FAQ on Sacred Music

The Church Music Association of America (CMAA) has published a brief document that responds to frequently asked questions regarding Sacred Music in liturgical celebrations of the Roman Rite. This is a particularly helpful resource that gives concise and honest answers to "why we do what we do."

Click here to visit the CMAA website, which offers many different resources for musician and parishioners of all backgrounds.

Clicking here will allow you to download and view the FAQ document.

Shape-note Hymnody

At Saint Andrew Church this weekend, we will be singing the hymn "Take Up Your Cross" to the shape note hymn tune Bourbon. For a brief introduction to shape-note hymnody, stop the automatic playlist at the bottom of this page, and check out this video:

Dr. Patrick Gorman on Liturgy

The Director of the Office of Worship for the Diocese of Madion, Dr. Patrick Gorman, has written a very insightful and refreshing article on the Church's liturgical activity. Click here to read the article on the Diocesan Office of Worship blog "One Body, One Spirit." A standing link to this blog can also be found on the right-hand side of this page under Helpful Links. Thank you to Dr. Gorman for this refreshing perspective on the Church's liturgy!

A. Gregory Murray, O.S.B.

This past week at St. Andrew's we began learning a Gospel Acclamation setting that is new to this parish:


The setting was written by Dom A. (Anthony) Gregory Murray, an English Benedictine monk, organist and liturgist.

Murray was born in 1905 in London and began musical studies as a chorister at Westminster Cathedral. He was a prodigious organist, receiving the highest level certification from the Royal College of Organists at the age of 17. In 1923 Murray became a Benedictine monk at Downside Abbey and would go on to play regular organ recitals broadcast across the country by the British Broadcasting Corporation (the BBC). He made extensive contributions to Roman Catholic liturgical music through his work in developing the 1939 Westminster Hymnal and composing A People's Mass around 1950.

Click here for more information on Dom Gregory Murray.

Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

(Pikes Peak, Colorado)

Hymnody and Psalmody for the Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven - LAUDA ANIMA
Psalm 123 - Our eyes are fixed on the Lord - Suzanne Toolan
Lord, Whose Love In Humble Service - BEACH SPRING
Psalm 34 - Taste and see the goodness of the Lord - Michel Guimont
America the Beautiful - MATERNA

Lectionary Reflection
Today and for the next two Sundays, the Church’s readings present us with an opportunity to understand more deeply the nature of Christ – namely Who He is and what this means for our faith. For example, there are two names which we commonly hear attributed to Jesus Christ that contain in themselves a great depth of meaning. These titles are Son of God and Son of Man, and they are found very often throughout the Old and New Testaments to foreshadow His coming and describe His divinity and humanity.

The term Son of Man – filled as it is with very complex meanings – is used today to address the prophet Ezekiel in the Old Testament. In this instance, it identifies the human nature of Ezekiel immediately before the Lord sent him to be a prophet to the Israelites. While prophets were messengers of God sent to proclaim His word and His will, they were chosen from from among the people, which meant that they were human:

"Son of Man, I am sending you to the Israelites…and whether they heed or resist – for they are a rebellious house – they shall know that a prophet has been among them."

As we will hear in the first reading today, Ezekiel was sent with a message from God in order to correct Israel’s rebellious ways. Even in the midst of this commission Ezekiel was warned that he might not be well-received by everyone. Such was the nature of many of the prophets.
In the Gospel reading, we encounter Jesus exercising His prophetic role: "When the sabbath came he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished." Immediately, they were surprised at His teaching and seemed to make a "double-take" to verify that Jesus was this boy-from-the-neighborhood, "the carpenter, the Son of Mary." Since this passage from Mark’s Gospel does not include an explicit message from God the Father actually sending Christ, this becomes a moment of dramatic irony when we know something about Christ that those around Jesus had not yet come to understand – namely His divine nature.

