More pics because I can't resist [EDITED]

My sisters were so cute!  Here are a few more scans.

The oldest two. I love the composition of this picture.

And then the oldest four.  If memory serves, this was the first day of school. (EDIT:  Memory serves poorly.  They were dressed for church.)  Mom was very particular about how her girls looked, and she sewed the dresses herself.

Oldest three.  Mom made these dresses too.  In fact, she made everything they wore. My parents were so proud of their little ones!

I know you're wondering-- there are seven of us, which I think of as the first four girls followed by the other three kids.  I happen to be sandwiched between my two brothers.

Fun with scanning slides

My parents have 7.2 zillion slides from years gone by, so DH is scanning them for posterity.  Some of them are badly degraded, but the software cleans them up pretty well.  Have a look at my three oldest sisters.  Pic is from sometime in the 1950's.

Senior Recital Program

I don't know when, or where, or how, but my recital is coming up really soon.  Yep.

Here's the program:


Praeludium in G minor (BuxWV 149)………………………….....……. Dieterich Buxtehude
                                                                                                                           (1637-1707)

Ave Maris Stella………………………………………..….....….........……Nicolas de Grigny

         Plein jeu                                                                                                   (1672-1703)

         Fugue à 4

         Duo

         Dialogue sur les grand jeux

Fantasie and Fugue in G minor (BWV 542)...…………….............Johann Sebastian Bach
                                                                                                                          (1685-1750)

Méditations sur le mystère de la Sainte Trinité….…………......….........…Olivier Messiaen

        VI. Piece dédiée au Fils ou Verbe, deuxième Personne de la Sainte Trinité.                                (1908-1992)

                    

Symphonie Romane, Op. 73………………………...……….……...…Charles-Marie Widor
IV. Final                                                                                                      (1844-1937)

Art, Cathedral, Late Hours, and the Beginning of the End (of 2011)

What happens when the pressure is on -- so many presents to wrap, food to cook, Christmas music to practice, school work to do, not to mention the usual Cooking, Cleaning, and Laundry®?  Leave work undone and head out of town.

Eldest Daughter was told that the Toledo Museum of Art had one of the best collections of Classical art in the country, so there we headed.  Indeed we were not disappointed. The museum is open for six hours a day during the week, but one day isn't enough time to get through all the exhibits and the Glass Pavilion across the street.  Indeed, we didn't see the pavilion at all, and had only a cursory glance at much of the main museum. The cafe had only "fancy" food, meaning that the grilled cheese sandwiches were made with large pieces of thick sourdough with multiple kinds of cheeses.  The salads were made with organic baby greens with roasted fruits and nuts, and all for the low, low price of $4.99 or so.  Certainly a very good deal.

Random girl poses in front of statue.  I was amused, so a photo was snapped.

On the way back to the hotel, we stopped at Our Lady Queen of the Most Holy Rosary Cathedral. The cathedral was the most incredibly beautiful place I've ever seen personally.  (I'm sure St. Peter's is great, but I've haven't been there yet.) Please take a few moments and see the virtual tour, which still doesn't show the real beauty of the place.

The PA turned the lights on for us so we could snap a few pictures.  The organ is on the right behind the tallest candlestick.

When we stopped, the cathedral was locked of course, but the Pastoral Associate (nota bene: a man!) kindly let us in and gave us a tour.  As luck would have it, the cathedral organist was practicing for Christmas.  What a treat!

 One of several excellent side altars.

As the PA explained that the center ceiling artwork, from back to front, displayed salvation history, it was all I could do to keep from breaking down in tears.  So much beauty!  So much truth!  Some work still needs to done; inexplicably, the tabernacle is located to the side of the altar in the baptistry, and the baptismal font is located under the baldacchino.  They'll be switched soon, thank goodness.

Another fantastic feature, located on the ceilings on each side of the church, are various paintings depicting scenes from the New Testament with the corresponding prefigurement from the Old Testament. For example, half of an arched ceiling section shows Abraham readying the sacrifice of Isaac on the mountain (Genesis 22), and the other half depicts the crucifixion.

 Descent of the Holy Spirit, and (we think) the pillar of fire that led the Israelites out of Egypt (Exodus 13.)

I was particularly impressed with a statue of the Blessed Virgin with Jesus in which she is smiling.  Lovely!

The next morning, we stopped at the Basilica and Shrine of Our Lady of Consolation.  I've heard about this place for years, but never had the opportunity to visit.  Just as at the cathedral, we were the only visitors.

 Side altars depicting Our Lady of Consolation.
The church was very dark, so this is the only decent upstairs picture.

Time was quite limited, so we quickly viewed the church, then went downstairs to the lower church where the collection of relics is held.  Many prayers and supplications were made.

