Brick by brick in Akron OH
  • Jeffrey Quick
    Posts: 2,086
    I was delighted to see this in the Sunday bulletin at St. Sebastian, Akron:
    "At some Masses, you may begin to hear the Introit sung before Mass. The words of the Introit are related to the theme of the feast day or celebration and most frequently have something in common with the liturgical readings of the Mass. Since the 1970 revision of the Roman Missal, the entrance chant begins as the priest enters. Its purpose is to open the celebration, foster the unity of those who have been gathered, turn their thoughts to the mystery of the celebration and accompany the procession. Most parishes have dropped the use of this ancient part of the Mass, but these antiphons are suited so perfectly to each individual Mass and set the tone so well, that we have decided to try to use them and see if they work out."

    Of course, this affects me not at all because I only do the EF, so we've always done the Introit. But Fr. John Valencheck is a good guy... he took in the local EF community when their parish got closed, he has weekly adoration, and has enough musical experience to appreciate its importance (plays an OK organ and a mean button box.) Let's hope this works and expands.
    Thanked by 6M. Jackson Osborn Vilyanor Aristotle Esguerra Kathy Ben CHGiffen
  • matthewjmatthewj
    Posts: 2,700
    Glad to hear it! The last time I went to Mass in Akron I saw blue vestments in Advent - so the city needs some liturgical prayers.
    Thanked by 1Jeffrey Quick
  • Jeffrey Quick
    Posts: 2,086
    The D. of Cleveland is really a local oasis. I am reliably told that there is NO regular TLM in the D. of Toledo. There's one in the D. of Youngtown (where I live), but I've seen immense amounts of liturgical abuse elsewhere there.
  • VilyanorVilyanor
    Posts: 388
    Unholy Toledo Ohio?
  • David AndrewDavid Andrew
    Posts: 1,206
    Not true. St. Joseph Catholic on Erie Street in Toledo has been and remains the locus of the EF, offered every Sunday. It is, sadly, the only parish in the entire diocese that I know of that does so.
    Thanked by 2Earl_Grey Jeffrey Quick
  • M. Jackson Osborn
    Posts: 8,413
    I was in Toledo about four years ago. I and a colleague were there at the invitation of a Fr Pogermeier (do you know him?), who was keen on having us present a chant workshop there. He had attended one of our winter chant workshops in Houston, featuring Fr Columba. As it turned out, the response was considerably less than what he had anticipated and the workshop did not happen.

    However, I got to see several impressive old churches there. Most impressive of all was the cathedral. What a gem of eclectic Gothic! Everything it in, every square inch, was a priceless work of art - mosaic, brass, wrought iron, rare marbles, fresco, polychrome, granite, even finely wrought aluminium, and more. Last but not least was a lovingly cared for trove of mouth watering vestments, some of which were probably almost a hundred years old and were, yet, like new. The choir there, I think, do nothing but good music, and have made several tours in Europe, including the Vatican. (It was a singular disappointment, though, that the cathedral choirmaster was demonstrably antipathetic towards the chant workshop which Fr Pogomeier had set his heart on.)
    Thanked by 1Earl_Grey
  • Earl_GreyEarl_Grey
    Posts: 904
    MJO, I was at that chant workshop planning meeting. Although I was disappointed it fell through I wasn't surprised. I tried for over a decade to improve the music situation in one parish. I have since moved.

    There are a few good music programs in line with the NPM paradigm, but I don't know of any CMAA members currently working in that diocese.
    Thanked by 1M. Jackson Osborn
  • Allan DAllan D
    Posts: 43
    I was also involved in the planning efforts for that chant workshop in Toledo. Since Earl_Grey moved out of the diocese, I may well be the only CMAA member left. I'm primarily an organist, but I also recently began directing the men's schola at my parish. They usually sing two Masses per month using the Simple English Propers, and they do a pretty good job. Last year, we were invited to sing for an organ recital at Rosary Cathedral. Marijim Thoene was performing Langlais' "Suite Médiévale," and before each movement, we sang the chant that the movement is based on. I also sing quite a bit of Latin chant during Lent and on Good Friday, when I can get away with it. So some progress is being made.

    The NPM paradigm is certainly dominant around here, although the Life Teen paradigm is growing rapidly. I get the sense that many of our seminarians grew up with Life Teen programs and seem to think it's the way to go.

