholics ever come together for worship, and if they don't learn to sing hymns at mass, where will they get the value of this rich treasury?

Perhaps it is the Lutheran in me, but if Mr Tucker says he wants Catholics to "sing like Catholics", why is it that what he seems to be proposing actually proposes that Catholics SING LESS in the liturgy, and LISTEN MORE to the choir or schola? Is this entirely healthy? At least in the Byzantine liturgy with Fr Cross, all those present joined in singing the choirs pieces. I don't see it as a step forward in Catholic sacred music to silence the congregation to the point of being a prayerful audience. This isn't an expression of some post-Vatican II "participation theology" at work in my mind here, it is the conviction that singing praise to God is an valuable act of worship for the soul and the Church, whether in the choir or in the pews. Of course they don't have to sing everything all the time (I am in favour of good choirs singing a polyphonic Sanctus without the congregation jumping in to spoil it all), but they need to have an opportunity to sing to God – and hymnody provides that opportunity. Hymnody and chant ought not to be seen as enemies or as “either/or”. Lutherans after all (there I go again) are capable of doing both well.

Any way, over to you for discussion.

Is this the Revised Grail Psalter???

2009-01-25T11:55:00.002+11:00

Click to enlarge and laugh.

HT to Ironic Catholic, who got this via CMinor, who originally got it from the Intrepid Soprano, who got it from Sinden.org who got it from Tompmost Apple who got it from etc. etc....

Hymn for the Conversion of St Paul

2009-01-19T16:45:00.004+11:00

In case you are wanting do take up the Holy Father's suggestion of observing the Conversion of St Paul this Sunday, here is a song you might want to use. You can sing it to Aurelia ("The Church's One Foundation"). I don't have an author for it. It is a modernised version of a hymn that appeared in Lindemann's Daily Office book, which I pilfered back when I was doing the Lutheran Worship Resources project.

We sing the glorious conquest
before Damascus' gate,
when Saul, the persecutor,
came breathing threats & hate;
the ravening wolf rushed forward
to make the sheep his prey,
but see! the Shepherd met him
and claimed his life today!

O glory beyond telling
that struck across his path!
O light that pierced and blinded
the zealot in his wrath!
O voice that spoke within him
the calm, reproving word!
O love that sought and made him
the servant of the Lord.

Lord, teach your Church to love you,
& in the darkest hour
of weakness and of danger
to trust your hidden power.
For by your grace & mercy
Paul's hate & fear were bound,
and in your bold opponent,
your chosen saint was found.

An Ode to the Error Code?

2009-01-19T16:43:00.006+11:00

Searching for midi files today, I came across this little ditty:

"Drat!" The Herald Angel says,
"Page Not Found," the screen displays.
"404": the error code;
Where's that page? It just won't load!

Unfortunately, it was telling me I couldn't find the midi file I wanted. But what a nice way to do it! Source.

Rorate Caeli - Advent Prose

2008-12-15T09:39:00.006+11:00

It has been a while since I have posted a song here, so here are two versions of Rorate Caeli which I have prepared. The first is an English setting to the traditional chant (click on the pictures for the full sized version - my apologies for the difference in notation between pages one and two - I did these at different times and haven't had the time to put the difference right) and the second is a metrical paraphrase to a German chorale tune.

HYMN By David Schütz
(Based on the Tune: Wer nun den lieben Gott [Neumark])

Do not be angry, Lord, forever
do not remember how we've sinned.
Your holy city and your temple
where once we praised you, lies in ruin:
Pour down, O heavens, from above,
righteousness, peace, salvation, love.

Like those unclean, we sinned against you;
like faded leaves, we drift away.
Your face is hidden from your people,
our sins have caught us in their sway.
Pour down, O heavens, from above,
righteousness, peace, salvation, love.

“You are my witnesses, my servants;
I chose you that you may believe.
I am the Lord, there’s none beside me;
look to none other power to save.”
Pour down, O heavens, from above,
righteousness, peace, salvation, love.

“O comfort, comfort all my people,
my saving power shall not be slow.
So do not fear, for I will save you;
your scarlet sins shall be like snow.
Pour down, O heavens, from above,
righteousness, peace, salvation, love.

A Peter and Paul Song

2008-08-22T11:17:00.003+10:00

Here is another one that I haven't posted yet. I wrote it for the Festival of St Peter and Paul with which the Pauline Year began. The tune (click here for the midi file) is a modified version of "Faith of our Fathers" - the ENGLISH not the American version. Also, it has been modified so that the music for the first couplet is repeated (note that the midi file begins with an introduction).

1. Eternal God we give thanks to you
today for Peter and for Paul.
In grace you chose them for yourself
and consecrated them for all.
You made Paul blind so he could see;
and gave to Peter heaven's keys.
Their faithful service brought the faith to us,
so may their prayers bring us to you. (Repeat)

2. You called the fisherman from mending nets
and taught him how to fish for men.
You turned the persecutor's heart around
to preach your name in every land.
You made Peter to be "the Rock",
and Paul the preacher of the Cross.
Their faithful witness won the martyrs' crown,
so may their prayers bring us to you (Repeat)

A hymn in honour of St Peter (for 21st Sunday In Ordinary Time, Year A)

2008-08-21T16:54:00.003+10:00

I had forgotten that I had written this, and only found it today as I was preparing for leading singing at Mass this Sunday. It is very suitable for the Gospel for the 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A) and for any festival of St Peter. Tune: Any 8.7.8.7.8.7.8.7 tune will do, try "Ode to Joy".

1. When the Lord asked his disciples,
“Who do people say I am?”,
they replied, “Some say Elijah,
some a prophet—just a man.”
“But,” he told them, “more important
is the answer you would give.
I now ask you: what do you say?
Speak the faith by which you’d live.”

2. When Saint Peter said to Jesus,
“You’re the Christ, the Son of God!”
he confessed the truth from heaven,
not revealed by flesh and blood.
Then the Lord Christ said to Peter,
“On this Rock I’ll build my church.
God will bind and loose in heaven
what you bind and loose on earth.”

3. For our priests and for our bishops,
and for Benedict, our pope,
let us pray to God the Father,
firm in faith and strong in hope.
Let us take hold of the promise
made by Jesus Christ our Lord:
“Never shall the gates of Hades
overcome the Church of God.”

Revising songs that use the "name" Yahweh?

2008-08-15T17:13:00.002+10:00

There have been some who have asked whether it would be possible to give a list of songs that use the pseudo-name Yahweh for God, and to suggest possible alternatives.

For instance, the popular (with a certain set) Frank Anderson song "Strong and Constant" has the line "I will be Yahweh who walks with you". You could sing this as "I the Lord will always walk with you" (which also actually makes better sense).

But my question is: Name one song that uses "Yahweh" which might actually be worth singing or might be worth perpetuating with alterations?

I think this is a good opportunity just to completely scrap the whole sorry lot. There is a saying that "if it ain't broke, don't fix it", but if it is completely stuffed, one could say, don't bother stuffing around with it.

[Actually, I can name ONE song that uses "Jehovah" and is worth singing, but most hymnals have already altered it: "Guide me, O thou Great Jehovah" is now universally sung as "Guide me O thou Great Redeemer". It is worth singing, but then it comes from a different time and a different school of hymnody than the modern "Yahweh is my buddy" stuff.]

Letter to the Bishops Conferences on the Name of God

2008-08-14T13:48:00.004+10:00

I have not yet had a rant about a subject that has infuriated me for years: the use of the "name" of God "Yahweh" in so many popular Catholic liturgical songs. Now, thanks to the Congregation for Divine Worship, it looks as if I don't have to, as they have done a good job for me.

Of course, the story is all over the blogosphere by now (most citing this CNS news story that has interesting statements from the big publishers OCP and GIA), but you may be interested to read the source document in this regard (when dealing with the Vatican, always, ALWAYS find the actual document in question rather than rely on news reports).

And here it is folks, for you to cut and paste and refer to:

Congregatio de Cultu Divino
et Disciplina Sacramentorum
Prot. N.213/08/L

Letter To The Bishops Conferences On "The Name Of God"

Your Eminence\Your Excellency:

By directive of the Holy Father, in accord with the congregation for the Doctrine Of The Faith, this Congregation For Divine Worship And The Discipline Of The Sacraments deems it convenient to communicate to the Bishops Conferences the following as regards the translation and the pronunciation, in a liturgical setting, of the Divine Name signified in the sacred tetragrammaton, along with a number of directives.

I. Expose

1. The words of Sacred Scripture contained in the Old and New Testament express truth which transcends the limits imposed by time and place. They are the Word of God expressed in human words, and, by means of these words of life, the Holy Spirit introduces the faithful to knowledge of the truth whole and entire and thus the Word of Christ comes to dwell in the faithful in all its richness (cf. John 14:26; 16:12-15). In order that the word of God, written in the sacred texts, may be conserved and transmitted in an integral and faithful manner, every modern translation of the books of the Bible aims at being a faithful and accurate transposition of the original texts. Such a literary effort requires that the original text be translated with the maximum integrity and accuracy, without omissions or additions with regard to the contents, and without introducing explanatory glosses or paraphrases which do not belong to the sacred text itself.

As regards the sacred name of God himself, translators must use the greatest faithfulness and respect. In particular, as the Instruction Liturgiam authenticam (n. 41) states:

"In accordance with immemorial tradition, which indeed is already evident in the above-mentioned "Septuagint" version, the name of almighty God, expressed by the Hebrew tetragrammaton and the rendered in Latin by the word Dominus, is to be rendered into any given vernacular by a word equivalent in meaning. [Iuxta traditionem ab immemorabili receptam, immo in (…) versione "LXX virorum" iam perspicuam, nomen Dei omnipotentis, sacro tetragrammate hebaraice expressum, latine vocabulo "Dominus" in quavis lingua populari vocabulo quodam eiusdem significationis reddatur."]"

Notwithstanding such a clear norm, in recent years, the practice has crept in of pronouncing the God of Israel's proper name, known as the holy or divine tetragrammaton, written with four consonants of the Hebrew alphabet in the form hwhy, YHWH. The practice of vocalising it is met with both in the reading of biblical texts taken from the lectionary as well as in prayers and hymns, and it occurs in diverse written and spoken forms, such as, for example, "Yahweh", "Yahwè", "Jahwè", "Jave", "Yehova", etc. It is therefore our intention, with the present letter, to set out some essential facts which lie behind the above-mentioned norm and to establish some directives to be observed in this matter.

2. The venerable biblical tradition of Sacred Scripture, known as the Old Testament, displays a series of divine appellations, among which is the sacred name of God revealed in a tetragrammaton YHWH (hwhy). As an expression of the infinite greatness and majesty of God, it was held to be unpronounceable and hence was replaced during the reading of sacred scripture by means of the use of an alternate name: "Adonai", which means "Lord".