 My pal from childhood, St. Pio.

Many relics.  And I didn't get a picture of the case that had more relics and a skull.

We weren't able to see the spacious grounds and park; this gives an excuse to return for a longer and more fruitful visit. (The reason we had such limited time is because I needed to be at The Job, which is one hour from my house, at 4:30 p.m.)

A few days later brought Christmas Eve, in which I played for one service at 5:30 p.m., then was retrieved and transported via the Silver Bullet (my nickname for the poor unfortunate van; she used to be known as Catherine Sienna, but she's degraded enough that I feel bad about using a saint's name) to the next city north, where we caught the 7:30 p.m. vigil Mass.  The family then took me back to the church job, where I commenced playing at 10:30 p.m., and finally finished at 12:40 a.m.  After being approached by a man who insists that he will be my first organ student, Oldest Daughter (who stayed to keep me awake on the drive home) and I quickly stole away and finally arrived home at 1:40 a.m. For a person (me) who starts yawning at 9:30 p.m., it's quite a feat.

Thank you, Jesus, for safe travels.

Christmas 2011

The King of Kings is born. Alleluia! Alleluia!

Mass review from Historic Church #3

Saturday evening found my family in the city where I'm now working, so it was a great opportunity to attend Vigil Mass at "St. X."  We've attended this church before, but not at the Vigil.  We quietly wondered what lay in store for us.

As we entered the church, we heard the faint sounds of guitar strumming.  Ah well, what does one expect at a Vigil mass?  Organ music and Gregorian chant? *smirk*

Soon, the musicians/band entered from the back room.  What was this?  A grey-haired band!  A pillar blocked most of my view of the side altar where they stood, but I definitely noticed the unmistakable neck of an electric bass.  I moved to the end of the pew to sneak a peek: behold! a guitar amplifier.  Truth be told, they were the least offensive folk group I've ever heard at Mass, but that doesn't say much, does it?

Otherwise, Mass was fine.  The readers were competent and I already knew that I really liked the priest.  I felt properly disposed to receive Communion, which I'm sorry to say does not always happen.

And speaking of that, I've attended Mass only twice (for All Saint's and Immaculate Conception) in my "hometown" since I stopped playing at my parish.  Both times, at each of the two churches, my ears were assaulted by the "music" presented.  It's hard to not become angry and think "they gave up ME for THIS?"  I am offended that at THE MASS, where Jesus gives us his Body and Blood, that we just throw any old thing at Him and call it "good enough."  This is the corporate worship of the Church!  Instead, the Mass is treated like some sort of Little League game, where everyone gets to play, and as long as we all have fun, it doesn't matter who wins.  Newsflash:  some of us aren't having fun, and we're all the losers.  Is it too much to ask to ELEVATE ourselves above the mundane, to give God what He deserves:  our very best?  So yeah....I wasn't able to receive Communion on either of those days, and I'm grieved by that.

So I have to admit that right about now, my faith life pretty much sucks.  That isn't to say that I don't believe; it just means that I find it terribly hard to pray, and find myself being quite pessimistic about anything happening in the Church today.  To put a positive spin on the situation, I'll say that my faith in God and the Church is unshaken, and it's not dependent on any charismatic priest/personality.  Instead, my faith will ultimately endure despite the clergy.

We've all read the interview question, "What's the most important piece of advice your mother gave you?"  Allow me to pass on my motherly wisdom:

1.  Never buy or wear cheap shoes.
2.  Never trust a priest too much (or at all.) 

The wounds of betrayal run deep.

Disaster, figuratively and literally

This week I began attending an intensive two-week course at the university.  Tomorrow we devote the entire class session (4 1/2 hours) to "Gender and Sexuality" but that's a topic I prefer to neglect on this blog.

Two days ago, on the first day of class, I made the mistake of glancing at my phone when there was still an hour left in the class.  I should have followed the "no cell phone use" rule to protect myself, because I couldn't concentrate for the rest of the class after I read the following:

"There may be a problem with your recital.  It may be impossible for us to use [the location] for a while...."

Bad timing.

Two and half years ago, the university sent a team of workers in to assess repairs on the facility.  It was clear that the ceiling was starting to deteriorate.  University gods had determined that "condensation" was the problem, and they installed a terribly noisy device in a closet in the basement that would address the issue.  This thing sounded like an air compressor, which is particularly distressing to females who tend to notice annoying sounds more than men.

The ceiling issues persisted, and the building started to smell of mold and mildew.  Youngest Son would greet me at home after a practice session and declare, "You smell like [name of building]."  Yep.  I sure did.

