"The greatest need of liturgy today is the restoration of the sense of the sacred," writes William Mahrt in his opening editorial to the Spring 2006 issue of Sacred Music (Volume 133, Number 1). The issue has arrived in the mailboxes of members, and is being made available for public download in the hope that readers will join our efforts by becoming members.

"Music has a principal role, since it expresses that sense of the sacred and sustains it through time."

"Whether it be Gregorian chant, classical polyphony, or more recently composed music, standards of artistic excellence, both in composition and in performance must be re-established and strengthened."

To that end, Professor Mahrt (Stanford University) introduces a new series of new studies on repertory appropriate to the new rite. The new issue features his own close examination of the Kyrie Orbis Factor as an excellent choice for parishes.

Kerry McCarthy writes on the motet by William Byrd "Ave Verum Corpus." Byrd offered his work to "true lovers of music" who "enjoy singing to God in hymns and spiritual songs." McCarthy reminds us that when this motet was written, public Catholic worship (and, for all practical purposes, singing in Latin) had been outlawed in England. Mass was celebrated in homes and private chapels. Byrd responded by cultivating a new kind of sacred music, tailored for small groups in an intimate atmosphere. For this reason, this motet belongs to the Renaissance tradition of domestic music making.

The lead article by Mahrt describes Gregorian chant as a paradigm of sacred music. He begins with a description of what makes sacred music different and why chant is the model to which all other sacred music is to be compared. He explains one aspect of why this is so by elucidating the meaning of four different Mass proper musical settings of a single Latin text. He shows how the music itself reflects the liturgical purpose of the chant in eliciting certain stages of spirituality that one experiences during the liturgy.

This issue also features to very important articles on the Ward Method of chant pedagogy for children. Amy Zuberbueler, who has experience as a teacher in this method, describes the origin and history of music instruction according to the Ward system. Gisbert Brandt, a chant instructor in Cologne, Germany, describes the method itself.

The address of Benedict XVI to the Choir of the Pontifical Chapel is printed in English translation, Duane Galle reports on a liturgy in honor of Msgr. Richard J. Schuler, and Kurt Poterack offers a perspective on the on-going work to reconcile the SSPX.

Sacred Music is sent to members of the Church Music Association of America. You can join the CMAA with a $30 annual contribution. Sacred Music is a continuation of Caecilia, published by the Society of St. Caecilia since 1874, and The Catholic Choirmaster, published by the Society of St. Gregory of America since 1915. It is published quarterly by CMAA.

This news release also available in PDF.

Here is the flyer for Holy Week liturgies assisted by the St. Ann Gregorian Choir, directed by CMAA President William Mahrt, at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, Palo Alto, California.

We would so much appreciate it if you could send the following article to your diocesan newspaper or anyone else you think would be interested in coming to the Sacred Music Colloquium 2006. We don't have a budget for advertising, so getting the word out about this extraordinary conference is up to those who care about beauty, Catholic liturgy, and the future. It is also available in a PDF edition.

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April 12, 2006, Washington, D.C. -- Gregorian Chant has been called the most beautiful music this side of Heaven. But as Pope Benedict XVI and the Second Vatican Council have emphasized, it is also integral to Catholic liturgical life and should be heard and experienced with wide participation in every parish.

The Church Music Association of America is working to bring about this ideal with its Summer Music Colloquium, June 20-25, 2006, held at the Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C.

The Colloquium features instruction in chant and the Catholic sacred music tradition, participation in chant and polyphonic choirs, nightly lectures and performances, along with daily celebrations of liturgies in both English and Latin at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.

Attendance is open to anyone interested in improving the quality of music in Catholic worship. Professional musicians will appreciate the rigor, while enthusiastic volunteer singers will enjoy the opportunity to study under an expert faculty.

Attendees also benefit from camaraderie with like-minded musicians who share their love of the liturgy of the Church.

It is the CMAA's 16th annual colloquium. Growing awareness and appreciation of chant and its solemnity has generated particular excitement about the conference this year.

"The greatest need of liturgy today is the restoration of the sense of the sacred," writes CMAA President William Mahrt of Stanford University. "Music has a principal role, since it expresses that sense of the sacred and sustains it through time."

The faculty for the week includes Professor Mahrt, who is also the new editor of the quarterly journal Sacred Music, chant instructor Amy Zuberbueler (Ward Center, San Antonio, Texas), schola conductor Scott Turkington (Stamford, Connecticut), music professor Kurt Poterack (Christendom College), choirmaster Horst Buchholz (Denver Philharmonic Orchestra), and the eminent Church musician Fr. Robert Skeris (Ward Center, CUA).

The cost of the conference, which includes room, board, and materials, is $485. A special day rate is available for $50. You can register online at www.musicasacra.com or write The Ward Center, Catholic University, Washington, D.C. 20064. contact: skeris@cua.edu

This very beautiful edition of the Kyriale Romanum was produced by the Tridentinische Messe Bonn at Nocturnale.de, and is made available through MusicaSacra.com by the CMAA with the permission of Daniel Johannes Hoehr. It is being made available at an improved download speed in the hope that it can be used by scholas, whole parishes, or for private study. You can return to this link or download it to your private library.