The Greek translation of the Old Testament, the so called Septuagint, dating back to the last centuries prior to the Christian era, had regularly rendered the Hebrew tetragrammaton with the Greek word Kyrios, which means "Lord". Since the text of the Septuagint constituted the Bible of the first generation of Greek speaking Christians, in which language all the books of the New Testament were also written, these Christians, too, from the beginning never pronounced the divine tetragrammaton. Something similar happened likewise for Latin speaking Christians, whose literature began to emerge from the second century as first the Vetus Latina and later, the Vulgate of St Jerome, attest: in these translations, too, the tetragrammaton was regularly replaced by the Latin word "Dominus", corresponding both to the Hebrew Adonai and to the Greek Kyrios. The same holds for the recent Neo-Vulgate, which the Church employs in the liturgy.

This fact had important implications for New Testament Christology itself. When in fact, St Paul, with regard to the crucifixion, writes that "God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name" (Phil 2:9), he does not mean any other name than "Lord", for he continues by saying, "and every tonne confess that Jesus Christ is Lord" (Phil 2:11; cf, Isaiah 42:8: "I am the Lord; that is my name"). The attribution of this title to the Risen Christ corresponds exactly to the proclamation of his divinity. The title in fact becomes interchangeable between the God of Israel and the Messiah of the Christian faith, even though it is not in fact one of the titles used for the Messiah of Israel. In the strictly theological sense, this title is found, for example, already in the first canonical Gospel (cf. Matthew 1:20: "the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream"), and one sees it as a rule in the Old Testament citations in the New Testament (cf. Acts 2:20: "the sun shall be turned to darkness ... before the day of the Lord comes (Joel 3:4); 1 Peter 1:25: "the word of the Lord abides for ever" (Isaiah 40:8)). However, in the properly Christological sense, apart from the text cited in Philippians 2:9-11, one can remember Romans 10:9 ("if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved"), 1 Corinthians 2:8 ("they would not have crucified the Lord of glory"), 1 Corinthians 12:3 ("no one can say 'Jesus is Lord' except by the Holy Spirit") and the frequent formula concerning the Christian who lives "in the Lord" (Romans 16:2; 1 Corinthians 7:22; 1 Thessalonians 3:8; etc).

3. Avoiding pronouncing the tetragrammaton of the name of God on the part of the Church has therefore its own grounds. Apart from a motive of a purely philogical order, there is also that of remaining faithful to the Church's tradition, from the beginning, that the sacred tetragrammaton was never pronounced in the Christian context, nor translated into any of the languages into which the Bible was translated.

II. Directives.

In the light of what has been expounded, the following directives are to be observed:

1. In liturgical celebrations, in songs in prayers the name of God in the form of the tetragrammaton YHWH is neither to be used or pronounced.

2. For the translation of the biblical text in modern languages, destined for the liturgical usage of the church, what is already prescribed in n. 41 of the Instruction Liturgiam Authenticam is to be followed; that is, the divine tetragrammaton is to be rendered by the equivalent of Adonai/Kyrios: "Lord", "Signore", "Seigneur", "Herr", "Senor", etc.

3. In translating, in the liturgical context, texts in which are present, one after the other, either the Hebrew term Adonai or the tetragrammaton YHWH, Adonai is to be translated "Lord" and the form "God is" is to be used for the tetragrammaton YHWH, similar to what happens in the Greek translation of the Septuagint and in the Latin translation of the Vulgate.

From the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, June 29, 2008.

+ Francis Card. Arinze
Prefect

+ Albert Malcolm Ranjith
Archbishop Secretary

Thomas Aquinas' Corpus Christi Sequence Lauda Sion

2008-05-24T23:07:00.004+10:00

Big dilemma at the moment. I am on music in my local parish tomorrow morning. Its Corpus Christi and the question is: Do I dare to sing the Sequence, Lauda Sion?

Now, Lauda Sion is a very tricky text. There are a few English translations (The one in the missal is dreadful, but this one is better).

The problems are principally the following:

1) it is extremely long (24 verses!)

2) the 8.8.8 metre is unusual, and it goes pear-shaped at verse 19 (8.8.8.8) and then again at verses 23 and 24 (8.8.8.8.8)--so there are no well known tunes to sing it too

3) None of the English translations are modern, and some are really twee (eg. "the very music of the breast") or tortured ("We break the Sacrament; but bold / and firm thy faith shall keep its hold; / Deem not the whole doth more unfold / than in the fractured part resides") or simply grating ("the bread for God's true children meant, that may not unto dogs be given"--I know the biblical allusion, but can one actually sing this?)

4) No Catholic hymnal I possess has any setting of it at all, not even the Adoremus Hymnal (I did find a translation to the original Gregorian tone in the New English Hymnal and a paraphrase by Alexander Ramsay Thompson in the Australain Lutheran Hymnal).

Given all this, it is no wonder that no one knows the damn thing. Yet the Liturgy Office of England and Wales lists it in their draft "Core Music Repertoire" (which is quite a neat document in itself).

Now, here's the rub. Do I dare to sing it tomorrow morning? My parish priest usually likes a bit of music or something solo during the offertory instead of a hymn, so this would be a perfect opportunity to stick it in as a solo piece. In Latin? Or in English?

PS. While doing this blog, I came across this Spanish(?) site that has all the missal texts for the Sundays of this year on it in easy printing PDF form. Check it out!

"Festival of Joy": A Corpus Christi Hymn to a tune by my daughter

2008-05-15T14:00:00.007+10:00

My daughter has written a tune which she wants to play at mass. It is a little repetative, but very simple, despite its rather odd metre: 667.667.77.667.

Festival of Joy
A hymn for Corpus Christi
By David Schütz to a tune by Madeline Schütz-Beaton (667.667.77.667)

1. Come, all those who labour!
Come, all who are weary!
Come, find comfort and relief!
Here God welcomes you and
Here God gives salvation
At the table of the Lord.
Here the weary find their rest.
Here the hungry will be fed.

Chorus:
In this heav'nly banquet,
In this marriage feast, yes,
In this festival of joy.

2. Here the angels gather,
Here the saints of heaven
Join the Church of God on earth.
Here God gives his riches,
Here the Fount of Wisdom
Pours his grace for all the world.
Heav'n and earth are joined as one
In the wedding of God's Son. (Chorus)

3. Come, repentant sinners,
Come, all faithful Christians
Take the body of the Lord.
All who thirst for justice,
All who hope for heaven,
Drink the chalice of his blood.
Come, O Lord, our faith renew.
Come and make us one in you. (Chorus)

Archbishop Coleridge on Church Music

2008-05-14T16:40:00.001+10:00

HT to Peterand to Athanasius for putting me onto this statement by Archbishop Coleridge (late of Melbourne) to his flock in Canberra-Goulburn.

His comments on language are spot on (as one would expect from someone working directly on the new translations for the English missal):

When the Fathers of the Second Vatican Council approved the use of the vernacular languages in the liturgy, they had no idea of what was on the way. They imagined that some parts of the liturgy would move into English (in our case), but that Latin would remain in general the language of worship. ...[I]t seemed that the Church went from Latin to English overnight. Some in the Church have continued to worship in Latin – as is their right – but most are happy to have moved into English. At the same time, it does not have to be a stark choice of one or the other. In the Cathedral [in Canberra] at least...the Kyrie is sung at times in Greek, and the Common of the Mass, the Gloria and the Creed are sung at times in Latin. Similarly some of the great hymns of the Gregorian repertoire – especially the Marian anthems – are sung at times. It would be a pity if such a heritage were wholly lost to us.

To be sure!

His comments on music generally are certainly noteworthy:

Some of the texts used are also decidedly feeble and even at times questionable theologically. [He can say that again!] Historically, the Roman Rite used only the Psalms in the Eucharistic liturgy: hence the Entrance and Communion Antiphons which were sung with the Psalms and accompanied the Entrance and Communion Processions. [And it is a great pity that we do not today have a way of singing these properly.] ...I might add that the Holy See has asked Bishops’ Conferences around the world to draw up a list of music approved for use in worship. This is part of a pruning process of the repertoire that has built up over the last forty years, and it is already taking place in Australia.

Yes, I know that this process is continuing, in fact, I have often dropped in on the meetings of the Australian committee to whom this work has been charged. This little group of three meets here in the same building in which I work, and believe me, they have their work cut out for them. They are attempting to do two tasks: First, to draw up a draft list of song for the Bishops according to the Holy See's request; and Second, to come up with a new hymnody resource for the Australian Churches. One of the members told me especially of the frustration of there being so few really decent hymns and songs for the Entrance and Communion. We will all experience this dearth in the next few weeks at the Feast of Corpus Christi (I am on music for that day in my parish, and believe me the choice is not good...)

But I do wonder about this comment from the good bishop:

It is worth recalling too that singing or music should not be prolonged unnecessarily. In the Roman Rite, singing or music tends to accompany action rather than stand in its own right. Therefore, the music or singing should stop once the action is complete.

Well, maybe. Depends on the hymn. Some hymns don't make sense if you stop it after verse two, when all verses are integral to the sense of the whole. On the other hand, I did have this experience at mass yesterday when we were singing Farrell's "Praise to you, O Christ our Saviour" for the Entrance--it did go on too long and could have been cut down.

I might pick up a couple of Archbishop Mark's other points later in the day, but for the moment, here is a question Athanasius suggested I pose for you all. If you were making a list of hymns to be sent to the Holy See, which would you insist were put in and which would you insist were left off (ie. FORBIDDEN!). That's a big question, so limit yourselves a bit, eh?

Too much new music for World Youth Day?

2008-05-05T11:07:00.009+10:00

I am slowly catching up with the news about various musical bits and pieces that are being prepared for World Youth Day. You have read my opinion of the World Youth Day theme song. I had a little foretaste of the feast divine in this regard at the handover ceremony for the Cross and Icon in St Patrick's Cathedral here in Melbourne, when Guy Sebastian himself sang it. I think the "Alleluia" bit will go down real well, but the rest of it? I am still doubtful...

I am a little more enthusiastic however over the Mass setting Missa Benedictus Qui Venit (a clever title!). It uses the new English translations of the liturgy intersperced with Latin. It's quite singable and musically pleasing. My only real beef is that no-one seems to be using it around the traps beforehand (not even for official pre-WYD events) so that when we all turn up on the day we can all join in rather than just listen to the choir sing it.

But today I really must say that I groaned when confronted with the song which will be used for the Entrance Procession at the WYD Papal mass. Composed by Chris Willcock SJ for a text by Andrew Hamilton SJ (both local Melbournians), it is a bit sad.