Meanwhile, ceiling plaster started appearing on the benches and floor in the building.  Recently, some holes developed in the ceiling which caused Chinese Water Torture during a heavy rain.  I told Oldest Daughter a few weeks ago, "The ceiling is going to start falling in chunks."

And it did.

During a wedding.

All of us are now locked out of the building.  A rescue operation for music and shoes is planned.

My recital is in limbo, a HUGE issue because I was registered for the recital during Fall, and Organ Teacher told me, "Don't drop the class, I'll just give you an Incomplete!"  "Incompletes" must be given a grade during the first few weeks of the next quarter or they turn to "F." I don't have a location for the recital, and the university gods don't want to let me in the building for any length of time, including one hour for a recital.

Stay tuned.

Apologies

on my leave of absence. The "overhaul" of the Liturgy which took place on Sunday has consumed an inordinate amount of my time here.

May I note, all ye pedagogically-minded people of the world, that everything came and went as any other normal Sunday Mass. The months of preparation, not to mention, thousands of dollars, wasted on the "educational" aspect of this endeavor, in my humble opinion, were excessive to say the least. Honestly, Sunday afternoon, after all was said and done, I could not help but think, "that's it?" THAT'S IT? HOURS of my time (and BUDGET) blown on some four new sentences? As an aside, if you wonder if graduate music study is for you (Mary), please note: you may work hard for a degree naively assuming you will use it! Instead, plan on putting your years of theory and performance to use making bulletin boards, putting 1000s of cards in the pews each week, making trivial purchase orders, and typing up "announcements."

As for being underwhelmed with the outcome this weekend, I suppose it helps that we have been learning the new *gag* musical setting (dictated to us by the diocese) since September. (A note regarding the aforementioned musical setting: my theory is that this "Mass," chock-full of syncopation, parallel octaves in the left hand, and VII --> I cadences, was chosen by the diocese's Cathedral organist - who has a terminal degree in "jazz organ." That exists? Until now, I thought that was just a facebook major.)

Relief...

Just found out that I'm receiving an "A" in both of my "hard" classes--French and 16th Century Counterpoint.  Blessed relief!

Mary must graduate this June, or risk going insane.  To that end, I'm fulfilling a requirement by taking a class that meets four hours a day for two weeks, starting on Monday.  Yee ha! No rest for the weary. But then it will be done.

During Winter, I'm forced to take another class to fulfill a requirement -- Communication Science 101.  I'm nearly half a century old; do I really need it? Perhaps the department gods will waive the requirement and give me credit for life experience.

Mary's big announcement (I have a job!)

Although I've not yet signed the paperwork, I've been offered and have accepted an organist position in a non-Catholic church one hour from my home.  This is a liturgical parish with a tradition of good music, and many musically knowledgeable parishioners.  They are very appreciative of what I have to offer them, and I know this will be a good fit.  Maybe after several years of experience, I'll be able to convince The Catholics that I'm worth having around.  Or maybe I'll work for this church for many years.

(I always thought that the Catholic church was the sole user of the term 'parish' and 'parishioners', but they use these terms to describe themselves.)

Mass review from Historic Church #2

Saturday night came and went without Older Daughter and I knowing where we would attend Mass.  The rest of the family was out of town, and I wasn't feeling well enough to travel a great distance.  I decided that we would attend Mass at a local parish (not the one where I worked) as an extreme penance, and also so that Daughter could arrive on time to the Religious Education classes where she serves as an aide.

Ultimately, the anticipated stress of this experience was too much for these old bones, so I quickly looked up the Mass time for an out-of-town church and realized we could make it if we left right now.

We arrived at the beautiful historic church ("historic" in this case means "unwreckovated" since it's on the National Register of Historic Places), located in a cave tour region, as the opening hymn was being sung.  "Gather Us In" accompanied by a strumming guitar pierced my ears as we were ushered to a pew.

"What have I done?" I wondered to myself, but swore to not lose heart.  When we'd attended this church earlier in the year, the music stunk, but the priest was a pretty awesome guy.

The rest of the music was nearly as bad as the opening "hymn." The closing song was full of syncopations, so I sung that puppy with EVERY written syncopation.  *evil grin*

The priest delivered the homily in an almost Ben Stein-esque tone, but it was one of the best sermons I've heard in my life. He discussed the results of a poll suggesting that many Catholics don't believe in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist.  He called this "TERRIFYING" and reminded parents that they MUST teach their children about the realities of our faith.  He also touched on the Penn State child rape scandal without mentioning it by name -- very delicately done, no one was scandalized, but his meaning was clear to anyone watching/listening/reading the news.  He was very careful with his word choices, and even brought up fine theological points that would be left to a footnote in a text, all so that his meaning was exactly clear to everyone.

