Best and favorite Catholic Musicians.
  • PhatFlute
    Posts: 219
    Dear forum member,

    I write to ask your opinions on who your favorite catholic musicians are? Can be choral director or organist/pianist. I am not asking about composers. That is another topic. Although if she has composed it is okay by me. How old, where they work, and why you like them!

    I will start: Stephen Tharp, 40 (about) years, NYC, fun player to watch and listen to.
    Peter Latona, 40 (about) years, Washington National Basilica, same reason.

    I don't know many others. Excuse my language as always!

    Thank you,
    Phil
  • PhatFlute
    Posts: 219
    Also also NO INSULTS OR FIGHTING PLEASE AND THANK YOU
  • francis
    Posts: 10,668
    aaaahhhhhhh... naaaaaaaaaaah... aaaaaahhhhhhh... I can't think of any living ones.

    I do enjoy excellent monastic and polyphonic recordings that sing Catholic Music.

    Ahhh... I really like this! Fontgombault Abbey...

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKcRi6hLaE8

    and...

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMjNevd2gXs
    Thanked by 2JulieColl SamuelDorlaque
  • PhatFlute
    Posts: 219
    Thanks to you for your fine favorite. Who will add to this? ;)
  • ContinuousbassContinuousbass
    Posts: 357
    I enjoy listening to the Hilliard Ensemble. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MI6e4Q11NeM Viderunt Omnes

    Any guess who my favorite composer is?
    Thanked by 2M. Jackson Osborn CHGiffen
  • melofluentmelofluent
    Posts: 4,160
    MaryAnn Carr-Wilson, Wendy Evans, Charlotte DaRosa sopranos
    Jeffrey Morse, Scott Turkington, Richard Rice, Edward Schafer, Adam Bartlett-director/composers
    Jenny Donelson, Arlene Oost Zinner, Jeff Ostrowski, Kurt Poterak-schola directors
    Jonathan Eason, David Hughes, Aristotle Esguerra, Matt Curtis- true cantors and incredible singers.
    Frank LaRocca, Peter Kwasniewski, Richard Clark, David Hurd (is he RC?), Kevin Allen, Mike Olbash, Royce Nickel, composers.
    Kathy Pluth, Genevieve Glen-hymn writers
    Mia Coyne, Rudy O'Connor, Susan Treacy and the inestimable Wm. Mahrt- parish directors and advocates.
    Charles Giffen, Gary Penkala, JMO, A. Bartlett- futurists in publishing.
    Adam Wood, CharlesW, Noel Jones, francis koerber, David Saunders and Wendi Schroeder-local heroes with passion and funnybones!
    Just scratching the surface.

    From the distaff side (the loyal opposition)
    Bob Hurd, Mike Joncas, Barbara Bridge, Ken Macek, Janet Sullivan-Whitaker, MD Ridge, the late Leon Roberts, Tom McAvoy, Jeffrey Honore, Ricky Manalo, Malcom Kogut and a few others.
    Todd Flowerday-exegete, true and regular friend; Dr.Rv. Fritz Bauerschmit, Karl Liam Sauer- genuinely fine fellows and long distance friends.
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
  • PhatFlute
    Posts: 219
    What about organ players?!
  • melofluentmelofluent
    Posts: 4,160
    Well, our organist is great!
    Diane Bish seems nice, but she's not Catholic.
    Pedro D'Aquino
    Rudy DeVos
    David Hughes
    Jenny Donelson
    Horst Buchholz
    Sam Dorlaque
    Jason Pennington
    The one, only Leo Nestor
    And our forum Usual Suspects, of course.
  • Adam WoodAdam Wood
    Posts: 6,451
    What about organ players?!