Now Chris is an excellent musician, and a great composer. I use a lot of his music myself, and know that it is used extensively in many non-Catholic churches too. The music for this piece is, well, let's just say "so-so", but the real worry are the words, which I will get to in a moment.

First, I have just mentioned the problem of unfamiliarity with the Mass Setting. AND TAKE NOTE: the Mass setting is provided FREE for download from the WYD website (see link above). BUT the Willcock/Hamilton song can only be obtained from OCP (Willcock's publisher) AND YOU HAVE TO PAY FOR IT! Now, I know workers are worth their pay, but really, couldn't the WYD office have made some sort of arrangment here?

So, to the words. I haven't bothered to buy a copy of the music (I am a skin-flint) but here is a transcript of the snippet that was on the Religion Report on 2nd April 2008 (Podcast no longer available). chorus is simply one fairly meaningless phrase repeated over and over again:

Chorus
Spirit whisper, Spirit shout!
Spirit whisper, Spirit shout!
Spirit whisper, Spirit shout!

Whatever else might be said about this chorus, it is poetically and imaginatively lazy. "Spirit whisper, Spirit shout" is a catchy phrase, but fairly devoid of content. It wants more said. Whisper/Shout what? Whisper/Shout to whom? After singing it three times, and then as a chorus over and over again, it just becomes boring. There is nothing here for the mind, and thus the heart, to latch on to.

The Chorus is followed by a fairly unimaginative text based on John 14:

Verse:
Christ our Way, Christ our Truth, Christ our Life.
Come in power to guide our way.
Come in power to teach the truth.
Come in power to shape our lives.

It's not that there's anything wrong with this doctrinally, of course, as it is simply regurgitation of a scripture passage that has been "lightly chewed". But once again, not even at the level of a Year 9 secondary school student's poetry. Surely a Jesuit is capable of a little more "imaginative meditation" than this?

I think we need to ask ourselves what has happened in the church when the level of hymn writing has sunk so low. I have my own theory on this. As I have suggested above, I believe that we have such poor content in our hymns because we have such poor reflection upon the content of our faith. Scripture is used ad nauseum in our modern hymns--but rarely is there any sign that the hymnist has reflected deeply upon that scripture--"chewed the cud" so to speak--before handing it back to us in the form of a song.

Hymnody should be more than throwing notes at passages ripped (plagiarised?) from Scripture.

Well, I reckon, anyway.

St Pius X Hymnal PDF available for download from National Library of Australia - FREE!

2008-04-13T12:18:00.000+10:00

The full music edition of an old Australian Catholic treasure, the "St Pius X Hymnal" is available for download in PDF from the National Library of Australia at http://nla.gov.au/nla.mus-vn2152603. And you don't have to pay a cent! Aren't librarians nice people?

Paying them only encourages them...

2008-04-09T16:01:00.002+10:00

Have you ever wondered how the composers and publishers of music used in liturgy (hymns, Mass settings, etc) are paid for the time and effort involved in writing, producing and distributing their work?

So asks Elizabeth Harrington in her latest column. The answer in my case is "no", because I have spent many hours filling out copyright licence records etc. But what I do wish is that we could only return to those "Once upon a time" days that Elizabeth describes when "parishes purchased sets of hymnbooks for the assembly to use". Nowadays its something new every week, and unless it was composed and published since the 1960's it doesn't even get a look in for the parish.

Church music publishers and composers who make their living from flogging their wares onto the Christian community have a lot to answer for with regard to the destruction of a shared communal memory of sacred song.

Perhaps if we stopped paying them, they would stop doing it and go away?

When will we find an authentic practical solution?

2008-02-27T21:07:00.002+11:00

There is an essay on the Adoremus website by Australian Richard Perrignon, apparently "a visiting choirmaster at St. Mary’s Cathedral, Sydney", entitled: "Sacred Music: Time to Reconnect with Worship". It is a thoughtful piece, and not unlike many other calls for reform and renewal in Church music. Naturally, it suggests recovery of the (lost and found and lost again) tradition of Gregorian Chant and Sacred Polyphany.

All very well and nice. Kappelmeister Geoffrey Cox does a neat job of this in our Cathedral already. But the propblem is that this doesn't really go any where in proposing a solution to the dismal situation of church music in the parishes.

Take my parish for instance. No, rather, take my "mass centre", the school hall in which 50-70 people gather every Sunday, Mums and Dads and kids and cousins and grandmas and grandpas, the odd single parent and lone chap or chappess (eg. me sometimes!). There's two female singers who are backed by an electric guitar, flute and violin, and then there's me who leads singing once a month with one or two other blokes after a rehearsal squeezed in a hour before mass begins, with my daughter or myself providing a bit of accompaniment on the electric keyboard.

Sounds dreadful, doesn't it? Well, it is most of the time, but the fact is that we are doing something and trying to enthuse the congregation into singing something rather nothing (the latter being their preference most of the time). Only the incurably optimistic (or possibly the socially suicidal) would attempt to introduce gregorian chant in such a context, let alone sacred polyphony...

There must be something between this "all or nothing" approach.

I mean, one could start with singing all the parts of the mass for a start. And chanting the responses to the chants provided in the missal and Catholic Worship Book. And singing some theologically and musically decent hymns. That much we could do, even in our little "mass centre", with a little bit of encouragement from our parish priest and liturgical committee.

It would mean swallowing a bit of pride, and being very patient, but we have to learn to walk before we can run, no?

A Scriptural Version of "Here I am, Lord": With no apologies to Dan Schutte

2008-01-31T21:58:00.001+11:00

I haven't blogged anything on this page for a while, so when I discovered today that I hadn't posted this little gem, I thought that I would put it up.

I am indebted for this idea to Fraser Pearce who suggested to me about 10 years ago that Dan Schutte was far less than faithful to the original meaning of Isaiah's vision in Isaiah 6 when he wrote "Here I am, Lord."

It is worth looking this chapter up in your copy of the scriptures and comparing it to the text of Schutte's song. Had he been paying attention to the actual words of scripture, his song would have turned out something rather more like this:

Here I am, Lord,
is it I, Lord?
I have heard you calling in the night.
I shall go, Lord, where you lead me.
I will hold your people in my heart.

“To this people, go and say:
look and listen, hear and see,
but you will not comprehend,
or understand.
Stop their ears and dull their mind,
shut their eyes and make them blind,
so that they can’t turn to me,
turn to be healed.”

How long shall I preach this word?
“Preach until you have been heard!
‘Til I send them far away,
‘til end of days,
‘til the cities lie in waste,
burned down once, and once again,
like the stumps of fallen trees,
a holy seed.”

However, I rather suspect that such a song would not have been the overnight hit that Schutte's rather more saccharin version was. I often think poor ol' Isaiah was like the kid in school who puts his hand up eagerly to volunteer for a job before he knows that he is volunteering to take the trash out...

More on the "voice" in hymnody

2007-10-23T14:12:00.001+10:00

My first commandment for choosing songs for singing at Mass is "Is it focused on God?". After all, the first commandment in the bible and catechism is “I am the LORD your God—you shall have no other gods before me.”

The protestant reformer John Calvin wrote at least one true thing: The human heart is a factory for idols. And the greatest idol in the modern age is the self. The Achilles Heel of the vernacular liturgy which arose from the post-Vatican II reforms (celebrated by a priest facing his “audience”, and even sometimes with the people facing one another around a central “table”) is this: it is frightfully easy (and almost irresistibly tempting) to transform it into an event that is “about us” or which “celebrates our community” rather than which is “about God” and which “celebrates our Maker and Redeemer”.

The rite of the Mass itself (when followed faithfully) is fairly resistant to this temptation. But parishes have been given virtually free reign to chose whatever songs they wish to sing during the liturgy, and these songs often undermine the true focus and intention of the Christian worship.

Therefore we ask of any song we intend to sing: Is it a song about or addressed to God (rather than a song about or addressed to ourselves)?

Two types of song focusing on God:

a) Songs of prayer: are songs addressed to God which may express adoration, petition or thanksgiving. One should be able to use such a hymn as a prayer when the text is taken without the music. Gather is not highly endowed with good examples of such hymns in the Eucharistic department.

Our eyes are fixed on the Lord, pleading for his mercy (GA 73)
Lord, to whom shall we go (GA 189)

b) Songs of praise: are songs addressed to “others” (the assembled congregation? the world?) proclaiming the attributes, words and actions of God (sometimes in the form of a story) and calling them to join in our worship (sometimes as an exhortation).

Taste and see the goodness of the Lord (GA 33)
Let all mortal flesh keep silence (GA 190),
An upper Room Did Our Lord Prepare (GA 187),
Gift of finest Wheat (GA 191)
Christians, let us love one another (GA 206)

On the other hand there are songs that focus upon ourselves rather than God. These songs are very unhealthy spiritually and liturgically, because they are a type of idolatry.

Song of the Body of Christ (GA 200)
Bring forth the Kingdom (Marty Haugen, GA 478)

Some songs, though addressed to God, are almost entirely about who we are and what we are doing—telling God what marvellous folk we are, rather than praising him for his salvation.

Gather us in (GA 526)

Worst of all are songs that put God’s/Christ’s words to us in our mouths to be sung as songs to him. Such songs are liturgically dysfunctional. We sing to God/Christ, pretending to be God/Christ singing to us. These are likely to have resulted from the fact that the Council encouraged new compositions to be written based on the Scriptures. The biblical passages which are most appealing are those in which God/Christ addresses his people with words of promise. The problem is that the composers have failed to internalise and represent these passages as songs of praise or prayer as our response to God for these gracious promises.

Our Supper Invitation (GA 202)
I am the Bread of Life (GA 204)
Take and Eat (GA 198)
Take and Eat (GA 201)
Eat this Bread (Taize, GA 205)

Some of these songs could be easily be converted into prayers by addressing them to God or into praise by addressing them to others.

eg. I am the bread of life could be

You are the bread of life
whoever comes to you shall not hunger,
all who believe in you,
they shall live forever,
they shall live forever.

OR

He is the bread of life
whoever comes to him shall not hunger
if you believe in him
you shall live forever,
you shall live forever.

eg. Eat this bread could be:

Eat this bread, drink this cup, come to him and never be hungry.
Eat this bread, drink this cup, come to him and you shall not thirst.

If the chorus addresses God, but the verses are written in the ‘voice’ of God rather than the people, it may be preferable to have the people sing the chorus only and a cantor or soloist to sing the verse, thus acting as God addressing the assembly.

eg. Taste and See God’s Love (GA 203).