The human nature of Christ is empasized today, as He teaches with authority, as one sent by God. This helps us to understand the role of a prophet and to recall our own baptism into Christ’s life, not only as priests (to santify the world with Christ) and kings (to rule with Christ in His heavenly kingdom), but also as prophets to proclaim with integrity the Truth of the Gospel, sent by God into a world that we know might not receive it.

Musical Remarks
On the national observance of July 4th as Independence Day, we celebrate the unique history of this country with a sense of great patriotism. One of the most obvious ways to honor our nation perhaps is by singing the national anthem, The Star-Spangled Banner. Nationalistic music such as this anthem allow us to pay tribute to our country, often beginning most events of our lives – from Major League Baseball games to High School Varsity sports events. In any setting, the music of the anthem is so intimately tied to the text that we would not dare to divorce the two; simply speaking the words "O say, can you see…" would not be able to express the spirit of the poem.

Within the repertoire of American Christian hymnody, there are certain nationalistic hymns that remind us of God’s blessings on this country. One such example today is America the Beautiful sung after Communion. In this text, we ponder the beauty of this land and give thanks to God for His continued guidance and for the gift of liberty. The poem was written by Katherine Lee Bates (1859-1929), an American songwriter. Bates was born in Falmouth, Massachusetts and was the daughter of a Congregationalist pastor. She was an 1880 graduate from Wellesley College in Massachussetts, where she returned as professor of English literature for many years. In 1893, Bates spent the summer teaching English at Colorado College in Colorado Springs, and it was there that she wrote the first draft of the America the Beautiful (the final expanded version written in 1913). She had the following to say:

"One day some of the other teachers and I decided to go on a trip to 14,000-foot Pikes Peak. We hired a prairie wagon. Near the top we had to leave the wagon and go the rest of the way on mules. I was very tired. But when I saw the view, I felt great joy. All the wonder of America seemed displayed there, with the sea-like expanse."

The tune paired with this poem was written by Samuel Augustus Ward (1847-1903) of Newark, New Jersey. Ward studied music in New York and later became an organist at Grace Episcopal Church in Newark in 1880. He wrote the hymn tune Materna, (from the Medieval Latin word mater, meaning "mother") which would later be coupled with Bates' poem, though the two would never meet. Happy 4th of July!

Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Hymnody and Psalmody for the Thirteeneth Sunday in Ordinary Time
All Creatures of Our God and King - LASST UNS ERFREUEN
Psalm 30 - I will praise you, Lord - Calvin M. Bower
Beautiful Savior - ST. ELIZABETH
I Am the Bread of Life - Suzanne Toolan
Holy God, We Praise Thy Name - GROSSER GOTT

Lectionary Meditation
(Wisdom 1:13-15; 2:23-24 Psalm 30 2 Corinthians 8:7,9,13-15 Mark 5:21-43)

"God did not make death." These words introduce the passage from the book of Wisdom in the first reading today. Just the mere thought of this phrase provides for us a sense of comfort, does it not? In a world so beset by violence and marked by the temporary nature of things, we are surrounded by death. We often joke of the proverbial inevitability of death (and taxes), while the only thing we know about death is that it happens. There is no certainty about the circumstances of death; we cannot predict it, and we cannot prevent it.
Perhaps the uncertainty of death makes us scared and fearful whenever we encounter it. Perhaps we live in terror or denial of our own human nature because we cannot control this particular aspect of our lives. As the first reading continues, we hear that God did not intend for us to live in fear of death. He did not will that we would always be afraid because of our mortality. Instead, "God formed man to be imperishable." In other words, God intended us not for death, but for eternal life! An example of this teaching is found in the Eucharistic Prayer of a Funeral Mass, when the priest prays, "Lord, for your faithful people, life is changed, not ended." With such a hope-filled understanding of death, we have cause not for sadness or fear, but for joy.
With all this in mind, we have two models for approaching death. The first is that of the devil, whose envy we hear caused death to enter the world. When we persist in sin and turn away from the life to which God calls us, we become afraid of death and try desparately to avoid it. The second model is that of Mary, the sinless one whose life was changed, not ended. We read in the Catechism of the Catholic Church that "when the course of her earthly life was finished, she was taken up body and soul into heavenly glory." From this dogma of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we gather that her life did not end totally and finally, but only that part of her life that was on this earth. So it is for those who are close to the heart of God; they do not fear death. Instead, as Jesus tells us in the Gospel passage, "Do not be afraid; just have faith." The faith of those around Jesus in the midst of the death of the young girl gives hope for everlasting life. So should we wait in joyful hope for the Lord to call to us, saying, "arise!"