As I listened to him, I thought two things: 1) why am I not recording this, and 2) can he be our new bishop?

We spoke after Mass, and he told me that the pipe organ is played every week, but the musicians irregularly rotate between Masses.

The rest of the Mass was unremarkable-- no bells, no incense, people were respectful and decently dressed-- but the amazing priest made this church a great option for Mass attendance.

University drama continues

In my last post I gave you a humorous (to me) snippet of conversation. I didn't mention that the choir in which I sing is the "elite" university choir; still, there are challenges inherent in bring together a new group of people, including several freshman unaccustomed to the rigors of university academics, and giving a good cohesive performance.  

On the first day of rehearsal, the sopranos were asked to sing a particular passage. They were so tentative and mousy that I was truly worried about the ensemble.  The choral conductor simply said, "I expect better from you."

Fast forward to the concert.  The performance was excellent.  I was so proud (and crushed, because I couldn't sing) to be a part of that ensemble.  In fact, it was the best Fall concert I'd ever heard.  And the sopranos were on top of their game.

All was not rosy, however.

Last year, the opera director was let go, and there was word that the department would re-focus itself to include music theater.  Some people, our own music history teacher included, insist that music theater IS opera.  There is some merit to that argument, but to the common layperson, they are not the same thing.  "Serious" opera is generally based on historical or mythological themes, and "comic" or "light" opera is based on everyday, common themes.  Even Mozart wrote comic opera, but there is great artistic training and skill required to sing his works. Music theater would be included in the "light" opera category.

The new opera director included in the choral concert one number meant as an advertisement for the end-of-session opera production.  The piece was from music theater, and featured two performers.  One was from the music school, and the other was from the theater department, reflecting the new collaboration taking place.

The "advertisement" probably had the opposite effect, as there were at least 50% fewer in attendance at the opera production than there were last year.  I've always been in awe of our opera productions at the university, and could with confidence say, "I could never do that."  I simply have not the talent or skill to sing the way these students do.  (I should mention, too, that we have older students with years of experience, and it shows.)  But this time, I was embarrassed that people had actually paid money for this performance.  Again, the problem was NOT with our music students.  One shouldn't attend a show and think, "I could do better."

How is it possible that our music students were able to act better than the theater students?  One of my teachers said in passing during class one day, "What is the difference between a bachelor's degree music student and a musician with a Ph.D.?  It's the ear."  I'm struck by the wisdom of this statement.  Music students ears develop a remarkable degree during their training, and they are able to hear things unnoticed by most people.  It is my opinion that the music students were able to hear and use the cadences of the voice and the natural pauses between phrases to achieve maximum effect upon the listener.  Perhaps I'm spoiled by my high school drama teacher (R.I.P.) who was a graduate of Yale drama school, but I expected so much more from this university-level collaborative effort.

Oh, and the Spring opera production? The Threepenny Opera. Wikipedia describes it as "a Marxist critique of the capitalist world."  Just. Great.

Just one more thing--the professor that was given the "Outstanding Teacher" award last spring, and who has amazing versatile skills regarding language diction, collaborative piano, and vocal coaching?  He was let go, too.

Overheard at Choral Concert

Thanks to a lovely case of bronchitis, I couldn't sing in the quarterly concert.  *SAD FACE*

However, it does mean that I had the privilege of overhearing the following conversation between two college girls:

Girl 1: (looks at program) Oh - J.S. Bach.
Girl 2:  Is that somebody?
Girl 1: Yeah, he like, did this stuff.
Girl 2: Oh.  I thought you meant he was going to be here.

Speaking of wire cutters...

I am seriously considering mutilating the "V-drums" in the Church. For multiple reasons (see below). My only reservation is that the loud-mouthed busybodies who put them there will most likely lobby for their return...and that money will come out of MY music budget. 

This empty can was found laying on the floor of the Church, behind the "V-drums" used at the "youth" and "folk" Masses. Mind you, this is NOT the first time I have found food-related trash back there.

In a nutshell, this is why I hate strongly dislike:

1. Praise and worship music at Mass

2. "Youth"

2. V-Drums

3. Hippes who play aforementioned V-drums.

Really, people? Not only were they drinking DURING Mass, they probably skipped forward to "eat the bread" right after. I mean, what good is a beverage without a little appetizer? And vice versa! (yes, I intend for you to read between the lines--this is also a jab at having to receive both species)

Sorry for my blatant sin of extreme judgement, but I am pretty livid. Maybe because I have painstakingly taken upon myself the entrusted role of "liturgist" and actually take interest in keeping the Church clean, tidy and free of DEBRIS - also: lazy people.