    The best sacred music you'll ever hear in the Toledo diocese is the cathedral's annual Tenebrae service, Wednesday evening of Holy Week. If you live within a couple hours' drive of Toledo, it's worth the trip.

    And yes, St. Joseph parish still has the TLM every Sunday. Fr. Poggemeyer was transferred to Divine Mercy Parish in Paulding County, where he currently offers the TLM on the first Saturday of each month at 8:00 am. There are a few other priests in the diocese who celebrate it occasionally, and I know of more who would be willing to learn if there was a demand for it - which, unfortunately, there is not.
    Thanked by 2M. Jackson Osborn Earl_Grey
  • Jeffrey Quick
    Posts: 2,086
    Thanks to everyone for the update. I guess a fact-checker would rate my statement as "mostly true" ;-)
  • ghmus7
    Posts: 1,483
    Yes, MJO, i know the cathedral well and agree, but did you play or hear thee Skinner organ?
  • M. Jackson Osborn
    Posts: 8,413
    GH -
    Yes, I did play it. It is a giant, one with which I had great enjoyment for quite some time. Regrettably, our time was limited, but I did get to improvise for the better part of an hour, and play a few pieces from the repertory.

    Aeolian-Skinner were, as every one knows, legendary in organ building. It's a pity they aren't around today. It might have turned out differently had they not absolutely refused to build anything but huge instruments. One wonders what the XXIst century Skinner sound would be. What their response to the baroque revival might have been, and what their response to the current romantic revival would have been. They truly straddled the gamut and deserve an honoured place beside the great historic European builders. We have five Skinners in Houston. The best, by far, is at Christ Church Cathedral (which boasts an additional small one in one of the chapels), the other three being at First Methodist, First Presbyterian, and Temple Beth-Israel across from Rice University.

    Back to Toledo's cathedral: Unfortunately, the very large and not unobtrusive console (with its atrocious umbilical wires snaking around all over the place) has been re-situated into the immense sanctuary, within fifteen or twenty feet of the altar; and the re-situated choir, I think, are seated nearby on folding chairs. This is rather a thoughtless, hideous, and slap-dash arrangement in such a glorious work of sacred architecture. Only in the vacuous 'spirit-of-Vatican-II' mind would such liturgical nonsense and aesthetical blight have been thinkable.
  • CharlesW
    Posts: 11,978
    Their pricing didn't help, either, Jackson. I can remember when Skinner was asking easily a thousand dollars per rank more than Moller and Schantz. I heard one they built in the late 1960s they advertised as Neo-Baroque. It still had the Skinner sound but with a bit more clarity and upperwork.
    Thanked by 1M. Jackson Osborn
  • M. Jackson Osborn
    Posts: 8,413
    ...more than Moller and Schantz.

    Now, Schantz I accept. Their sound, I think, resembles somewhat closely that of Skinner. Their organ at St Paul's Methodist (quite the largest of Houston's three Gothic piles - some cities have dozens!) here is quite fine. While they would not be my first, second, or third, choice, I would not be at all unhappy with one.

    Moller, though? It is a mystery to me why anyone would want a Moller, a Reuter, or a Wicks. Moller, of course, has bitten the dust. The other two are easily the most horrid organbuilders in the US. It's a genuine pity that one or all of them didn't go out of business instead of Skinner. Reuter earlier this year finished a 'renovation' of a fine Holtkamp that was my instrument back in the 70s and early 80s. This historic Holtkamp of around 40 ranks (vintage 1956) was Houston's first neo-baroque instrument, and was for many years its only one. Well, Reuter gutted the great and replaced it with more 'robust' stops, and, in general absolutely savaged the original Holtkamp tonal design. These people have no conscience and no integrity.

  • CharlesW
    Posts: 11,978
    Schantz sound has varied as the voicers changed over the years. We still have a few in town that were voiced by John Schantz. They have an amazing smoothness to their tone and all the parts blend well. I have heard some new ones that sounded a bit "rough" to my ears. Too bad good voicers don't live forever.

    The organ techs tell me Schantz instruments are very well built and are of high quality. They say that Schantz and Casavant are the two best built organs around. We have so many Schantz instruments because their sales rep for 50 years lived in town and actively sold those instruments. We have more Schantz organs than anything else.

    I have played only one Reuter in the concert hall of my alma mater. I used to say one could depress a key and go to lunch before the note sounded. Slowest action I have ever seen.
    Thanked by 1M. Jackson Osborn
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