Note that some songs (especially psalms) in Gather Australia have been altered to fit the demands of so-called “non-sexist” language. In extreme cases, this means avoiding the masculine pronoun for God. Since this is difficult to do in songs of praise which speak to others about God, many have been altered from songs of praise addressed to others to songs of prayer addressed to God. This changes the function of the song.

The Magnificat (GA 15)

We do sometimes use songs that are addressed as prayers to Mary and the Saints. This is acceptable—but such songs are not “worship” or “adoration”, but acts of veneration.

Asperges (Sprinkling) Hymn

2007-10-21T12:32:00.000+10:00

I wrote this while I was music director at Our Lady's in Ringwood. I can't really claim to be the composer or writer, as the music is one of my favourites (which I have used before) and the words are straight from the missal. But the final thing works quite well.

To be sung to THAXTED by Gustav Holst
15.15.15.15.15.15

R. Like a deer for running waters I long for you, my God.
My heart and soul are thirsting for God, the living God.

V. I saw water flowing eastwards from God’s holy sanctuary,
flowing down through the desert in a river to the sea.
It gave healing and salvation to everyone who came
and with shouts of “Alleluia”, God’s praises were proclaimed.

R. Like a deer for running waters I long for you, my God.
My heart and soul are thirsting for God, the living God.

V. You will sprinkle me with hyssop, O Lord, and make me clean,
you will wash me with water and I’ll be white as snow.

R. Like a deer for running waters I long for you, my God.
My heart and soul are thirsting for God, the living God.

Changes at the Cathedral

2007-09-19T23:04:00.000+10:00

Well, we have a new dean at St Patrick's Cathedral, Fr Gerard Johnson. With the changes in the Presbytery, come changes to the usual "Friday Lunchtime Sung Mass". Dr Cox, the Cathedral Capelmeister, has appointed yours truly as a "Reserve Cantor" for the Cathedral, and has also determined that rather than having regular Friday sung masses, we will, from now on, observe this custom on weekdays which are Solemnities or Feasts.

A new program has been established, which brings the settings for the ordo and the psalmody into line with what is used on Sundays. Most of it is new to me as a Cantor, although I am familiar with it as a mass-goer-in-the-pew. I was as nervous as all get out last Friday for "The Triumph of the Cross", cantoring (unaccompanied) with Gregorian tones before a new dean and with the Capelmeister in the pews checking out how well it all went.

As an idea of what we do, we are using Proulx's responsive English version of the Missa de Angelis Gloria, and the Latin Agnus Dei from Mass XVIII. The psalm settings are Dr Cox's--and utilize the NRSV rather than the Grail.

No hymns at this stage...

Next Lunchtime Missa Cantata will be for the Feast of St Matthew, this Friday at 1pm.

Lutheran Worship Resources

2007-09-10T12:26:00.000+10:00

Over a number of years toward the end of my ministry in the Lutheran Church of Australia, I worked as manager of the "Lutheran Worship Resources" project. All these resources are now available on-liine on the LCA website. They are useful in all kinds of ways, but are an excellent source of hymn suggestions for each Sunday. They use the Revised Common Lectionary, which is not always the same as the Roman one.

Herzlich Lieb: "Lord Jesus, let your angels come"

2007-09-10T12:22:00.000+10:00

Here is a song that I wish to be sung at the Committal at my funeral. It is the third verse from Martin Schalling's hymn "Herzlich lieb hab ich dich, O Herr" (LH 385), as reworked by the LCA's Hymnody Dept. I sang it at my grandmother's funeral.

Lord Jesus, let your angels come,
when I must die, to bear me home,
my soul to heaven taking.
My resting body safely keep
secure in gentle painless sleep,
till earth's last great awaking.
Then raise me, Lord, that I may be
with you in joy, and always see,
O Son of God, your glorious face,
my Saviour, and my fount of grace.
Lord Jesus Christ,
O grant to me, grant this to me,
I'll sing your praise eternally.

Baptismal version of Liebster Jesu (Dearest Jesus)

2007-09-01T20:25:00.000+10:00

Catholics are generally familiar with the German hymn "Blessed Jesus, at Thy Word". It is a hymn for the beginning of worship (an "Entrance Hymn" -- or, as some would call it today "a Gathering Song" -- uuh) by Tobias Clausnitzer (d. 1684), and translated by the great Catherine Winkworth.

Not so well known to Catholics, but well known to Lutherans (because of the general custom to have baptisms during the Divine Service) is the longer, baptismal version of the same hymn, also written by Clausnitzer, and also translated by Catherine Winkworth.

Interestingly, in the German, both hymns begin the same way: "Liebster Jesu, wir sind heir", so I don't know why Catherine decided to translate them differently. Perhaps she didn't. Maybe it was hymnal editors that made "Dearest" (which is the best translatin of Liebster) into "Blessed).

I give the version of this baptismal hymn that is in the Australian Lutheran Hymnal here, because it includes a verse (verse 4) that clearly teaches baptismal regeneration in infants. Another version (see here) appears to be more common in America and was included in the Lutheran Book of Worship (187) and in Together in Song (480).

Interestingly I came across this eucharistic version of the hymn, attributed to Clausnitzer, but said to be "adapted by George R. Woodward. George obviously did a fair bit of "adapting", because I can find no German original in my old hymnbooks to match it. Quite nice though.

Any way, here is the Australian Lutheran version of Clausnitzer's baptismal hymn:

1. Dearest Jesus, we are here,
Gladly Thy command obeying;
With this child we now draw near
In accord with Thine own saying
That to Thee it shall be given
As a child and heir of heaven.

2. Yea, Thy word is clear and plain,
And we would obey it duly:
"He who is not born again,
Heart and life renewing truly,
Born of water and the Spirit,
Can My kingdom not inherit."

3. Therefore hasten we to Thee,
In our arms this infant bearing;
Let us here Thy glory see
Let this child, Thy mercy sharing,
In Thine arms be shielded ever,
Thine on earth and Thine forever.

4. Wash it, Jesus, in Thy blood
from the sin-stain of its nature;
Let it rise from out this flood
clothed in Thee a new-born creature;
may it, washed as Thou has bidden,
in Thine innocence be hidden.

5. Now unto Thy throne we send
prayers that from our heart proceeded.
Let them unto heaven ascend,
let our warm desires be heeded!
Write the name we now have given,
Write it in the book of heaven.

Interestingly, while the Entrance Hymn version is three verses (plus doxology) in both the original and the English, the original baptismal version has (in good German Lutheran style) SEVEN verses -- in which verse 4 given above is an accurate translation of the original verse 4, and verse 5 is actually verse 7. Here are the other verses and my rough translations. Metrical versions might follow:

5. Mache Licht aus finsterniß
setz es aus dem Zorn zur Gnade,
Heil den tiefen Schlangenbiß
durch die Kraft im Wunder-Bade,
laß hier einen Jordan rinnen,
so vergeht der Aussatz drinnen.

Make light shine in darkness,
set it out of (your) wrath into your grace,
heal the deep serpent-bite,
through the might of the wonder-bath,
let here a Jordan flow,
thus the [Aussatz (Leper?!)] passes inside.

6. Hirte, nimm dein Schäflein an,
Haupt, mach es zu deinem Gliede,
Himmels-Weg, zeig ihm die Bahn,
Friede-Fürst, schenk ihm den Friede,
Weinstock, hilf, daß diese Rebe
auch im Glauben dich umgebe.

Shepherd, take your little lamb,
Head, make it to your member,
Heaven's Way, show it the road,
Prince of Peace, give it peace,
Vine-Stock, help, that this vine
also in faith to embrace you.

This is the one often appearing as Verse 4 in American versions of the hymn. That verse is there given as:

Gracious Head, Thy member own;
Shepherd, take Thy lamb and feed it;
Prince of Peace, make here Thy throne;
Way of Life, to heaven lead it;
Precious Vine, let nothing sever
From Thy side this branch forever.

Music at Perth CYM (Catholic Youth Ministry)

2007-08-01T10:14:00.000+10:00

A friend wrote in to report what is happening in Perth with regard to the Wednesday night Holy Hours. Here's what he had to say:

Always interesting to read your blog(s)! Thought you might be interested in what I have a supporting role in - a friend of mine over here is the choir master for St John's Pro-Cathedral, Perth's Latin Mass HQ (where yours truly "executes" the chant as part of the schola cantorum - we try and do the full Gregorian propers), but furthermore he does stretch as far as providing music for the some of the Wed. 6.30 Holy Hours for Perth CYM... I get roped in to sing alongside him.

Since we have Adoration, obviously we sing the "O salutaris" at the moment of Exposition, "Tantum ergo" before the Benediction, and at Reposition "Adoremus" & Ps 116 as per usual. But my friend is adventurous - we began with a favourite hymn of his, "Be still my soul" (with the tune by Sibelius), which we've now used several times, and people seem to like it (I just checked and found it's an old Lutheran hymn, so I guess you know it), and later on sang a plainchant setting of the Litany of the Sacred Heart (another time, we did the Litany of Loreto). We use a data projector to (not perhaps exactly tastefully) throw the (English) words on the chapel wall, for the benefit of those present. We finished with "Hail Holy Queen" (sometimes we do the Salve instead), after Benediction and Reposition.

Very pleasantly, and unexpectedly, during a lull in proceedings, one of the CYM guys, sang a solo - "Into your hands", "Save us Lord" and the Nunc dimittis from Compline. Just as most "progressives" would be horrified to know, the many obviously rapt and prayerful young people - and how unusual for Catholics, as many men as women, if not slightly more of the former! - seem to really like such Latin and sacral English fare. How good, too, that we have Fr John Reilly, a Perth priest officially long retired - he's nearly 80 - but who is a gifted confessor and spiritual director, who exposes the Bl Sacrament, gives Benediction, yet spends most of the adoration time in hearing confessions of the young. As usual, the old and young are (a) glad to be together, (b) glad not to have Baby Boomers around - oops, sorry, David, I guess you're honorary Gen X! [No, I'm the real McCoy--born in 1966]

If I can persuade him, I think "Lord enthroned in heavenly splendour" would make a fine hymn for Eucharistic Adoration; I prefer to sing it to "St Helen".

BTW, this month at the "Pro" we've been concluding all Sunday Masses with that beaut hymn "Crown him with many crowns", which has proved unexpectedly popular with the congregation. it's such a nice hymn I'm going to presume to quote it to you, since doubtless you're humming the tune already!

Who would not be moved in that very holy evangelical way at such true exclamations as:

"Awake, my soul, and sing of Him who died for thee, / And hail Him as thy matchless King through all eternity." ...

"All hail, Redeemer, hail! For Thou hast died for me; / Thy praise and glory shall not fail throughout eternity."