2nd Mass Review from Big Church #1

Not being content to let well enough alone, I lassoed the family into returning to the Big Church for Mass.  Same organist, but this time all the selections were screwy (that's my code word for "stupid"); any church song that has the words "my deepest self" is officially stupid.  I believe that same song also has the line, "I am Your song."  Barf. That's what I get for being excited last week.  Anyway, the cantor had good pitch at least, even if she used motions normally reserved for guiding aircraft to the proper gate.  And the priest had a good homily.  He used not only the word "sin", but also the term "Holy Day of Obligation."  I was impressed.  Here at Local Church, the term is shortened to "Holy Day", and the obligation isn't usually discussed.  I didn't mention last time (because we were too close to the front and don't have eyes in the back of our heads) that this is a hold-hands-during-the-Our-Father and raise-'em-up-high-for-the-Lesser-Doxology parish.  At least no one tried to grab our hands, and they didn't join hands across the center aisle. Overall, though, this is still a good and decent parish for regular attendance.  I do wish it was closer.

Side note:  If you hear someone behind you coughing and hacking through Mass, do you extend your hand to them during the Sign of Peace?  I was the hacking one, and the lady in front of me unabashedly offered her hand.  Now, I had coughed into my coat sleeve every time, but she didn't know that.  Still...hygiene, people!

The fam intends to visit more area churches, so stay tuned.  Perhaps I'll record the whole Mass and then tear everything apart bit by bit.  *kidding*

Oh yes -- some of us attended the All Saint's Vigil Mass at the church where I formerly played.  The music director apparently couldn't be bothered to prepare the psalm with a cantor, so we spoke it. There was a choir, however.  There were five EMHC's for a congregation of about 60 people.  I was slightly upset and a little amused at the absurdity of it, but my nerves were calmed and soothed by the tinkling piano lounge music emanating from the electronic keyboard.  Hearing the keyboard always makes me think of wire-cutters.  Not sure why.  In my past engineering life, I always carried a mini-screwdriver (the tool, not the drink) with me "just in case," because you never know when you'll need one! Thinking about it, this could also apply to the drink. Anyway, I thought about carrying wire-cutters, but that may be a near occasion of sin. (Or would it actually be a sin?  Hmmm.)

Until next time mes amis, au revoir.

Jeffrey Tucker of Chant Cafe on the New Translation

The multi-talented man-of-many-suits Jeffrey Tucker has posted at The Chant Cafe a pithy editorial-of-sorts regarding the new translation of the Roman Missal.  He echos what many of us have uttered over the past several months, "What's the big deal?"  But that's not all. 

I was looking around youtube and found a nine-part epic on the new translation of the Missal. It turned out to be a round-table discussion with some top players in a diocesan office. The moderator would ask one broad question and then the microphone would be passed from person to person, and you know how this groupthink works. They all pretty much said what the last person said. There were dozens of questions, and I could detect no substance at all. I lasted about eight minutes and had to bail for fear of passing out from boredom. I didn't even look at the other seven parts
Why are these films being made? The tedium of this Missal rollout is on the verge of making me crazy. There are gazillion pamphlets, films, commissions, meetings, speakers, monographs. The USCCB hasn't gone door-to-door yet but maybe that is next. Nor can I tell that average Catholics care in the slightest about this new Missal. I was drafted to give two talks at a parish recently and I spoke to an audience of two and three. I tried to be as lively as possible in talking about the changes in the people’s parts, but this is rather difficult since a total of like seven words are changing.

To be sure, the Missal is actually a landmark but the changes are within the deeper structure: the music in the Missal (if it is used), the priest’s parts, the elimination of bad options that were never really in the Latin edition, the depreciation of regrettable options, and more. It will have a gigantic effect over time but this will not be obvious on the first-time hearing. For most people, the First Sunday of Advent will be just another Sunday.

So how can we account for the frenzied educational campaign that seems to mask some grave but hidden fear? The answer was given to me by an older man who came to a seminar I was giving. So few were that that we had time to talk about his life as a Catholic. He told me a story that I’ve heard a hundred times but I still listen in astonishment. It concerned that fateful year of 1969. He was in a small parish that was relatively unaffected by anything that had happened at or after Vatican II. The Mass was the Mass. The priest said it, the schola sang it, and the Catholic Church was the great refuge from all the nonsense going on in the world.

Then one day a package arrived. It was a book with the new Mass. It was mandatory. Starting now.

He was probably 40 years old. The structure that he had grown up with and had lived his whole life was suddenly gone. The prayers of the foot of the altar were gone. The beloved Latin language was gone. The schola had no idea what to sing. All the old liturgical books, beautiful and beloved, were suddenly useless.

