The Recovering Choir Director

Shawn Tribe at NLM links to an interview of Virgilio Cardinal Noe, Pope Paul VI’s Master of Ceremonies, who addresses the question of what or who Paul VI was referring to when making his famous “Smoke of Satan” statement in his homily on the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul in 1972. Here is the original answer in Italian:

Voi di ‘Petrus’ avete fatto un bel colpo, perché sono in grado di rivelare, per la prima volta, cosa intendesse denunciare Paolo VI con quella affermazione. Ecco, Papa Montini per Satana intendeva classificare tutti quei sacerdoti o vescovi e Cardinali che non rendevano culto al Signore mal celebrando la Santa Messaa causa di una errata interpretazione e applicazione del Concilio Vaticano II. Parlò di fumo di Satana perchè sosteneva che quei preti che della Santa Messa facevano paglia in nome della creatività, in realtà erano posseduti dalla vanagloria e dalla superbia del Maligno. Dunque, il fumo di Satana altro non era che la mentalità che voleva stravolgere i canoni tradizionali e liturgici della cerimonia Eucaristica.

Here is a merging of Google and Yahoo translations with minimal clean-up:

You of Petrus made a hit, because I can reveal, for the first time, what Paul VI intended to denounce with that statement. Here Pope Montini, by ‘Satan’, wanted to classify all those priests or bishops and cardinals who do not render worship to the Lord, badly celebrating the Holy Mass because of an incorrect interpretation and application of Vatican II. He spoke of ‘the smoke of Satan’ because he argued that those priests, who of the Holy Mass made straw in the name of creativity, in reality were possessed by the vainglory and pride of the Evil One. So the ’smoke of Satan’ was none other than the mentality that wanted to overturn the traditional and liturgical canons of Eucharistic ceremony.

Update: Fr. Zuhlsdorf has a full translation of the interview.

I found László Dobszay’s article “A living Gregorian Chant” (mentioned earlier here) while searching for recordings of the Ambrosian Creed. He mentions this setting of the Creed as part of the “Missa Mundi”, a composite Mass Ordinary that incorporates the simplest syllabic chant melodies as found in the Vatican Edition.

• Kyrie XVI
• Gloria XV
• Sanctus XVIII
• Agnus Dei XVIII

Here is a 96kbps MP3 recording of the Ambrosian Creed for educational purposes. As you will hear, it is a very simple melodic formula, akin to a psalm tone and with hardly a hint of modern tonality.

Here is a YouTube video of the Ambrosian Creed sung in its proper liturgical context.

Keen listeners will note the choir in the video does not sing the ti-flat indicated by the notation found in the Graduale Simplex.

[This post will be updated to highlight reaction to the letter from the Catholic blogosphere.]

The prolific GIA composer sent the Curt Jester a letter that he posted on his blog.

Marty Haugen’s published works became a lightning rod precisely because his publisher saw fit to heavily promote his ouevre and parishes, operating under a different paradigm of liturgical reform, validated his publisher’s business decision. Oftentimes, his compositions and others of the “Liturgical Industrial Complex” were (are) employed at Mass to the exclusion of the music that was - and is and will be - requested by the Church and was reiterated at the Second Vatican Council and in subsequent liturgical legislation.

While critique of his compositions sometimes (oftentimes?) devolved into ad hominem attacks (and my own posts on his music will either convict or exonerate me of this charge), they nonetheless remain valid. As do critiques of the mechanisms, structures and attitudes that enabled - and continue to enable - his compositions a large audience.

And lest opponents of his music exult, many times it was the ill-will of his musical opponents that further enabled his compositions to gain a wide hearing, regardless of whether they were attacking the music or the man. I do not doubt that from 2000-2003, when I played his music most frequently, I was an accomplice in this crime.

So this reflection in a sense has become a public confession. Mr. Haugen, I still think much of your work, as it pertains to the Catholic liturgy, is of questionable merit at best; I would only play/program your works at Mass out of obedience to a liturgical authority who insists on it. As they are widely published, your compositions will remain targets of scrutiny and critique. But if I have attacked your dignity as a person, please accept my apology and know that it will never happen on this blog, either to you or your colleagues.