Rubrics and the Hymn of Thanksgiving

Over the past fews weeks you may have noticed a small change in the location of certain hymns at Mass. Hearing the brief instruction "the Hymn of Thanksgiving today at the end of Communion replaces the Closing Hymn" informs us what is happening, but not why.

The Roman Missal, or Sacramentary, contains all of the proper and ordinary texts for a given Mass, which are printed in black. In between these prayers and dialogues, we find certain instructions and guidelines, which are printed in red. These instructions are called rubrics, which comes from the Latin rubrica, derived from ruber, meaning "red". These rubrics give instructions to priests and all liturgical ministers, as well as the assembly with regard to correct performance of the liturgy.

Liturgical musicians are given instructions within these rubrics as well. While it is customary in many parishes to sing a Closing Hymn after the Final Blessing and Dismissal, there is no mention of any sort of liturgical song at that moment, especially since we have already heard "The Mass has ended." The result is a rather unintuitive prolongation of the liturgy, when the assembly has just been sent forth from the Mass to love and serve the Lord.

What, then, of the Closing Hymn? Can we still sing a hymn that helps us to rejoice in the Eucharist we have received? A hymn that expresses our commission to go forth in the Name of Christ? Yes, we can! Following the reception of Communion, but preceding the Prayer after Communion, "a period of silence may now be observed, or a psalm or song of praise may be sung." Given these options, we have simply transferred the Closing Hymn to the Hymn of Thanksgiving.


Hymnody and Psalmody for the Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time
All People That On Earth Do Dwell - OLD HUNDREDTH
Psalm 107 - Give thanks to the Lord - J. Robert Carroll
I Sing the Mighty Power of God - ELLACOMBE
Psalm 63 - My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord - Richard Proulx
How Great Thou Art - O STORE GUD

Music for the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi)

Hymnody and Psalmody
(Hymn Title - TUNE NAME)
At That First Eucharist - UNDE ET MEMORES
Psalm 116 - Michael Guimont
Zion, Praise thy Savior - ALLES IST AN GOTTES SEGEN
Shepherd of Souls, Refresh and Bless - ST. AGNES
See Us, Lord about Your Altar - DRAKES BOUGHTON

Sequence for Corpus Christi
The Hymn at the Sequence for this weekend has been translated into English from the original Latin and set to a chorale tune. The text Lauda Sion Salvatorem is a prose text that offers liturgical reflection proper to this solemnity.

For more information, Dr. Patrick Gorman, Director of the Madison Diocesan Office of Worship, has written a very helpful article, which can be read at One Body, One Spirit.

Musical Notes for Corpus Christi
The postlude for the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ is a chorale prelude on Schücke dich ("Deck thyself, my soul, with gladness"). This composition is an example of the long-standing organ tradition of arranging popular hymn tunes with creative harmonizations to serve as introductions. The hymn tune Schmücke dich is commonly sung with the following Eucharistic text:

Deck thyself, my soul, with gladness,
Leave the gloomy haunts of sadness;
Come into the daylight’s splendor,
There with joy thy praises render
Unto Christ Whose grace unbounded
Hath this wondrous banquet founded.
Higher o’er all the heav’ns He reigneth,
Yet to dwell with thee He deigneth.

Hasten as a bride to meet Him
And with loving reverence greet Him;
For with words of life immortal
Now He knocketh at thy portal.
Haste to ope the gates before Him,
Saying, while thou dost adore Him,
Suffer, Lord, that I receive Thee,
And I nevermore will leave Thee.