This man tried his best to adapt to the new. His friends all drifted away, but he stuck it out. He saw the vestments change. The focal point of the entire sanctuary shifted from the high altar to a new table that was moved closer so that the people could somehow identify with what was going on. The choir melted. A guitar group took its place, and they sang pop songs.

And the priest became Mr. Personality and seemed to never stop talking to everyone and right at everyone from the first “good morning” to the last “go and serve others.” The Catholic ritual that had been defined by its precision and careful adherence to form, for longer than a thousand years, and which had shaped countless generations, had clearly been displaced by something like looked and felt strangely improvisatory.

It is interesting to talk to faithful Catholics of a certain age about this, people who were settled in life with children and with good careers and communities during the time when this upheaval took place. They speak about it only with a painful sense, still not sure if they were actually betrayed or if there was some wisdom in all this that they were missing. It is a bit like extracting war stories from veterans. They don’t talk easily.

We know what happened in the United States and Europe. The story is in the data. Where as many as 80% of Catholis went to Mass, now only 17% or so do. Religious orders collapsed. Schools collapsed. The priesthood was gutted. Moral life changed. Everything changed. The surprise is not that people drifted away but that a few stuck around. I’m always curious about these survivors and their perspective on the world. What they experienced can only be described as a shattering of a world they once knew and believed would last forever.

So after I finished my presentation, the old man in front of me summarized his view: “As I understand what you are saying, this Missal takes us back before all this stuff happened. If so, I think I’m going to like this change better than the last one.”

Of course that’s not really what I was saying, and this Missal does not take us back to the preconciliar rite. But it does capture some of the solemnity and seriousness that was so carelessly disregarded, so there was some truth in what he said.

The narrative that I provided above is still capable of inciting vast argument in the Catholic world. People protest that the loss of people was due to demographic and not ritual shifts, that the seeming meltdown would have been worse without the new Mass, and that, in any case, the old had to go away because it was stern, dark, dreary, confining, insular, and incompatible with the needs of modern people, and you can filled in the rest because we’ve all heard it a thousand times.

And yet, I would suggest that the extreme caution with which this current reform is taking place suggests a confirmation that the narrative is not only true; it is the conventional one. What that upheaval did was produce a Catholic people who are incredibly resistant to change and conservative beyond what they should be. Every change for the last fifty years has come at the expense of stable piety, solid doctrine, and reliable solemnity. Why would anyone want more of that? Why would they risk change at all? The Bishops, of all people, know this and hence the caution.

It is going to take another generation before Catholics start truly trusting again. Bugnini has left his mark on the world, and it one that makes progress incredibly difficult and popularly terrifying. We were supposed to be ushered into a new age of hyper flexibility and we all ended up becoming as implacably resistant to the new as any stick in the mud of centuries gone by.

And yet we must embrace, we must risk, change insofar as that change leads us to recapture what we’ve lost. Embracing the truths that were lost along the way is the only really means for helping us truly believe again.

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Mass review from Big Church #1

Older Girl, Older Boy, and I traveled to a city about forty-five miles north of the church at which I'm currently registered.  I'd heard many good things over a period of years about this particular church; it's quite large and the word on the streets was that it was quite liturgically (and otherwise) orthodox.

We got there very early to go to confession.  I was immediately impressed that there was an entire hour dedicated to hearing them.  There was no line when we arrived, and although I didn't know and couldn't tell where the confessionals were, we accidentally happened upon them as we walked toward the tabernacle.  As usual in many cities, the church had several old folks who were there very early.  For some, it's social time.  Others are there to pray.  As we sat for confession, a piano played from the choir loft.  I assumed the piano was playing to drown out any confession sounds (which is very thoughtful), and was also hoping that the piano would be silent during Mass.

As Mass time approached, the church filled up.  This is a very large church, and on a Saturday evening at that.  I was impressed.  I heard the gorgeous organ playing, and as I picked up clear-plastic-covered OCP Music Issue (boo for OCP, but the covers were not cheap plastic) I saw that the organist and cantor were practicing a new Mass that had been inserted to cover the back and front of the Music Issue.  Of course, I checked to see that the new translation had been faithfully realized; it had indeed.  It was also clear that the organist was well-trained and accomplished.

Mass began.  The celebrant was the priest who'd heard my confession.  He was assisted by a deacon.  There were three servers, two boys and a girl, and each wore very neat albs that looked freshly pressed.  The Mass was well-choreographed; between readings, the cantor and lector would meet in front of the altar and bow profoundly.  Nothing was rushed.  Great care was taken with the liturgy.  There was no homily because this happened to be the weekend that Anointing of the Sick was conducted; Fr. Good Confessor made it clear that the sacrament was intended for seriously ill people, or those about to undergo a serious surgery.  (In my parish, half the congregation stood.)  Some could not come to the front, so their hands and heads were anointed in their pew.  The others lined up to be anointed.