This story reports on music this week in Cincinatti, and while it may not be consistent with the ideal in every case, consider the progress. I can't recall music of this quality (Bruckner, Poulenc, Bach, Mozart) being so ubiquitous in year's past. Last year when we were doing a Tenebrae service, it seemed difficult to find information. This year, a Google on "Tenebrae liturgy" generates 50,000 hits. Our own cathedral is holding a service with Renaissance motets and Psalms.

While learning to become Catholic priests, a group of Assumption Seminary students have been ministering in an unexpected way: singing Gregorian chant.

They've been singing at weddings, concerts and even a recent ordination Mass for two deacons at San Fernando Cathedral, under the name Schola Cantorum, which is Latin for "School for Singing."

The Schola Cantorum is the only choir organized as such at the seminary, although all Assumption students belong to liturgy planning teams and participate in the singing during chapel services.

Ray McDaniel, seminarian and director, and Jonathan Wallis, another Fort Worth seminarian with musical training, organized the group in 2002 at the suggestion of fellow seminarians who knew of their background and wanted a good choir. Initially, 16 seminarians, mostly amateurs, joined them and began practicing with them.

Jonathan Felux, 25, of San Antonio, in his third year at Assumption, said singing beautiful music in beautiful places is rewarding in itself. "But to sing praises to God in places that resound with the life of his church in such a way is even more powerful."

He said he expects his faith to be moved and deepened by the experience.

Read more.

On the BBC program, "The Choir," originally broadcast on Radio 3 - Sun 02 Apr - 18:30 (1:30 hours):

"Martin Baker, Master of Music at Westminster Cathedral speaks to Aled Jones and James MacMillan about the state of choral music in the Roman Catholic Church."

Note: At the moment of posting, this "Listen Again" archive was mislabeled, probably with the previous broadcast.

Music selections from this program are listed here.

Highlights include a gratuitous Thomas Day mention and remarks about the suppression of the ego in liturgical music.

There is information about "Chant: A new initative by Westminster Cathedral" on the cathedral's Web site that is unfortunately as incomplete as it is tantalizing. "Canticum Populi" seems to be congregational English chant based on Gregorian models.

The choral program for Holy Week at Westminster Cathedral can be found here.

at St. Etheldreda's in Ely Place, London. Built in the 13th century and tucked away from a main thoroughfare, St. Etheldreda's is a testament to the tenacity of those whose respect for the Faith and its tradition have kept the Roman church alive in England through years of division and unrest. Read its fascinating history.

Among the many treasure's at St. Etheldreda's are its Sunday Novus Ordo Masses, complete with plainchant and polyphonic Ordinaries, Gregorian Propers,and myriad motets and organ offerings. View the current schedule of upcoming Masses and liturgies.

There was some discussion in the blogs a few months back about doing the Dies Irae Sequence before the Gospel, and in fact, about the wisdom of the doing the Dies Irae at all in Novus Ordo funeral Masses. Some felt that since the Dies Irae had not been banned outright, that it was fine to proceed and include the sequence in its proper spot. Others weighed in with the opinion that it was probably most prudent to do the Dies Irae as an offertory or communion meditation in this day and age.

It is noteworthy that a parish like St. Etheldreda's, an established witness to the dignity, beauty and holiness of the Church's living tradition, sings the Dies Irae sequence for requiem Masses on a regular basis.

The present Choir is one of only a handful of fully professional Roman Catholic church choirs in the country, and has its origins in the choir of men and boys which Theodore Tanner directed from 1908 to 1948 and in the mixed choir of local singers who continued his work.

In the late 1970s, professional singers were gradually engaged and the choir evolved into its present form. It sings the Latin Mass each Sunday morning at 11 am and on major Feast Days and Solemnities, with a wide and varied repertoire ranging from plainsong and 16th century polyphony to music of the present day.

The Director of Music is Paul Gillham and the organist is Iestyn Evans.

The challenges facing musicians in Novus Ordo parishes are universal. Jeremy de Satge, Music Director at Holy Ghost Balham in London, comments:

One of the problems with church music in England is that many priests do not appreciate its value, which is a crying shame, and do not consider the provision of music to be an important part of a parish's financial budget. I am lucky in Balham because, although the parish priest is not himself musical, he does appreciate its value, which is why I was hired.

His broader activity is concerned with improving the state of Catholic liturgical music, particularly at the parish level. To this end, he works through his company, The Music Makers, in a variety of ways: encouraging the use of the ancient tradition of the Church as well as publishing new works of music and producing CDs which may be used by those withing to learn how to sing the chant. These are available in the USA through Cantica Nova Publications.

Immanently realistic in approach, Mr. de Satge goes on:

One of the perhaps traditional difficulties in Catholic England is getting the faithful to sing! I ensure that the congregation receive a copy of the Mass setting in modern notation which, arguably, is easier for most people to read; and, although this is far from perfect, I have found that the congregation joins in more than before.

To read more about his activities, see this article, or read some of his own writings.