He who craves a precious treasure
Neither cost nor pain will measure;
But the priceless gifts of heaven
God to us hath freely given.
Though the wealth of earth were offered,
Naught would buy the gifts here offered:
Christ’s true body, for thee riven,
And His blood, for thee once given.

Ah, how hungers all my spirit
For the love I do not merit!
Oft have I, with sighs fast thronging,
Thought upon this food with longing,
In the battle well nigh worsted,
For this cup of life have thirsted,
For the Friend Who here invites us
And to God Himself unites us.

In my heart I find ascending
Holy awe, with rapture blending,
As this mystery I ponder,
Filling all my soul with wonder,
Bearing witness at this hour
Of the greatness of God’s power;
Far beyond all human telling
Is the power within Him dwelling.

Human reason, though it ponder,
Cannot fathom this great wonder
That Christ’s body e’er remaineth
Though it countless souls sustaineth
And that He His blood is giving
With the wine we are receiving.
These great mysteries unsounded
Are by God alone expounded.

Sun, who all my life dost brighten,
Light, who dost my soul enlighten;
Joy the best that any knoweth;
Fount, whence all my being floweth;
At Thy feet I cry, my Maker,
Let me be a fit partaker
Of this blessèd food from heaven,
For our good, Thy glory, given.

Lord, by love and mercy driven
Thou hast left Thy throne in heaven
On the cross for me to languish
And to die in bitter anguish,
To forego all joy and gladness
And to shed Thy blood in sadness.
By this blood redeemed and living,
Lord, I praise Thee with thanksgiving.

Jesus, Bread of Life, I pray Thee,
Let me gladly here obey Thee.
By Thy love I am invited,
Be Thy love with love requited;
From this supper let me measure,
Lord, how vast and deep love’s treasure.
Through the gifts Thou here dost give me
As Thy guest in heaven receive me.

Music for Trinity Sunday - 07 June 2009

Prelude
Allein Gott in der Höh sei Ehr - Johann Gottfried Walther
("To God alone on high be glory")
Gott der Vater wohn uns bei - Samuel Scheidt
("God the Father, be our stay")

Hymnody and Psalmody
Come Now, Almighty King - ITALIAN HYMN
Ps. 33 - Michel Guimont
All Praise and Glad Thanksgiving - GOTT VATER SEI GEPRIESEN
I Received the Living God - LIVING GOD
Holy, Holy, Holy - NICAEA

Postlude
Fugue in E-flat Major ("St. Anne"), BWV 552/II

Musical Remarks
The postlude for this weekend is the famous Fugue in E-Flat Major by Johann Sebastian Bach. Bach, who lived from 1685 to 1750, remains the most prolific of composers for the organ, and his catalog of organ music consists of over 200 works. The term "fugue" (pronounced 'fyoog') refers to a piece of music that is based upon one particular melody, or "subject". After an initial statement of the subject by itself, it is followed by a response, which is actually the same melody transposed to a different voice above or below the preceding one. In the case of the St. Anne fugue, a total of five voices are added one after the other, resulting in a remarkably thick musical texture. Each entry of a particular voice is heard with a statement of the original subject.

The Fugue in E-flat Major, BWV 522/II was chosen intentionally for Trinity Sunday. Unlike other fugues, which usually consist of one subject, this fugue contains THREE, which many consider to be symbolic of the Trinity - one subject for each of the three Persons of the Holy Trinity. The first subject is stately and majestic, representing God the Father; the second subject is lively and brisk, representing Christ the Son; finally, the third subject is a dance-like jig, representing the Holy Spirit. Near the end of the piece, all three subjects are heard simultaneously, suggestive of the Trinitarian belief in One God in Three Persons.

This masterpiece from Bach has been nicknamed the "St. Anne" fugue, because the first subject resembles the English tune ST. ANNE, to which is commonly sung the hymn "O God, Our Help in Ages Past."

Video of a performance of the Fugue in E-flat ("St. Anne"), BWV 552/II, is included below.