Even with four people distributing hosts, and four people distributing the Precious Blood, the organist went through two Communion hymns.  It was wonderful to see so many young adults and children there.  And since it had been several weeks since I'd been to Communion (my job made it rather difficult), I very joyfully received the Body of Christ.

This was the relaxing, prayerful Mass I've experienced in a very long time.  I'm grateful for the opportunity to attend, and the entire family is intending to trek up this weekend.

A sunny spot!

Enough gloom and doom -- I just got some fantastic news yesterday! After Mass, one of our priests informed me that he had applied for a grant, and OUR parish had been chosen as the recipient of a $4000 grant to provide....drumroll please...ORGAN lessons for "promising middle/high school students in the parish who already study piano." Father was extremely excited and said we will brainstorm this week on the logistics of implementing this. Wow! I am so excited! :D

Josquin - Missa Pange Lingua - Kyrie & Gloria

YouTube refuses to let me embed this video, so please click the link:
Josquin - Missa Pange Lingua - Kyrie & Gloria


What keeps Anna happy even after all those funerals?  Josquin, of course, who can cure all ills with his unbelievably gorgeous music.  Heck, maybe he'll cure my sinus infection!

This version displays the notation as the music progresses.  This is the height of vocal counterpoint, in my opinion.  (Must I also confess to a crush on Josquin?  I have a crush on Josquin.)

In counterpoint class, one must avoid using cadential treatments used by Josquin that were antiquated by the time of Palestrina, who is the model for 16th century counterpoint. Perhaps Anna also had to force herself to NOT use "do ti ti la do" instead of "ti do" in the soprano?  He doesn't use those cadences in this composition, but they are legion in the Missa Hercules Dux Ferrariae. BTW, I got an A+ on my midterm counterpoint composition. :-)

Liturgists....blegh!

http://www.creativeminorityreport.com/2011/10/lord-save-us-from-liturgists.html

Amen.

People here keep saying, "but your title is 'Director of Music AND Liturgy!"to which I respond, "Director of Music. I was hired for my MUSICAL gifts, and have a degree in MUSIC. Also, I'm not a priest." Of course, this has made a few people angry. Oops?

Now for a REAL sin...

What have I done?

In a moment of hasty weakness (clouded by the droves of funerals again this week, no doubt) I allowed the choir to sing "Gather Us In" for Mass this weekend. WHAT HAVE I DONE? All this death really is getting to me. As I sit here listening to Josquin's Missa Pange Lingua (during this brief gasp of air otherwise known as speed-lunch) I can't help but repeatedly bang my head on the wall. WHY?! 

Father, forgive me...

for I have sinned...I think?

Ok, so I have a minor confession to make here.
I just mailed an "anonymous" letter to my boss (a priest) which included the following items:

1. A photocopied page of the GIRM from the upcoming 3rd edition of the Roman Missal in which the following words were highlighted:
"the Most Blessed Sacrament should be reserved in a tabernacle in a part of the church that is truly noble, prominent, conspicuous, worthily decorated, and suitable for prayer. The tabernacle should usually be the only one, be irremovable, be made of solid and inviolable material that is not transparent..."

2. A printout of a picture I took of the front of the church several months ago, in which I photoshopped in a picture of a Tabernacle. I even played up to Father's "designer" side by making sure the wood of the stand it was on matched that of the ambo and the presider's chair. I mean, come on, I'm not completely classless!

In retrospect, I probably should have just saved the $0.44 and stuck it in his mailbox in the office workroom. But, I got afraid it would be "too forward," so, like a 3rd grader writing a love note, I addressed the envelope with handwriting resembling that of my immigrant grandparents, and mailed it from an anonymous USPS dropbox.

Anyway, I feel silly for doing this, but I was just trying to push things along. Father HAS brought up this idea before, but it has never been seriously pursued due to "location issues." Mostly because the organ case that was built [why? *sigh*] right behind the altar against the back wall  presents a problem. To provide a bit of background...the structure of the church was "re-modeled" 20 years ago by a "well-meaning" hippie-type pastor. The relatively "new" priest holds more traditional views of things, but is trying to be "wise" about transition...not wanting to go in with guns-a-blazing and drive out the droves of "educated" folk at the parish. In fact, at our most recent staff meeting last we talked extensively about the building of a 24-hour perpetual adoration chapel! An anonymous donor has even set aside $1million for this very project! (crazy, right?) But again, the "obstacle" is..."where will it go?"  Grr!

Mary's Update

So I thought I'd serve up a Quick and Dirty Update for those who think I've forgotten the address of this blog.

