Msgr. Francis P. Schmitt & 1964 CMAA Organizational Meeting
  • RagueneauRagueneau
    Posts: 2,592
    Whatever one decides to say about him, Msgr. Schmitt was a heck of a writer.

    Reading through his editorials in Caecilia (1960's) or his book "Church Music Transgressed" . . . well, let's just say: it's never dull !!!

    Here is a tiny snippet (written in 1963) that I reproduce without commentary (!)

    image

    Now, here is something all CMAA members will enjoy seeing:

    A VERY SPECIAL PICTURE (1964 CMAA Organizational Meeting)
  • mahrt
    Posts: 517
    Note that 38 out of 63 were priests or nuns, well over half.
  • Arthur Connick
    Posts: 494
    I especially like, for some reason, these sentences from Msgr. Schmitt's editorial in the final issue of Caecilia:

    "Finally, he [himself] would like to ask the forgiveness of those whom he has offended, even when this was done wilfully. That said, he begs leave to send a few parting salvos to nobody in particular."

    He then proceeds with a rant worthy of any 3am blog post.
  • Jeffrey TuckerJeffrey Tucker
    Posts: 3,624
    He is amazing. And, wow, love his copyright quip. Note that the copyright in this case was pushed by the very institution that later sued Chicago Achdiocese for infringement, extracting millions before its own legal costs bankrupted the thing, but still putting the fear of the state in the heart of every musician and introducing a horrible occasion of sin for every music publisher (that sin being the impulse to privatize the liturgy).
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