    Matthew J. Meloche (forum member @matthewj, DoM at the Phoenix Cathedral, and leader of THE SACRED MUSIC REVOLUTION IN THE DESERT)

    His organ (and piano) playing astounds me, particularly his improvised chant accompaniments.
    Thanked by 1Geremia
  • melofluentmelofluent
    Posts: 4,160
    I share your enthusiasm, Little Joe, it's just that MJM is weirder than both of us, together!
  • matthewjmatthewj
    Posts: 2,694
    I'm not sure being weirder than both of you is physically possible. :)

    I'd also like to point out that my skills as a pianist (showed only at the Sunday evening Mass for a song or two) are brutally incompetent.
  • Adam WoodAdam Wood
    Posts: 6,451
    I'd also like to point out that my skills as a pianist (showed only at the Sunday evening Mass for a song or two) are brutally incompetent.


    For the record, everyone -
    He specifically told me he plays the organ the way he plays the piano.

    Just sayin'.
  • matthewjmatthewj
    Posts: 2,694
    No... I think I told you that I play the piano the way I play the organ. And either way, that's not exactly true.
  • Allan DAllan D
    Posts: 43
    As far as organists go, Daniel Roth is my favorite.
  • Kathy
    Posts: 5,499
    Peter Latona is my favorite musician, and like Adam's ode to MJM above, it has to do with improvisation.

    His compositions are excellent as well, and particularly notable are the briefest possible composition, his Psalm refrains. They are second to none in my opinion. It's so completely unusual to sing a responsorial Psalm antiphon that doesn't sound sing-songy or trite, that isn't rushing predictably and headlong towards the cadence as soon as you sing note #1. His do not do that. They don't rush, they don't dawdle, they're perfectly musical, and they bring out the meaning of the words.
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
  • BenBen
    Posts: 3,114
    Kathy,

    I will echo your appreciation of Dr. Latona's amazing skills. One of my first experiences at the national shrine was amazing, thanks to his excellent choir and gloria verses that I later found out he composed, as I wrote about here on my personal site. As you mention, the responsorial psalm was excellent when I was there :)
    Thanked by 1Kathy
  • ClergetKubiszClergetKubisz
    Posts: 1,912
    Daniel Roth, organist

    Josquin des Pres, composer
    Thanked by 1Geremia
  • francis
    Posts: 10,668
    organist...

    Helmut Walcha... hands down.

    harpsichordist?

    Gustav

    Thanked by 1Geremia
  • CharlesW
    Posts: 11,933
    Daniel Roth.
    Thanked by 1SamuelDorlaque
  • G
    Posts: 1,397
    My Mother and my Father, singers and choir director during the worst of the... purges? pogroms? always just humbly obeyed, or found another parish in which their sung prayer would be of use, and would be welcomed.
    Requiescant in pace

    (Save the Liturgy, Save the World)
    Thanked by 4CHGiffen Gavin expeditus1 Patricia Cecilia
  • PhatFlute
    Posts: 219
    I like Bruce Neswick too.
    Thanked by 1SamuelDorlaque
  • ClergetKubiszClergetKubisz
    Posts: 1,912
    .
  • francis
    Posts: 10,668
    G

    What period of time were your parents ... purged? Curious.
  • SalieriSalieri
    Posts: 3,177
    Choir/Schola directors: (NB: no particular order, just as they came to me.)
    Jeffrey Morse, David Hughes, Horst Buchholz, Bill Mahrt, Charles Cole, Arlene Oost-Zinner, Peter Latona, Richard Clark, Melanie Malinka, Wilko Brouwers, Adam Bartlett, Gregory Glenn, Edward Schaeffer...

    Organists: (again, no particular order)
    Jonathan Ryan, David Hughes, Horst Buchholz, Ann Labounsky, Olivier Latry, Daniel Roth, Peter Latona, Ian Watson, Philippe Belanger, Doug O'Neill, Rudy de Vos, Leo Nestor...

    I've met and/or sung under many of these people, and they're all great guys and gals.
  • kevinfkevinf
    Posts: 1,183
    I second Peter Latona. And he is such a gracious individual.

    I also appreciate Martin Baker at Westminster Cathedral in London. The combination of choirs and organ playing are marvelous.