Not to forget a good Catholic focus, Incarnation and Marian:

"Crown Him the virgin’s Son, the God incarnate born, Whose arm those crimson trophies won which now His brow adorn; Fruit of the mystic rose, as of that rose the stem; The root whence mercy ever flows, the Babe of Bethlehem."

But perhaps most moving is the image of Christ's all-gloious wounds, outshining the sun, at whose dazzling effulgence the highest seraphim do veil their eyes:

"Crown Him the Lord of love, behold His hands and side, Those wounds, yet visible above, in beauty glorified. No angel in the sky can fully bear that sight, But downward bends his burning eye at mysteries so bright."

Trusting that you enjoy the odd email,

In Christ, etc.

Here are my comments:

"Be still my soul" (with the tune Finlandia by Sibelius) is an excellent hymn and an excellent tune. There is a paraphrase of the Nunc Dimittis by Rae E. Whitney in Together In Song (733) to this which you might be interested in using on these occasions--very appropriate for that time of day:

Lord God, you now have set your servant free,
to go in peace as promised in your word;
my eyes have seen the Saviour, Christ the Lord,
prepared by you for all the world to see,
to shine on nations trapped in darkest night,
the glory of your people, and their light.

"That beaut hymn", "Crown him with many crowns" should be known much better by Catholics. It is a great Ascension hymn! Often I hear "Protestant Hymns" poo-pooed by Catholic traditionalists. If only they knew... Orthodox Protestant hymnody can sometimes be far more Catholic than the stuff that masquerades as "Catholic liturgical song" these days.

Please feel welcome to write to me with your musical experiences and advertising where good music can be found.

Singing in the Cathedral

2007-07-21T01:02:00.001+10:00

Well, we had another sing-song at Mass today at 1pm in St Patrick's Cathedral. I used a setting for Psalm 116 that had been written by my good friend David Goedecke for my daughter's baptism many moons ago. Here it is (click on the image for larger picture):

I think it went down okay--but I do finally seem to have attracted the attention of the Cathedral Capellmeister. Rather than call for an end to this impromptu singing, he suggested (very politely) that since he is in charge of the music in the Cathedral he should determine what psalm settings are used. His suggestion? His own Gregorian settings. That way, he said, there will be some uniformity as to the settings used for the psalms in the Cathedral.

I am more than happy to comply, for two reasons: First, as he says, he is in charge of Cathedral music, and second, his settings are very good. There is a third reason: it will save me time searching for a setting to use each Friday morning. And a fourth reason ("no-one expects the Spanish Inquisition") is that I am glad he didn't just say "quit it".

However, his settings use the NRSV rather than the Grail. I agree with him that the Grail is horribly inaccurate (it amuses me that the Holy See disapproves of the NRSV for inaccuracies when the Grail is more of a paraphrase than a translation). He calls the Grail a "Humpty dumpty sat on a wall" translation--refering to the "dumpty dumpity dumpty dump" rhythm.

And some of the settings of the responses--though beautiful--are a little tricky to learn and repeat after only one hearing, especially if you don't have the music in front of you.

Nevertheless, I take his intervention as an endorsement for continuing the tradition of 1pm lunchtime sung masses on Fridays in Melbourne at St Patrick's Cathedral. Come and have a sing-a-long with us!

World Youth Day Song: "Receive the Power"

2007-07-21T00:14:00.000+10:00

Sorry that it has been so long since I posted on this blog. I guess no-one reads it anyway, so you probably didn't miss me.

Anyway, while I was on holiday, the text of the World Youth Day song "Receive the Power" was finally revealed, and your correspondent was, well, frankly, under-whelmed.

You can see a video-clip and hear the song on the World Youth Day page and download the text and the music from here. Here's the text:

1. Every nation, every tribe,
come together to worship You.
In Your presence we delight,
we will follow to the ends of the earth.

Chorus
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Receive the Power, from the Holy Spirit!
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Receive the Power to be a light unto the world!

2. As Your Spirit calls to rise
we will answer and do Your Will.
We’ll forever testify
of Your mercy and unfailing love.

Chorus

Bridge
Lamb of God, we worship You,
Holy One, we worship You,
Bread of Life, we worship You,
Emmanuel, we worship You.
Lamb of God, we worship You,
Holy One, we worship You,
Bread of Life, we worship You,
Emmanuel, we will sing forever.

Chorus

Now before I go any further, I should point out that I don't particularly want to cross swords with my one time catechist and cherished friend, Bishop Anthony Fisher, who has written a masterful "theological reflection" on the song. But I will say that I wish that the song he describes in this reflection had been written rather than the one with which we are actually faced. I will get to Bishop Anthony's reflection in a minute. Let's look at the text.

Those of you who have visited this blog before have seen my "criteria" for assessing the value of a Catholic liturgical song or hymn (if not, click here and read them). Let's run the WYD song through some of these criteria:

1) Is it focused on God?Is it a song about or addressed to God rather than a song about or addressed to ourselves?

Yes, there is a strong focus on God. The song borrows heavily from the style common in evangelical/pentecostal circles, and hence is strong on "adoration" (which is worship addressed in the second person to God, as opposed to "praise" which is when we address others about the great things God has done, speaking about God in the third person). There is some lack of clarity ast to which person of the Holy Trinity we are addressing--something which only becomes clear in the "bridge" (we are addressing the Son, Jesus Christ), but at least it is a song about God addressed to God rather than about ourselves.

At least, this is the case in the VERSES. Catholic readers of this blog will be very familiar with that schizophrenic scourge of Catholic liturgical song: the song in which we pretend to be God singing to us (for an example, see the text of "Come as you are"). A slight variation is the song in which the verses are God singing to us and the chorus is us singing to God (eg. "Here I am, Lord"). "Receive the Power" falls into the latter trap. The verses are addressed to Christ, but the chorus is Christ addressing us. Bishop Anthony seems to think this is a good thing: He says:

In the chorus the Risen Christ addresses the young people of the world ...In the verses the young people respond

Only the Risen Christ isn't singing the chorus to us--we are singing it to ourselves. The old schizophrenia enters by the back doors...

2) Is it true? Does it express the Catholic faith? Is what it says about God true? Is what it says about us (and others) true? Does it name God truthfully? Does what it says agree with the Catholic faith?

Well, it's true enough. There are nice phrases in the bridge, reminiscent of the Gloria in Excelsis. But there isn't much here tht you could really build a theology on, is there? There's a lot of hints, but rather than explicitly conveying a particular theology, you really have to have your theology well formed beforehand (as Bishop Anthony certainly does) to be able to read into it all the "depths of meaning" to which it may hint (as Bishop Anthony certainly does in his reflection).

3) Is it singable?Can it be sung without accompaniment? Does it avoid difficult timing? (eg. strange or inconsistent rhythms, notes tied over bars etc.) Does it have a memorable melody?

Um. No. My guess: everyone will have completely forgotten this song by the time the next WYD comes around. Moreover, I predict that it will never, ever, ever be included in any Catholic hymnal or collection of liturgical songs. Ever. It is too slow, too "quiet", nowhere near rousing enough for a "anthem". No strong beat or rhythm. Lots of "oohs" and "oh yeahs" that have no place at all. It's a soloist's song--which is, I guess, why they have Guy Sebastian singing it. It isn't a congregation song. God knows how a crowd of 500,000 or so are going to sing it. What they will get is 500,000 people watching Guy Sebastian sing it and cheering and clapping--but as if for a performance rather than joining in. And can you really imagine Papa Benny joining in singing this one??????????

4) If the text is not a scriptural or liturgical text, does it have dignity as poetry apart from the music?
Does is avoid trite or clichéd language, bad English, inverted word order? If the text is liturgical or scriptural, does it accurately represent the original text?

Well, Bishop Anthony thinks one of its strong points is that it is "scriptural". But there is a lot more to a song being truly "scriptural" than simply cutting and pasting phrases from scripture and setting them to music. Christian Hymnody in the past--Catholic and Protestant and Orthodox--has always been "scriptural", but has been the result of meditation upon scripture, of the author of the song internalising scripture and then returning it God as adoration or praise.

5) Does the song have lasting merit? Does it show every indication that it will continue to be used? Will teaching the song be a lasting investment? ie. will it be of use for their future spiritual/communal worship lives? Indicator: is the song often included in independently edited hymnbooks and collections of songs?

I have already indicated that I think the answer to all these questions is a resounding "NO".

As I said above, I wish the song that was written was the song that Bishop Anthony describes in his "theological reflection". I think he is being incredibly charitable to this piece of music. It isn't awful. It's passable. But that's just the point. It's here today, but tomorrow it will have passed. Surely Australia could have come up with something better?

Music Program for Ascension Sunday

2007-05-17T20:27:00.000+10:00

At my local parish, I am leading music this Sunday. Here is my intended program. Keep in mind that I have no accompaniment (volunteers will be gladly accepted!).

Entrance Song: Clap your hands all you peoples (John Bell, TIS 29, Wild Goose Publications)

Psalm 47 (46): God mounts his throne to shouts of joy, to shouts of joy (Text: Grail, Tune: Christopher Wilcock, Source: Psalms For Feasts and Seasons (Collins Dove)

Gospel Acclamation: (using the same music as the antiphon for the psalm) Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
Go and teach all people my gospel.
I am with you always, until the end of the world.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

Offertory: Recorder Music (my voice on its own can get a bit monotonous after a while--so I am told, anyway...)

Eucharistic Prayer: Glastonbury Mass (an “echo” Mass setting) (Setting: Christopher Walker)

Communion: Alleluia, Sing to Jesus (Text: W. C. Dix, Tune: Hyfrydol, Source: Together in Song 517; no copyright) In my opinion, you can't have Ascension without this hymn.

Recession: Hail Redeemer, King divine (Text: Patrick Brennan) The single best known Catholic hymn in Australia (discounting "Come as you are"). Again, they might not like traditional hymns in my parish, but be blowed if our kids should grow up not knowing this old classic.

John Bell's Songs

2007-05-17T20:22:00.000+10:00

Over on my usual blog (Sentire Cum Ecclesia) there is a discussion of John Bell's theology/ideology and his songs. Some commentators felt a little less positive than me about the merits of his songs and have given several caveats--especially about "Will you come and follow me" and "Sing Hey for the Carpenter).

Yes, all these caveats I share. Nevertheless his songs are not universally awful and and his poetry is regularly brilliant even if you don't agree with his sentiments. Especially clever is the way in which he uses traditional folk tunes that are very singable (compared to your average Haugen or Haas composition anyway).

