small world
  • Paul_OnnonhoaratonPaul_Onnonhoaraton
    Posts: 434
    I read that Robert J. Snow was once a monk.

    I did a little research . . . seems he was in the Seminary at one time.

    http://www.dartmouth.edu/~hispanic/v4n2.html

    Funny . . . the two authors listed at the bottom (Laird & Murphy) were old professors of mine . . . then I look at the top of the website and I see a well-known CMAA member: Michael O'Connor.

    Small world.
  • matthewjmatthewj
    Posts: 2,700
    A fascinating read... he should be remembered for more than the one famous chant. :)
    May he rest in peace.
    Thanked by 1Paul_Onnonhoaraton
  • Fr. Jim Chepponis
    Posts: 220
    Robert Snow made major contributions to the church music scene of the Diocese of Pittsburgh in the 1960s.

    In the year 2006, I co-authored a locally-published book (along with Dr. Fred Moleck and Sr. Cynthia Serjak, RSM), “From Organist to Pastoral Musician: A History of Church Music in the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh, 1843-2006.” The book was written to commemorate the centennial of our Cathedral and the silver anniversary of the Pittsburgh NPM Chapter. Although I was too young in the 1960s to get to know Dr. Snow, I enjoyed finding material about him in our diocesan archives.

    For those who are interested, what follows is an edited version of information in the book that pertains to Robert Snow. Since the material is rather lengthy, I am breaking the material into two posts:
    ----------
    In an August 19, 1963 letter to Pittsburgh Bishop John Wright, Fr. Thomas Jackson (secretary of the Pittsburgh Diocesan Music Commission) petitioned Bishop Wright to hire Mr. Robert Snow to provide musical help with the Music Commission’s efforts.

    Robert Snow’s title was Administrative Assistant to the Diocesan Music Commission. His duties included directing the Priests’ Choir, assisting the Diocesan Liturgical Commission, teaching classes to young organists, attending the district organists meetings, and working with the Oratory of St. Philip Neri at Heinz Chapel in Oakland.

    A glimpse into the future occurred in June of 1964 when the Pittsburgh Diocese sponsored a national workshop with the World Library of Sacred Music (WLSM). Among the many features of this workshop were discussions about the challenges of setting English to music and the art of adapting Gregorian chant melodies to fit the English words. Most memorable was a demonstration at Heinz Chapel in Oakland with four hundred workshop participants singing one of the first settings of a new English High Mass, written by Pittsburgh composer, Robert Snow. An LP recording of the Mass demonstration was made, available commercially through WLSM. In a July 22, 1964 missive to Fr. Jackson, Bishop Wright offered his support of this venture:

    "I am the more willing in view of the fact that the record jacket will state that this is offered as an experiment and no suggestion is made that the text has an Imprimatur or is officially 'authorized' for use either here or elsewhere. I warmly welcomed the experiment itself and was glad to extend to it my patronage."

    The Diocese of Pittsburgh also collaborated with the World Library of Sacred Music on the publication of a diocesan hymnal, Parish Liturgy, which was prepared and compiled by the Pittsburgh Diocesan Liturgical and Music Commissions. Initially published in 1964 as a softbound expandable edition with periodic new installments, a hard-bound edition was made available in 1967. The hymnal included new settings by Pittsburgh composers Donald Beikman, Joseph Jenkins, and Robert Snow, including Snow’s English adaptation of the Lord’s Prayer chant. This is probably the most familiar musical setting of that text, and is still regularly sung throughout the United States. In addition, Bishop Wright provided support for the commissioning of many new musical works in the Summit Series, which was also published by WLSM.

    (See the next post for information about the Summit Series, and Robert Snow’s connection with it.)
  • Fr. Jim Chepponis
    Posts: 220
    THE SUMMIT SERIES (continued…)

    An immediate need following the Second Vatican Council was the composition of new settings for the propers of the Mass in English. A historically significant contribution to this effort was the publication of the Summit Series. This was a partnership between the Diocese of Pittsburgh and the publisher, World Library of Sacred Music. The Pittsburgh Diocese commissioned most of the compositions in this series, and initial works had the imprimatur of Pittsburgh Bishop John Wright.

    According to undocumented information in the diocesan files, the works in the Summit Series were published between 1965 and 1973, with the majority printed between 1965 and 1968. By 1971, there were one hundred seventy-one pieces in the series, including compositions by Robert Kreutz, Richard Felciano, Henry Papale, Leo Sowerby, Russell Woollen, Robert Sanders, and Pittsburgher Joseph Jenkins. Each composer received a twenty-five dollar commission fee. In a memo to Bishop Wright dated June 15, 1965, Robert Snow, the Pittsburgh editor of the series, wrote:

    "In a few instances some of the composers contacted felt the fee we offered them, $25.00, was too low. I have mentioned this fact to the publisher, Mr. Omer Westendorf, and in those cases in which we think the person in question is worth more, Mr. Westendorf has agreed to add an additional fee to the fee to be paid by the Diocese. He is most interested in the project and is willing to help finance it in this way, even at the risk of substantially reducing any profit he might make."

    Bishop Wright responded on July 3:

    "I think it only too true that the fee we offer, $25.00 is too low but I feel, as apparently you do, that it is only proper that publishers enter into this matter also."

    Most of the works in the Summit Series required the use of organ, although some were a cappella. The choral arrangements initially favored men’s choirs, but some pieces included sopranos and altos. In a November 21, 1966 memo to Bishop Wright, Robert Snow wrote:

    "The first of the Summit Series items appeared only about 14 months ago and some of these are now in their second printing. I have also been informed that they are being widely used in various areas of the country. They are also being used a little more here, particularly by those musicians with some professional training. Those who worked under Fr. Rossini, however, show a certain reluctance to accept anything new."

    Continued changes in the Mass resulted in the Summit Series itself becoming obsolete, especially when the Gradual and Alleluia were replaced with the Responsorial Psalm and Gospel Acclamation. Except for a few pieces that have been reprinted as choir anthems by World Library Publications (the successor to WLSM), most of the works in the Summit Series are now out of print.

  • Mark M.Mark M.
    Posts: 632
    I did my undergraduate degree at the Univ. of Texas, where Dr. Snow taught. I didn't have him for any classes (although some of my friends did); I do remember seeing him in the halls (often wearing a bow tie, as I recall!).

    The author of the "in memoriam" piece, Grayson Wagstaff, was a friend of mine and was doing his master's degree when I was there. I believe he's now at the Catholic University of America.
Add a Comment