    And one should hear Jacques Boucher in Montreal. His improvisations are the stuff of legend. And they always reflect their place at mass.
    Thanked by 2BruceL SamuelDorlaque
  • PhatFlute
    Posts: 219
    Who is best of all these? Or is she not been said yet? What about women representation here?! :)
  • CharlesW
    Posts: 11,933
    How do you determine best? I don't think that is possible. These musicians are all individuals with their own playing styles. The differences in their instruments is also a factor. I think you are asking a question that is not possible to answer.
    Thanked by 2Jani CHGiffen
  • Chris Garton-Zavesky
    Posts: 6,902
    PhatFlute,

    I didn't know Neswick was Catholic. Do you know when (or where) it happened?

    God bless,

    Chris
  • kevinfkevinf
    Posts: 1,183

    He is not.
  • PhatFlute
    Posts: 219
    Jean Demesioux, one of my fave women composers
    Diane Bish is my IDOL.
  • ryandryand
    Posts: 1,640
    How do you determine best? I don't think that is possible. These musicians are all individuals with their own playing styles. The differences in their instruments is also a factor. I think you are asking a question that is not possible to answer.


    It would be a great resume item.

    "Voted Best Catholic Musician 2007-2011"
  • kevinfkevinf
    Posts: 1,183
    @Phatflute Jeanne Demessieux?
    Thanked by 1PhatFlute
  • PhatFlute
    Posts: 219
    Kevin, yes, spelling is not my forte; it is my piano.

    EVERY BODY:
    I propose we vote on a best all-round Allstar catholic Musician award winner. Who agrees?
    Thanked by 1Kathy
  • CharlesW
    Posts: 11,933
    Let's not and say we did. LOL.
    Thanked by 4Jani Gavin Ben CHGiffen
  • Kathy
    Posts: 5,499
    I don't think we should have a vote. But I think this is a funny joke:
    Kevin, yes, spelling is not my forte; it is my piano.

    We need more puns.
    Thanked by 3PhatFlute francis CHGiffen
  • melofluentmelofluent
    Posts: 4,160
    I'm gonna sing in Horst's choir this year, so I'm preparing not to use a besotto'd voce!
  • PhatFlute
    Posts: 219
    Well why don't we all suggest out favorites. Peter Latone seems to be the winner of
    Allstar Catholic Musician Award 2014
  • PhatFlute
    Posts: 219
    Another favorite is Donna Ayers.
  • Kathy
    Posts: 5,499
    Is there a cash prize, or...?
  • SalieriSalieri
    Posts: 3,177
    It depends which curtain you choose.
  • melofluentmelofluent
    Posts: 4,160
    Is there a cash prize, or...?

    In that case, I choose MaryAnn Carr-Wilson, hands down!
    Kathy, I'm not a my peak anymore, but I tried with the apt pun!
  • Kathy
    Posts: 5,499
    Thanks! But I don't get it yet. A little help?
  • melofluentmelofluent
    Posts: 4,160
    Sotto-voce
    Besotted
    Me
  • Kathy
    Posts: 5,499
    A drinking joke! Awesome.
  • PhatFlute
    Posts: 219
    I wish people could take this more seriousy.
  • Jani
    Posts: 441
    That's like asking a parent to name their favorite child, Phat!
    Thanked by 1francis
  • PhatFlute
    Posts: 219
    Jani I forget sometimes - picking favorite child is more normal and easier where i am from than the USA.
  • melofluentmelofluent
    Posts: 4,160
    Phil, chill
    When Kathy joked about whether there's a cash prize for your award, and I said MACW, hands down, that was in keeping WITH the joke, but no joke on my sentiments.
    Get the lay of the land, my friend.
  • PhatFlute
    Posts: 219
    I apologize for my misunderstandings. Yes, I get it now!!
  • CharlesW
    Posts: 11,933
    I think it is a bit unfair to rate musicians who have different areas of study and expertise, and differing instruments and interpretative styles of performance. Comparisons are not really valid.
  • Kathy
    Posts: 5,499
    I think Phil has a point. Professional organizations often give out awards--and to some of the most unlikely people sometimes, and for brazenly ideological reasons sometimes. It's a way of stating organizational values, and I guess it's effective, if people keep doing it all the time.
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