More commentary from:

• David at Cosmos-Liturgy-Sex
• “Red Cardigan” at And Sometimes Tea
• Patrick Archbold of Creative Minority Report
• Todd Flowerday of Catholic Sensibility

For those planning to attend the Post-Pentecost 9:00 AM Traditional Latin Masses at St. Matthew’s in Dix Hills, N.Y. Sung Masses take place on the first and third Sundays of the month.

• Kyrie XI-b (mp3)
• Gloria XI (mp3)
• Credo III (mp3)
• Sanctus XI (mp3)
• Agnus XI (mp3)
• Salve Regina, tonus simplex (mp3)

A reader of Fr. Zuhlsdorf’s blog chimes in with a question about whether to sit or stand at the singing of the Sequence in the Ordinary Form Mass:

Should the congregation STAND or SIT for the singing of the Sequence on Easter and Pentecost? At my church the cantor asked for people to remain seated for the Sequence. One of the priests said that was wrong, that the congregation should stand. Which is Correct?

Which prompted this request from Fr. Z:

In the meantime, perhaps our WDTPRS parody song writer can come up with the answer… musically.

Three parodies (and counting?) are there for your review in the comments; while none of them give an answer musically, they’re amusing in their own right.

This recent article by László Dobszay - available in PDF format - has not yet made the rounds of Internet circulation; however, given the density of information, the incisive observations, and the proposals contained therein, it deserves to be given a wide reading. Most interesting are the proposals and solutions that he gives concerning a revival of Gregorian chant at even the smallest chapel, excerpted below.

At the moment, his proposed solutions concerning use of the vernacular within a strictly liturgical context would seem to be better suited for the 1970 Missal. However, others seem quite sensible to incorporate into both forms. His apologia for reviving the sung Office is not to be overlooked either.

Read the rest of this entry »

Excerpts from the official English translation of the Holy Father’s April 24, 2008 remarks at Paul VI Auditorium after a concert held in his honor (links and emphases added):

Certain of interpreting the sentiments of everyone present, I address my heartfelt congratulations to the “Giuseppe Verde” Symphony Orchestra and Choir of Milan, beautifully conducted by Mr Oleg Caetani, who have played and sung with extraordinary talent and effectiveness. I likewise extend my appreciation to the conductor of the Choir, Ms Erina Gambarini. I express a cordial thought of gratitude to the directors of the praiseworthy “Giuseppe Verdi” Foundation, encouraging them to continue on the prestigious path of art and culture on which they have set out, whose value, as I know, is also enhanced by their commitment to bring music to alleviate situations of human difficulty, such as those that occur in hospitals and prisons.

We have had the joy of listening with attentive participation to demanding compositions by Luciano Berio, Johannes Brahms and Ludwig van Beethoven. I would like to emphasize that the music of Brahms enriched with religious trust Hölderlin’s “Song of Destiny”. This factor introduces consideration of the spiritual value of the art of music, uniquely called to instil hope in the human spirit, so scarred and sometimes wounded by the earthly condition. There is a mysterious and deep kinship between music and hope, between song and eternal life: not for nothing does the Christian tradition portray the Blessed in the act of singing in a choir, in ecstasy and enraptured by the beauty of God. But authentic art, like prayer, is not foreign to everyday reality although it requires us to “water” it and make it germinate if it is to bring forth the fruit of goodness and peace.

The masterful interpretations we have heard also remind us of the value and universal importance of the artistic heritage. I am thinking especially of the young generations, who can approach this heritage with ever new inspiration in order to build the world in accordance with works of justice and solidarity at the service of humanity, by employing the multiform expressions of world culture. I am also thinking of the importance for young peoples’ formation of education in authentic beauty. Art overall helps to refine their minds and orients them to building a society open to spiritual ideals.

The festivity of song and music are likewise a constant invitation to believers and people of good will to commit themselves to giving humanity a future rich in hope.