I like (and I give Together in Song references):

+ "In you, O Lord, I found refuge" TIS 19 (A version of Psalm 31, and one of the only tunes I know to which the Hail Mary can be sung)

+ "Just as a lost and thirsty deer" TIS 26 (a version of Psalm 42, and a brilliantly plaintive tune)

+ "Clap your hands all you nations" TIS 29 (a good one for Ascension, a version of Psalm 47)

+ "Sing to God with joy and gladness" TIS 92 (a version of psalm 147)

+ "No wind at the window" TIS 287 (An annunciation hymn to a traditional irish tune)

+ "Christmas is coming" TIS 289 (An Advent Wreath lighting song--great for the kids)

+ "Who is the baby an hour or two old?" TIS 325 (a good Christmas carol)

+ "Pull back the viel" TIS 326 (A Christmas/Easter song that is a little bit daring, but not heretical, and has a terrific tune)

+ "Funny kind of night" TIS 329 (I don't recommend the words, which are a bit "funny", but the tune is tops and I have arranged the proper words of the Gloria in Excelsis to it -- email me if you want the full score -- for Christmas eve which works a treat)

+ "God beyond glory" TIS 678 (quite a good wedding hymn)

Then, of course, there are those that I wouldn't go near with a 40 foot barge pole, such as "She sits like a bird" TIS 418, a Pentecost Hymn that images the Holy Spirit in feminine form. Just too heterodox for words (It's a great tune, though.)

Interestingly, Together in Song has neither "Will you come and follow me" nor "Sing Hey for the Carpenter".

Music programme for 2nd Sunday after Easter

2007-04-12T09:49:00.000+10:00

The readings for the 2nd Sunday after Easter ("Low Sunday") are always the same: focusing on our Lord's appearance to St Thomas. Over the past few years I have settled on a the following programme for this day which works well in your average parish:

Entrance (and Recessional) Song: Alleluia, Alleluia, give thanks to the Risen Lord (Donald Fishel © Word of God)

Gloria: Taize setting. Taize doesn't have a full setting of the Gloria, but I use the ostinato response "Gloria I" with verses I have set to music for "Miserere Mei" from Psalm 24(25). (See Music from Taize Vol. I).

Psalm 118 (117): Give thanks to the Lord for he is good; his love is everlasting! (Setting by Howard L. Hughes, ©1984 WLP, published in Psalms and Ritual Music: Music for the Liturgy of the Word, Year C)

Gospel Acclamation (to the tune: O Filii et Filiae):
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia
How blest are they who have not seen,
and yet whose faith has constant been,
for they eternal life shall win. Alleluia.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

Offertory: Now the Green Blade rises

Communion: O Sons and Daughters

Psalm 18 (17) : In my distress I called to the Lord, and he heard my voice (Friday in 5th Week of Lent)

2007-03-30T12:07:00.000+10:00

Here is my setting of the response for the Psalm for today, which I will be leading in St Patrick's Cathedral here in Melbourne.

Singing at Mass on 4th Sunday in Lent Year C

2007-03-16T23:49:00.000+11:00

I'm on the roster again this week in my local parish. All inspired by Sacramentum Caritatis, imagining Gregorian Chant and music fitting for the great mystery of the Mass, I now have to come down a notch or two to the real world.

So, here's what I've chosen for Mass on Sunday and why:

1) Opening Song: Hosea (Gather Australia 213, by Gregory Norbet).

Yep, I know that chosing this one breaks just about all my own personal rules for chosing a parish repertoire--especially the rule about not using songs that have Us pretending to be God singing to Us. So why have I chosen it? It's well known, it was used by the group on the roster last week, it fits with the readings.

2) Psalm: Psalm 34 (33) "Taste and see the goodness of the Lord" (setting by Fr Chris Willcock SJ).

This one is an Australian classic. It is a very dignified, simple and noble settiing.

3) Gospel acclamation: Bernadette Farrell's "Praise to you, O Christ our Saviour", chorus and verse.

4) Offertory song: "Lord, to whom shall we go?" by Michael Herry (As One Voice Vol 1, no. 6)

I like Herry's stuff. It is as good as Taize. Again, simple and dignified. This one is Eucharistic and picks up the themes in both the Old Testament reading and the Gospel.

5) Eucharistic Setting: Christopher Walker's Glastonbury Mass (Published in Music for the Mass, vol. 1 by Geoffrey Chapman)

This is a simple responsive setting, which works well given that I have no accompaniment. By the way, our new priest has decided that we should really have only three parish mass settings at the most. I tend to agree. Just which three will he chose and on whose advice though? It would be a good exercise to see what three readers of this blog would choose. If I had my own way? I would see to it that the parish knew at least one simple Gregorian setting (similar to that which is printed in our missals). Then probably the Jubilee Mass or Mass Shalom, since these are just about universal in Australia. And then it would be by popular vote which came next.

6) Communion Hymn: "Taste and See God's Love for us" (Deidre Browne and Kevin Lenehan, Gather Australia 203)

This is a Eucharistic repeating refrain with verses sung over the top. I agree with those who believe that the communion hymn should be simple for folk to be able to sing as they are processing to receive communion.

7) Amazing Grace.

Yes, go ahead, groan. Its not my favourite hymn either, but it is a favourite of lots of folk, and (get this) we NEVER sing classical style hymns at my local parish. So I am sneeking this one in at the end just for the sake of singing something that's more than 40 years old. I am sure that Pope Benedict did not have this hymn in mind when he was talking about the 2000 year old patrimony of the Church's music, but it's there anyway. And it fits with the story of the prodigal son. By the way, we change the second line from "a wretch like me" to "and set me free".

Psalm 81 (80): I am the Lord your God; Hear my voice

2007-03-15T19:24:00.000+11:00

Here is the antiphon I have prepared for Mass this Friday (3rd Week in Lent) in the Cathedral.

Sacramentum Caritatis for singers!

2007-03-15T19:01:00.000+11:00

There is joy for the musical in the Holy Father's latest apostolic exhortation "Sacramentum Caritatis". Here it is:

42. In the ars celebrandi, liturgical song has a pre-eminent place. (126) Saint Augustine rightly says in a famous sermon that "the new man sings a new song. Singing is an expression of joy and, if we consider the matter, an expression of love" (127). The People of God assembled for the liturgy sings the praises of God. In the course of her two-thousand-year history, the Church has created, and still creates, music and songs which represent a rich patrimony of faith and love. This heritage must not be lost. Certainly as far as the liturgy is concerned, we cannot say that one song is as good as another. Generic improvisation or the introduction of musical genres which fail to respect the meaning of the liturgy should be avoided. As an element of the liturgy, song should be well integrated into the overall celebration (128). Consequently everything – texts, music, execution – ought to correspond to the meaning of the mystery being celebrated, the structure of the rite and the liturgical seasons (129). Finally, while respecting various styles and different and highly praiseworthy traditions, I desire, in accordance with the request advanced by the Synod Fathers, that Gregorian chant be suitably esteemed and employed (130) as the chant proper to the Roman liturgy (131).

62. None of the above observations should cast doubt upon the importance of such large-scale liturgies. I am thinking here particularly of celebrations at international gatherings, which nowadays are held with greater frequency. The most should be made of these occasions. In order to express more clearly the unity and universality of the Church, I wish to endorse the proposal made by the Synod of Bishops, in harmony with the directives of the Second Vatican Council, (182) that, with the exception of the readings, the homily and the prayer of the faithful, such liturgies could be celebrated in Latin. Similarly, the better-known prayers (183) of the Church's tradition should be recited in Latin and, if possible, selections of Gregorian chant should be sung. Speaking more generally, I ask that future priests, from their time in the seminary, receive the preparation needed to understand and to celebrate Mass in Latin, and also to use Latin texts and execute Gregorian chant; nor should we forget that the faithful can be taught to recite the more common prayers in Latin, and also to sing parts of the liturgy to Gregorian chant. (184)

There is also little note about the Post-Communion Hymn which supports the general gist of Elizabeth Harrington's advice, and yet corrects her to a certain degree also:

Furthermore, the precious time of thanksgiving after communion should not be neglected: besides the singing of an appropriate hymn, it can also be most helpful to remain recollected in silence. (152)

Psalm 105 (104) - Remember the Marvels the Lord has Done

2007-03-09T11:25:00.000+11:00

Here is an antiphon for Psalm 105 (104). It is set down for today, the Friday in the Second Week of Lent. I will use it in the Cathedral today at 1pm mass after the Stations of the Cross.

Psalm 130 - If you, O Lord, should mark our guilt, who could endure it?

2007-03-02T14:13:00.000+11:00

Here is the psalm setting for Psalm 130 (Psalm 129 in the old money) which I prepared for singing in the Cathedral today. It is based on Martin Luther's Chorale "Aus Tiefer Not", which is, I think, one of the most poignant renditions of this psalm in the Church's history.

What to do when you are complimented

2007-02-24T10:29:00.000+11:00

I find it really difficult when people come up to me and say "You sang really well", or "Thank you for singing at mass today". It is as my singing has become the focus of their attention instead of their singing to God. I feel a little defeated by this, because in that case I feel that I have failed in my objective.

This week, I led the singing of Willcock's setting of Psalm 51 at mass twice in the Cathedral. Each time it got responses. I said "Well, Chris Willcock has written a very beautiful setting" or, on another occasion, I led the discussion into what the psalm was about.

Sometimes, when complimented, I just have to say "Thank you".

Singing at St Bernadette's for 1st Sunday in Lent Yr C

2007-02-20T23:43:00.000+11:00

I'm leading the singing this Sunday (1st Sunday in Lent, Year C) in my local parish. Here's the program I propose to use:

Opening: A Trusting Psalm (Kevin Bates, As One Voice I:115)
Psalm: Marty Haugen's "Be with me, Lord" (Psalm 91) (Gather Australia 53)
Offertory: Give us hearts renewed (Michael Herry, "Song of the Pilgrim")
Communion: Gregory Norbet's "Heal me, O God" (As One Voice Vol II:52) - just the chorus I think.
Closing: On Eagle's Wings (Michael Joncas, TIS 48 / Gather Australia 452)

The setting for the liturgy I use is a responsorial one (the people sing after me), Christopher Walker's Glastonbury Mass (taken from Music for the Mass edited by Geoffrey Boulton Smith).

Yes, I know that none of this is classical Catholic. Quite the opposite. But each piece has the following benefits:
1) They are easy to sing (well, Eagle's Wings can be tricky if you follow Joncas' suggested timing, but easy if you don't!) and fairly familiar to our crowd
2) The passages are fairly scriptural, and all are focused on God
3) there is a good link up with the scripture readings for the day and with the beginning of Lent
4) none of these contain any heresy.

Ash Wednesday at St Patrick's Cathedral

2007-02-20T22:59:00.000+11:00

There will be singing at St Pat's at the 1pm mass tomorrow. I am just planning it out at the moment.

