The Recovering Choir Director

Again, thanks, AAE, for providing an interesting item.

My choice was the Paschal Exapostilarion, or the Hymn of Light from the Russian Orthodox Service of Paschal Matins, in the setting made by Alexander Glazunov.

My reason for doing so was that Pascha, or the Resurrection of Christ, is the center of our Christian life. At the center of Paschal Matins is the Exapostilarion, or Hymn of Light. The most beautiful setting that I have ever heard of it was by Alexander Glazunov. Pdf and midi files of a setting in English for SATB (originally male choir) may be found at http://www.podoben.com, and more particularly, here:

http://www.podoben.com/PDF%20FILES/Pascha%20Mixed%20PDF/Paschal%20Exaposilarion%20-%20Glazunov.pdf

The text in English is as follows:

In the flesh didst Thou fall asleep, as a mortal man, O King and Lord. Thou didst rise on the third day, raising Adam from corruption, and destroying death. O Pascha of Incorruption: the salvation of our souls.

Well, who knows how this poll thing is set up over at NPM. If I might be equally as cynical, the thought has occured to me that perhaps NPM have already made up their minds who will get these votes, and that this online thing is simply the equivalent of a light switch mounted on the wall to which no wiring is attached — You flick it on and off as much as you want, but nothing really happens. I hope I’m wrong, though….

JP

David, after 25 YEARS of reciting the Creed in English, how can you POSSIBLY state that [using Latin means that] the Faithful do not understand the text?

Dad29…good call…you beat me to that very same response. I’ve never quite understood the rationale behind anybody saying “I don’t understand the Mass in Latin”…as if, when celebrated in Latin, the whole Mass becomes this secret “other animal” much different from the English translation. Having recently (actually like several months ago) the drafts of the new translations of the ritual texts for our diocesan committee of priests, it became clear just how hit-and-miss our current English version is. If we should have any beef with texts, it should be with our current English script. The old story about the schoolboy who translated his Caesar assignment as “and the valient general charged naked up the hill with his sword” is really a good description of what we have now. By the way, the actual translation of that famous line is “the valient general charged up the hill with his sword drawn” (gladio nudo, as opposed to nudus cum gladio). In short, what we have is more or less the Berlitz version of the Roman Canon.

JP

I suggested the Exultet for being a clear, true, beautiful and timeless statement of the Church’s work of praise throughout the millenia.

Mine was the chant setting of “Ubi caritas …” with a highlight on Durufle’s arrangement.

I also warned them of the limited utility, from a statistical standpoint, of this poll. It is not a reliable sample of the church music community — though a similar poll of AGO members in Catholic churches would be even less representative of all musicians — and so they cannot infer that the church music community thinks or believes anything based on the data. All they have, I told them, was a collection of stories.

Pharisaical? Frankly, my blogsite self-description is “nasty.” (And proud of it…)

It’s my estimation that each member of your parish has spoken the Creed in English at least once/week for a minimum average of 7 years.

If you wish to maintain that they are still ignorant of the text, that’s up to you. You certainly know them better than I do.

As to the whole “controversy” over Latin vs. English–does your parish church have stained-glass windows? Does the organist use Dupre or Langlais voluntaries? Are there Stations of the Cross?

If so, someone recognizes the value of transcendence, or the “uncommon” which lends clarity midst mystery. Latin is properly a “sacred language,” which like “sacred place, sacred time” lends to the verticality of the Mass.

Do you understand precisely (I mean precisely) the reason that D major ‘moves the soul’ differently than C major? Can you explain this difference in English, or any other language?

If not, then why your insistence on the pragmatism of vernacular?

I make no case for All Latin All The Time. But those who insist otherwise display a vision which is narrow, indeed.

(The above is NOT a Pharisaical comment. It is nasty.)

Dad29,

I recognize the value of the uncommon, the transcendent and the etherial. We sing in latin in my parish. The difference is, stained-glass, stations of the cross and Dupre, do not need translation to be understood and appreciated. Latin does, especially a long text like the creed (as opposed to the agnus dei). I believe latin is a means to an end, and is no more ’sacred’ than any other language. It is more traditional, yes, but more sacred? Are you saying that people are drawn closer to God when they sing in latin than when they sing in english, or french, or slovenian? The organ, likewise, is a means to an end, no more sacred, I’m sorry, than a guitar. This website is devoted to traditionalists, and that’s fine. But beauty comes in many sizes, shapes, genres and languages, not just the few you grew up with. It’s a shame that people can’t appreciate both the new and the old, as ministers are called to draw from both. Personally, I pray equally well whether the mass is sung in predominantly latin or if it is a lifeteen mass (which is approved by the vatican…hmm) because Christ is the center of my attention as well as his body that surrounds me in my brothers and sisters in the church. The Holy Spirit still inspires composers today as was the case centuries ago. Don’t discard the gifts of the Spirit that surround you today, my friend.