(Via NLM)

Jeffrey Tucker assigns this lofty title to the late chant scholar Mary Berry in his eulogy to her on NLM:

Working nearly alone, she sustained the interest in Gregorian chant after the postconciliar meltdown. Actually, she did more than sustain it. She inspired many people to the point that they took up her cause in academia and in parishes all over the English-speaking world.

He also challenges those in the sacred music world who would complain about the current difficulties in promoting sacred music to consider all that Mary Berry accomplished in an era even more hostile to it than today (my emphases in boldface):

Can one person make a difference? My goodness, yes. And consider the times. Think of the intellectuals, musicians, priests, and liturgists who had obtain mastery over their craft in the late 1950s, working diligently and productively to improve the Church and its worship. Think of the institutions they were building and the great things they were achieving for the glory of God. Now imagine these same people ten to fifteen years later in the turbulent times following the Second Vatican Council, and put yourself in their place. If you have ever spoken to one of these people, you have to marvel at what they saw, which was essentially this: their whole world was swept away, seemingly over night, buffeted and finally wrecked by the crazy confusions and disastrous fashions of the day, which led to an abandonment of all that was revered as holy and true in the past.

We think we have it hard now. Imagine having lived through it all. Would you despair or have hope that truth will eventually prevail? Would you fight or relent? How would your decision work out in practice: with patience and prayer or anger and protest? And how lonely might you have been? Would you find yourself an outcast among your peers and possibly then decide to change directions along with everyone else? Or would you have been steadfast and continue to build in every way you could? These are extremely difficult questions and I’m only happy to not face them with the severity that this generation faced them. But Mary Berry faced them with great courage and hope. It’s almost as if all the experiences of her life lead her to do this.

Mary Berry, pray for us.

The short answer: No, he cannot; motivation must come from those he serves. In this Catholic Herald article, British composer Webster Young suggests a general revival of musical amateurism (in the best sense of the term) will help effect a revival of church music. (My emphases in boldface.)

Much of church music is today maintained by volunteers and involves the participation of the congregation rather than a choir. Notwithstanding the good efforts of many people, Catholic music - especially outside of England - is not what it once was. Pope Benedict XVI (who is a literate musician: he reads music, knows the literature of music from Gregorian Chant to the Classics, and plays Mozart at the piano) has been calling for a restoration of high standards. His remarks on music make it clear that he believes that the touchstone for judging the appropriateness of sacred music is Gregorian Chant and sacred vocal polyphony…

But implementing a major change in Catholic music today will involve both a strong will to make changes and a marshalling of resources to carry them out. There has been a hope among members of the Roman Curia that a “grass-roots” movement among parishioners will arise - in the same successful way that one helped to re-invigorate in some countries the practice of more frequent confession - and that this will help to bring about the needed changes in music.

A growth in enlightened musical amateurism might well provide some support for a grass-roots movement in music.

The remainder of Mr. Young’s article gives a few tips on breathing, listening to oneself while singing, and proper enunciation/diction. The piece is worth sharing with clerics and choristers.

(Courtesy of Mary Jane Ballou via Scelata)

The National Catholic Register has published part II of Robert Rahaut’s interview with Msgr. Georg Ratzinger, the pope’s older brother and former director of the Regensburger Domspatzen, the oldest choir in continuous existence. Below, Msgr. Ratzinger addresses two questions about music (with my emphases in boldface).

Music is your passion. You directed for so many years the Regensburger choir, one of the most famous in the world. What criteria should liturgical music fulfill?

Liturgical music must lead towards prayer and meditation. It has to calm one, to enable one to concentrate on God, on the essential.

The basic attitude, adoration, is essential in the liturgy. It has to help in that. What does not help is obviously not suitable.

What kind of music do you prefer?

For me, Gregorian chant is strongly associated with the early period of Christianity — unsentimental, unspectacular, simple, concentrating on interiority, but also classical, vocal polyphony and classical music like Haydn, Mozart and Schubert.

Part I of the interview is also available on the National Catholic Register’s website.