The Psalm is the easy bit. Chris Willcock SJ's Psalm 51 is mandatory (cf. Psalms for Feasts and Seasons or TIS 32.)

We will use the entrance antiphon as it is in the missal, set to "Make me a channel of your peace", with the people using "You are the Lord our God" as a refrain.

During the signing with the ashes, I think I will use Michael Herry's "Give us hearts renewed" (from "Song of the Pilgrim"), which is short and repetitive. I have been looking at the "antiphons" that are suggested in the missal for singing during the signing, but I have no idea (at this point) how to sing them. Some work and research needed there. There is also a "responsory" listed, but again, no suggestion of how to use it. Mons Elliot, in his Ceremonies of the Liturgical Year, simply says that "during the imposition the antiphons or appropriate penitential hymns are sung."

I think we will use "O Lord throughout these forty days" as the communion hymn. It is possible that you do not know this hymn. It is probably more current among Lutherans than among Catholics, but there is no reason why Catholics should not sing it. And it has a common metre 8.6.8.6 so it can be sung to a whole range of tunes. Lutherans use "Caithness", but you could use "Amazing Grace" or "Crimond"--though probably not advisable. Better would be "Belair" or "Tallis' Ordinal". In fact, I think I will use the latter (TIS 397). Here is the text based on an original by Claudia F. Hernaman (d. 1898) and Gilbert E. Doan.

1. O Lord, throughout these forty days
You prayed and kept the fast;
Inspire repentance for our sin,
And free us from our past.

2. You strove with Satan, and you won;
Your faithfulness endured;
give us your strength, your skill and trust
In God's eternal Word.

3. Though parched and hungry, yet you prayed
And fixed your mind above;
So teach us to deny ourselves
Since we have known God's love.

4. Be with us through this season, Lord,
And all our earthly days,
That when the final Easter dawns,
We join in heaven's praise.

Psalm 93 (92) - The Lord is King: He is Robed in Majesty

2007-02-19T14:32:00.000+11:00

As I have mentioned before, I sometimes cantor in St Patrick's Cathedral at the 1pm Mass (regularly on Fridays, but other times on occasion). This afternoon we had Psalm 93 (or Psalm 92 in the old money), with the refrain "The Lord is King; He is robed in majesty". It isn't always easy to find a setting for the week day psalms, and when I do, I don't always like them. So I often make one up.

When making up music for the antiphon, it has to be catchy enough for the crowd to catch on one hearing (especially where there is no accompaniment). I believe that the best rule for this is if the music imitates the rhythm and pitch at which the spoken voice would speak the line. Saying the antiphon over and over to yourself you can usually hear the "tune" behind it.

Here is the way I sang this psalm this afternoon. You will get what I mean.

I need an Accompanist for Mass at The Basin

2007-02-17T11:28:00.000+11:00

I know its pretty pointless putting this on my blog, since very few people actually read it, but I need an accomapanist for when I cantor/lead singing at mass at St Bernadette's in The Basin. I sing there on the last Sunday of the month, and at the moment do it unaccompanied. I had a great guitarist, Warren, who played for me for years, here and at Our Lady's at Ringwood, but he has, literally, gotten himself a wife and there are other priorities in his life now.

So if you can help me out or know someone who can... Just drop me a line.

Stations of the Cross in the Cathedral During Lent

2007-02-17T11:23:00.000+11:00

I have already blogged that we sing the liturgy on Fridays at 1pm Mass in St Patrick's Cathedral. Now, during Lent, there will be an added attraction: Stations of the Cross each Friday before mass at 12:30pm. With Adoration after Mass, this means Melbourne based Catholics can really make Friday's a focus of their Lenten devotion.

Yesterday, at our little "sung Mass", we had a marriage blessing. The elderly Italian couple had been married in the Cathedral 50 years ago to the day. More remarkably, they have been living back in Italy for the last 41 years, and came out to Australia again specifically so that they could go to Mass at St Patrick's and have their marriage blessed again. It was sooo cute. So was Monsignor Baron's rather Ocker Italian!

My 10 Commandments for Forming A Parish Repertoire

2007-02-13T21:24:00.000+11:00

I always say that everyone is entitled to my own opinion. So here it is. How to form a truly Catholic parish repertoire. Just the ten rules for now to wet your appetite. I will elaborate later on.

First: Four rules for judging a good Catholic liturgical hymn or song

1) Is it focused on God?
Is it a song about or addressed to God rather than a song about or addressed to ourselves?

2) Is it true?
Does it express the Catholic faith? Is what it says about God true? Is what it says about us (and others) true? Does it name God truthfully? Does what it says agree with the Catholic faith?

3) Is it singable?
Can it be sung without accompaniment? Does it avoid difficult timing? (eg. strange or inconsistent rhythms, notes tied over bars etc.) Does it have a memorable melody?

4) If the text is not a scriptural or liturgical text, does it have dignity as poetry apart from the music?
Does is avoid trite or clichéd language, bad English, inverted word order? If the text is liturgical or scriptural, does it accurately represent the original text?

Second: Four Aims for building a good Parish repertoire

5) Aim to build up a broad range of theological / liturgical / ritual / seasonal themes suitable for all occasions.
Especially: Advent/Christmas/Epiphany, Lent/Passion/Easter, Pentecost/Confirmation, Eucharist/First Communion, Penance/First Confession, Saints Days, Graduation, School festivals, Entrance, Offertory, Eucharist, Sending out, Asperges, etc.

6) Aim to build up a repertoire of song that represents examples from every stage of the historical heritage of the Church.
Eg. Gregorian/plainchant, Latin hymnody, German chorales, Victorian hymns, Twentieth Century song, Carols, etc.

7) Aim to build up a repertoire of song that represents broad geographical/cultural origins, but reflective of and faithful to our own cultural heritage.
Eg. English, Celtic, European, Local Australian material (if it meets the criteria for a good song); African, Latin, Asian, American, Islander depending on the local community. (nb. Can be a bit false to impose songs of a foreign culture or heritage.)

8) Aim to build up a repertoire of song that represents a broad range of styles
Eg. Chants, Responsorial, Hymns, Songs, Choruses, Rounds, Echos, etc.

Two footnotes before deciding to introduce or encourage the use of a song

9) Does the song have lasting merit?
Has it been in continual use and does it show every indication that it will continue to be used? Will teaching the song be a lasting investment? ie. will it be of use for their future spiritual/communal worship lives? Indicator: is the song often included in independently edited hymnbooks and collections of songs?

10) Is the song widely known?
Widely = in Catholic circles, ecumenically, nationally or internationally. Will teaching the song equip the people for worshipping elsewhere other than in our local Parish and School? Will it bind them in unity with other Catholics/Christians? Indicator is same as above: Is the song often included hymnbooks and collections of songs of other dioceses, denominations and countries?

"When the Spear of Sin and Pride": A hymn to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

2007-02-13T21:04:00.000+11:00

This is one of the few hymns I have written since becoming Catholic. I used it first at Our Lady's Church in Ringwood where I was music coordinator for several years under the admirable Fr Gregory Pritchard (now in charge of the charred St Joseph's at Chelsea).

The tune is a simple folksong ("Parsley sage rosemary and thyme"--made famous by Simon and Garfunkel). John Bell of the Iona Community is really good at doing this sort of thing. It works well, because the tune is dignified and familiar, but is also fresh in that it hasn't been used for a spiritual song before as far as I know.

I wrote a much longer version of this hymn, which draws on the tradition of the seven sacraments flowing from the side of Christ (Catechism 766, 1225), but I never quite got it right. I will post it when I do.

Tune: Scarborough Fair (Hymns Old and New 485)
7.7.7.7

1. When the spear of sin and pride
forced a wound in Jesus' side,
John saw blood and water flow
from his heart to earth below.

2. Living water, fount of life,
Welling up from deep inside,
Streaming from the throne of the Lamb
Healing every race and land.

3. From his heart flows precious blood,
Filled with life, a saving flood,
Flowing in baptismal streams
Where we wash our garments clean.

© David Schütz

Commentary/Biblical references:
Verse 1: John 19:34 Blood and water from his side, pierced by the spear, wounded by the sin of the world (They shall look upon him whom they have pierced)
Verse 2. Fount of life (John 7:38), Living water, the river of life (Ezekiel 47, Revelation 22:1) flowing from the temple, the city of God, the throne of the lamb, for the healing of the nations.
Verse 3: The elect wash their robes in the blood of Christ and make themselves clean (Rev 7:14) (Rock of Ages: "Foul, I too the fountain fly; wash, me Saviour, or I die.")

Elizabeth Harrington on the Timing of the Communion Hymn

2007-02-12T14:57:00.000+11:00

I generally find Elizabeth Harrington's column "Liturgy Lines", on the website of The Liturgical Commission to be a good read. Her notes are generally balanced. Nevertheless there is occasionally something to be picky about, and her current column "The Timing of The Communion Hymn" is a case in point.

Her basic argument is that all the other songs in the liturgy (excluding the singing of the responsorial Psalm which is a separate category) a company a liturgical action from the beginning to the end of that action. And so, she says, it should be with the Communion hymn: "According to the liturgy documents [GIRM #86], the communion song begins while the priest is receiving the Sacrament, and continues for as long as the Sacrament is being administered to the faithful." She then raises the question of why this is not the practice in most parishes. "Delaying the song," she asserts, "encourages people to adopt an attitude of individual quiet reflection at this point rather than the union of spirit and joy of heart appropriate to this rite." The place for silence is after communion, when the people "pray to God in their hearts" [GIRM # 45].

Things are awfully confused with regard to GIRM at the moment. Bishop Kevin Manning has been doing a series on the National Council of Priests website on the newly promulgated 2000 GIRM, but as he notes we are awaiting upon the American ICEL translation being accepted before the Australian adaptions can be made. The fact that the 2003 ICEL translation wasn't accepted has been holding up the works.

Nevertheless, as far as I can gather, it is to this version that Elizabeth is referring in her quotations. There we read:

45. Sacred silence also, as part of the celebration, is to be observed at the designated times. ...After Communion, they praise and pray to God in their hearts.

86. While the priest is receiving the Sacrament, the Communion chant is begun. Its purpose is to express the communicants’ union in spirit by means of the unity of their voices, to show joy of heart, and to highlight more clearly the “communitarian” nature of the procession to receive Communion. The singing is continued for as long as the Sacrament is being administered to the faithful.

But we continue to read:

If, however, there is to be a hymn after Communion, the Communion chant should be ended in a timely manner. Care should be taken that singers, too, can receive Communion with ease.

So what to make of this?

There is some confusion in the practice of the church between the singing of the Communion "chant" in the singing of the Communion hymn. Paragraphs 86 seems to bear out that there is a distinction to be made. (Latin: Si tamen hymnus post Communionem habetur, cantus ad Communionem tempestive claudatur.)

