How about sacred concert music?
  • achoyce91
    Posts: 173
    Hello composers and musicians of sacred music (though this is mainly for composers),

    The Church has a rich history of inspiring and effective liturgical music: my question is do we really need to put most of our focus on liturgical music? The concert music scene is dominated by distorted concepts or romantic music that has been played too much to count. I'm currently writing a sacred cantata on the Diary of St. Maria Faustina Kowalska that will be in the original language, Polish. Plenty of talented composers are in this forum; does anyone share this perspective? Let me know.

    - Alex
  • ServiamScores
    Posts: 2,913
    I’m all for sacred works being scheduled as part of concert programs. It’s not that uncommon.

    My main lament is that some of the great choral masses (particularly a few requiems) are only EVER heard in concert, rather than the context of the liturgy for which they were intended.

    I do believe that, as beautiful as hearing a Palestrina motet or a Haydn requiem in concert can be, there is something sterile about it… something essential is missing, so these experiences always leave me feeling some small amount unsated.
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  • AdteBeateJoseph3
    Posts: 26
    I believe that concert works that have subtle (or not so subtle) Catholic themes such as the Dream of Gerontius by Elgar or works such as the one you’re writing should continue to influence the secular sphere of music. James MacMillan comes to mind as a great composer of both secular and liturgical music.

    As for concerts of Sacred Music, I agree with Serviam. As the greatest art of the Church, sacred music ought to be “performed” in their intended place. During a concert, sure, people may be moved by the music itself, but when joined to the celebration of Mass for example, people are not moved just emotionally but spiritually to repentance, joy, reflection, etc,. Who would not feel the coldness of Christ’s absence and the need for God’s mercy on Good Friday at Tenebrae when Allegri’s Miserere is sung? Or who would not contemplate the glory of God when one hears the Missa Papae Marcelli at Mass?

    As composers, we are tasked with spreading the Kingdom of Christ to all; within and outside the Church especially in the secular sphere! I’m all for more concert works with Catholic themes or influences; yet there remains much work in our own vineyard; the parishes, cathedrals, and every place where continual renewal of Sacred Music is needed.
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  • ServiamScores
    Posts: 2,913
    yet there remains much work in our own vineyard; the parishes, cathedrals, and every place where continual renewal of Sacred Music is needed.
    Amen. I daresay anyone on this forum is doing their part, but yes: great authentic, rooted-in-sacred-tradition renewal is paramount to the health of the church. I personally believe that a big part of the reason why so many millions of Catholics have “fallen away” (bleh) from the church is because their experience of Mass, week upon week, year upon year, was so terrible banal. There was nothing of beauty or mysticism in it. Music is a tremendous part of that equation.
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  • MatthewRoth
    Posts: 2,367
    Also, sacred and religious works need to form the backbone of concerts in churches. This is a live issue in France insofar as the State also cares, because anything more than a one-off event or sone without an agreement of limited duration and scope risks alienating the church from divine worship in the eyes of the State, which can ask the bishop to close the church in that case. So they cannot regularly or exclusively program secular music even if it is still conducive to the space and not offensive from the church’s perspective, like the major symphonic works, although the church wouldn’t really approve either; the CEF even has its own guidelines). I think that they are really thoughtful.

    This is all to say that new music should be welcome.
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  • francis
    Posts: 10,848
    Absolutely!!!

    Sacred music concerts and even paraliturgical events (devotions such as rosary or stations of the cross set to music) and of course liturgies that are accompanied by new works (ordinary and/or proper) are critical and very much needed in our venues.

    I am so much interested in this, I am aiming to perform many of the works I have composed since I was five, much of which is sacred music for liturgies and concerts hopefully beginning this year. Basically 6 yearly concerts/liturgies/paraliturgies (devotions set to music). The endeavor is called "MyOpus Legacy".

    I am seeking performers who wish to be involved in the Philly and Upper Bucks county corridor. Especially hoping to enlist early music ensemble performers (strings and woods) as my comps are best realized with senza vibrato, and choralists who sing straight tone.

    PM me if interested.
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  • achoyce91
    Posts: 173
    @ServiamScores , yeah, I remember when I returned to Catholicism it was after seeing how lacking in holiness the protestant churches were compared to the Catholic church I observed. Truly hearing the sacred as well as seeing it and ultimately tasting it is the most important thing in the world.
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  • Jeffrey Quick
    Posts: 2,092
    Alex, do you know Daniel Knaggs' Two Streams? It sounds very much like your project.

    If we're building a Catholic culture, then Catholicism should permeate all aspects, including concert music. There are a number of composers writing such music: Mark Nowakowski, Daniel Knaggs, James MacMillan, Michael Kurek's new Raffaella ballet, La Rocca's St. Rita oratorio. The problem, currently, is that such works fall between two stools. They are often too complex or dramatic or long for church use. Indeed, that's part of the point: to carry the faith into idioms where it does not live. One thinks of Baroque oratorios, or the Rosary Sonatas of Biber. But such works were written for a more accepting audience. With the Marxist takeover of musical institutions, it's easier to get a performance of a work about Matthew Shepard than a work about a comparable Catholic martyr. Sometimes the signal has to be muted. And Catholic composers and performers need to get together to create performance opportunities.
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  • achoyce91
    Posts: 173
    @francis , I'm greatly enthusiastic about your enthusiasm! I meant to tell you that a while ago. @Jeffrey Quick , great to hear consideration for sacred concert music! If anyone listens to the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception's choir, many of the propers and ordinaries are contemporary. While exploring more music for the liturgy is important and inspiring, I find the concert realm needs more compositions like Howell's Hymnus Paradisi. That's quite the work to live up to. Soli Deo gloria!
  • Jeffrey Quick
    Posts: 2,092
    The Shrine choir is awesome! They premiered my Mass in honor of St. Maximilian Kolbe in 2011.
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  • francis
    Posts: 10,848
    @achoyce91

    Yes.... have heard the IC choir many times... they are very good... (I believe they perform a couple of my pieces there, although, never when I have attended.)
    Thanked by 2achoyce91 CHGiffen
  • achoyce91
    Posts: 173
    @francis

    That’s super cool! Did they record the concert? I’d love to hear your music performed!
  • francis
    Posts: 10,848
    They use my music during liturgy... Although, I do have some concert music which would be wonderful to do in that acoustic.
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