In our missals we can all see something called a "communion antiphon". From my understanding this is the response or antiphon to what should be a Communion psalm. It is similar to the "entrance antiphon", and to the response in the responsorial Psalm. This is what I believe is referred to in GIRM 86 as the Communion chant. Unfortunately it is hardly ever sung, mainly because we have never been given any way of singing at as a congregation. Because we do not sing the antiphon, we tend to replace it with a hymn. Then it becomes confused with what in paragraph 86 is called "a hymn after Communion".

Contrary to what Elizabeth writes, GIRM is therefore quite happy for there to be a hymn after communion instead of the period of silence. This is one way in which people can " praise and pray to God" not only in their hearts but also with their voices.

So to answer the question why we do not always begin the Communion hymn at the moment of the priest's communion, we can give the number of decent and respectable answers:

1) Most practically, because often the musicians commune first before beginning a lengthy song. The new GIRM permits this when it says "Care should be taken that singers, too, can receive Communion with ease". They could indeed commune at the end of the Communion, but this would necessitate the Communion singing to end before the procession had ended--which is also contrary to paragraph 86 if you want to read it strictly.

2) Elizabeth quite rightly identifies the other main reason for not having a Communion hymn start right at the beginning of the Communion procession: the fact that it is difficult for people to both sing and move at the same time if they required the words of the song in front of them. Her suggestions of singing a well-known hymn or a song with an easily memorised response are sensible. But it does seem to me that GIRM does not insist on singing to take place at Communion (cf our weekday masses), and the same time to allow singing to take place after everybody has completed communion.

May be the happiest solution to all of this is that we simply find an easy way of singing the communion antiphon. Here I have some suggestions:

1) Just about every antiphon can be sung to the tune of "Make Me a Channel of Your Peace". I know it sounds silly but try it actually works. We do this occasionally in the Cathedral. The Cantor sings it through once at the priests communion, the people then repeat it. They can usually do this before getting out of their seats to get into the Communion procession. This can be done unaccompanied.

2) The musicians can then be the first in the line for communion, and be back at their places to lead the singing of the Communion hymn as the communion procession gets going. The Communion hymn could be a simple psalm with the response, or a Taize chant, or even one of the many simple chants by Michael Herry, or Iona Community, or what not.

3) on the other hand, once the antiphon has been sung, the Communion could take place in silence and a more substantial eucharistic him to be sung at the end of communion.

My final beef with Elizabeth's column is her suggestion that "Songs that focus on adoration or 'me' are not appropriate." I fully agree with her that songs that focus on "me" are never appropriate in the liturgy, but are not quite sure why she wants to cut out songs that are "adoration" (ie. Songs that focus on God!) unless she means more specifically those songs that are more suitable for benediction and eucharistic exposition. The only other alternative would seem to be songs that focus on "US". And this we want to avoid at all costs: we have more than enough songs already in the liturgy that sing about what we are doing rather than what God is doing.

It's about time that we had some really decent Communion songs to sing during the procession, songs that focus not on me or us, but upon the body and blood of the Lord which we are receiving as we sing.

Friday singing in the Cathedral

2007-02-09T10:52:00.000+11:00

Today is Friday, so there's singing in St Patrick's Cathedral at lunchtime today (1pm mass). This practice began quite by chance early last year, when I happened to be doing the readings and Dean (Monsignor!) Baron was doing the liturgy. I knew the psalm, so I decided to sing it--and that must have inspired the Dean, because he then led us in singing the rest of the mass. He has a very pleasant chanting voice, and chants very naturally. Since then, we have agreed to have singing at mass on all Fridays (exposition afterwards until 3pm), and on all major festivals when we have a hymn or two also. This is done completely unaccompanied by any musical instrument. The strength of the singing shows that Catholics CAN sing, and that all is needed is a little enthusiasm, the willingness to have a go, and the desire to lift up your voices and not just your hearts to the Lord!

Psalms of David: Psalm 90:1-17

2007-02-09T10:34:00.000+11:00

Many years ago when I was parish pastor of the Lutheran Churches in Knox, Frankston and Berwick in Melbourne, I tried to get the folk singing psalms by paraphrasing the psalm for the day into metrical hymns to be sung to well known tunes. There is a long tradition of this in reformed Christianity, but it is fairly unknown in the Catholic Church. (In fact, it is prohibited to replace the responsorial psalm used in the liturgy with a paraphrase.) Over the years, I did a fair few of these, and many of them were published in the Lutheran Worship Resources, and every now and again I hear of one of them being sung about the traps.

Anyway, this following hymn is one of the better examples of the genre. It is a popular metre and can be sung to many tunes, including the ever popular "Ode to Joy", but for the best effect, use the Haugen tune I have suggested. Nb. On no account ever use the words that Haugen wrote for this tune. Pure pantheism which has more in common with American Indian spirituality than Christianity.

PSALM 90:1-17 Tune: Haugen's “Song at the Centre”, Gather Australia 399 or As One Voice, Vol. 2, No. 74; otherwise Hyfrydol TIS 233, Friend LH 426, or Austria TIS 93
8.7.8.7D

1. Lord, throughout all generations,
you have been our dwelling place,
long before the birth of mountains,
long before the world was made,
you were God then, now and ever,
everlasting still the same,
but one word returns us mortals
back to dust from whence we came.

2. For a thousand years of history
are as nothing in your sight,
they’re like yesterday now passing,
like an hour in the night;
they are swept away on waking
like a dream at break of day,
they’re like grass that grows in morning,
and in evening fades away.

3. Lord, your angry indignation
has consumed us all with fear,
for our sin and our transgression
by your light has been made clear.
Lord, your wrath has been our burden,
as our short lives pass away.
All our lives are filled with suff’ring,
and our years end with a sigh.

4. We may live for seven decades--
if we’re strong, then maybe eight--
but their span is grief and sorrow
when they’re gone, we fade away.
Yet before your mighty anger,
should we not all be afraid?
So that we might have true wisdom,
teach us how to count our days.

5. Turn, O Lord, and have compassion!
How long will your people wait?
Fill our hunger in the morning
with your steadfast love and grace,
so that we may rise rejoicing
and be glad through all our days.
For as long as we have suffered,
give us joy and happiness.

6. Let the work of your salvation
be made plain in human sight;
show your people and their children
the great splendour of your might.
Let your blessing and your favour
be on us, O Lord our God:
bless our passing small achievements
with your everlasting word.

"Rest me in Jesus" (based on Thomas a Kempis)

2007-02-08T09:30:00.000+11:00

This is probably the very first hymn that I ever wrote, more than 25 years ago. In many ways, it remains my favourite. It is a paraphrase of a passage from the "Imitation of Christ" by Thomas a Kempis (III:21).

To be sung to Monksgate (TIS 561)
65.65.6665

1. Above all things my soul
must rest in Jesus.
In everything my soul
must rest in Jesus.
Help me, my loving Lord,
to take you at your word.
Let nothing be preferred
to rest in Jesus.

2. Beyond my body’s health,
rest me in Jesus.
Beyond all earthly wealth,
rest me in Jesus.
Beyond all fame and power,
all honour of the hour,
all passions that devour,
rest me in Jesus.

3. Above all gifts desired,
rest me in Jesus.
Above all hopes inspired,
rest me in Jesus.
Above all promises,
all comforts in distress,
all dreams of happiness,
rest me in Jesus.

4. I cannot be content,
except in Jesus.
Grant me my heart’s intent
to rest in Jesus.
You made us for your will
and we are restless still
in everything until
we rest in Jesus.

© David Schütz

"In the Deserts of this Barren World": A wedding hymn based on John 15

2007-02-06T22:05:00.000+11:00

I wrote this for a friend's wedding. There should be more wedding hymns which have profound texts and familiar simple tunes that people who never sing can sing when they come to a wedding.

To be sung to THAXTED by Gustav Holst
15.15.15.15.15.15

1 In the deserts of this barren world
where joys are all postponed,
we would seek to bear the fruit of love
we cannot bear alone.
Though the sands of time are shifting,
we would seek a steadfast way
where our hearts may dwell together,
abide, remain and stay.
And when all life-giving springs and streams
lie empty, dry and drained,
we would seek a new commanding word
to give us life again.

2 There was one who said,
"Abide in me, as I abide in you;
as my Father has shown love to me,
so I have loved you too.
Now I give you my commandment,
as my Father gave to me:
give your lives for one another,
and let your love be free.
And whatever you may ask through me,
he'll give you from above,
so your joy will be complete and you
will bear the fruit of love."

© 2003, David Schütz. You have permission to use this hymn, but please acknowledge me as the author and owner of the words.

Welcome to my new blog!

2007-02-06T21:27:00.000+11:00

I have long wanted to strike a blow for singing in the Catholic Church: to give my two bobs worth on the matter of congrational/liturgical song--and to have an avenue for publishing my own doggeral and jottings. So welcome to "Sing Lustily and With Good Courage"! The title comes from John Wesley's instructions for singing in Select Hymns, 1761. I first encountered the phrase as the title of Maddy Prior's most excellent collection of 17th, 18th and 19th Century English hymns. Here's the full list of instructions:

I. Learn these tunes before you learn any others; afterwards learn as many as you please.

II. Sing them exactly as they are printed here, without altering or mending them at all; and if you have learned to sing them otherwise, unlearn it as soon as you can.

III. Sing all. See that you join with the congregation as frequently as you can. Let not a single degree of weakness or weariness hinder you. If it is a cross to you, take it up, and you will find it a blessing.

IV. Sing lustily and with good courage. Beware of singing as if you were half dead, or half asleep; but lift up your voice with strength. Be no more afraid of your voice now, nor more ashamed of its being heard, then when you sung the songs of Satan.

V. Sing modestly. Do not bawl, so as to be heard above or distinct from the rest of the congregation, that you may not destroy the harmony; but strive to unite your voices together, so as to make one clear melodious sound.

VI. Sing in time. Whatever time is sung be sure to keep with it. Do not run before nor stay behind it; but attend close to the leading voices, and move therewith as exactly as you can; and take care not to sing to slow. This drawling way naturally steals on all who are lazy; and it is high time to drive it out from us, and sing all our tunes just as quick as we did at first.

VII. Above all sing spiritually. Have an eye to God in every word you sing. Aim at pleasing him more than yourself, or any other creature. In order to do this attend strictly to the sense of what you sing, and see that your heart is not carried away with the sound, but offered to God continually; so shall your singing be such as the Lord will approve here, and reward you when he cometh in the clouds of heaven.

I dream of the day when Catholics will take a leaf out of the Wesleyan hymnbook and "sing lustily and with good courage".