University is going positively swimmingly, including French.  Give me a few more weeks, and I'll post exclusively in French.

Counterpoint could possibly kill me.  The first midterm exam was today, and I probably did okay on it.  However, my midterm project, a two-voice three-section composition is officially overdue (I initially typed "overrude".  Freudian, for sure.) I've spilled much pencil lead, but alas....no finished composition.  Happily, the prof allows us to re-do (and re-do and re-do) until we get a grade we're satisfied with.  He handed one back to me today -- and said to re-write it again; I have a terrible propensity toward halving note values, which makes them illegal in 16th-century counterpoint.  Despite it all, I've got an A so far.

Senior recital is postponed until January, but I have to play nearly the entire program next Tuesday for keyboard lab.  Dreading it.

Saw a terrific speaker tonight--Melissa Ohden-- who is a survivor of a failed saline-infusion abortion.  She'll also speak tomorrow night at the Pregnancy Resource Center's annual fundraising banquet.

My church job is not going well, and I'm quite disillusioned with the business of "church."  It is my plan to make this coming Sunday my last day. I'll email the priests and let them know right before Mass.  I anticipate that my extreme stress level will dramatically improve after this action.

Be not afraid of funerals. Just the music.

Funerals.
With 4 occurring in 5 days time, I feel it appropriate to reflect on the musical planning of such:

3/4 funerals include Amazing Grace
3/4 funerals include Ave Maria*
3/4 include On Eagle's Wings
3/4 include Be Not Afraid
1/4 included performances by a Spanish guitar/tambourine/mariachi band from a parish an hour away (i renounce all previous statements about publishers inclusion of "mariachi" music for Spanish-speaking peoples as blind sighted and racist...I am now convinced [yes, because of one encounter, call me close-minded] that every person of Mexican heritage goes around playing "La Bamba" in Churches. Oi.)

0/4 include In Paradisum (although we do sing the Song of Farewell based on Old 100th [and not some trite, lame melody] at every funeral - of course, the family gets no choice in this matter)

*Schubert's "Ave Maria," albeit beautiful, is all too often seen as an appropriate substitute for the use of any and all other Latin texts.

It really makes me wonder: even though I want nothing more than chanted Latin propers (with some Tallis or deVictoria at offertory), will my family go ahead and choose music that makes them "feel good?" (This is in response to one family who went on and on about how their dad loved everything traditional, loved the Latin Mass and used to rail against the use of guitars in Church. [yay old Italian men] They even said, "there better be no guitars," but then went on to choose the usual non-traditional staples. Not that their father cares now - he is able to experience the most beautiful and celestial music in all of eternity - but what is wrong with at least "simulating" eternity with the most pure, beautiful and transcendent music we have? *sigh*

Lost opportunity?

Wow. Even NPR put aside the usual liberally-tainted cynicism in their article: http://www.npr.org/2010/12/22/131753494/for-these-young-nuns-habits-are-the-new-radical

Everytime I read another one of the many articles written on this beautiful order of Dominican sisters, I cannot help but feel that twinge of guilt: that should be me. And desire: that could be me.

Being the new kid on the block: one antidote to the spread of Political Correctness.

A former band director once told me, "you can not be blamed for what you simply forget to remember." He was of course, speaking about an ongoing battle between himself and the football coach, in which he would weekly "forget" the band was not supposed to march in the front gate of the stadium.

 I have since adopted a similar approach. The result: I am now perceived to be a dim-witted, mindless fool.

Of course, the joke is on them. There are few times in our adult life when we are actually able to plead ignorance. Speeding on the highway is unfortunately not one of them, but starting a new job IS. Therefore, I have strategically capitalized on this "newbie" status time and time again in order to further the aims of truth, and for this, I am more than willing to suffer the consequence of being dubbed "parish ignoramus."

One example of such behavior: I have been told countless (probably twice a week since the onset of employment) times that "we" at "Suburban Catholic Parish A" replace all masculine pronouns (i.e. His, Him) with the more gender-neutral, ambiguous term "God." To be fair, this edict has not come from the clergy, but from several women who wish they were. (I refer to them as the "old guard.") Each Sunday Mass, I must endure the same ritual. Upon hearing me sing "His glory," one of the old-guard fem-bots gives me a polite (or not-so-polite) tap on the shoulder and reminds me through pursed lips about saying "God's" instead. Each time, I give them a big, warm smile, and tell them, "I'm sorry. I'm still getting used to everything, I'll try to remember next time." [Of course, then my guilty Catholic conscience gets the best of me about lying in church. But then again, the same conscience also cynically notes that the Tabernacle is not technically even in the church, and besides, half-truths for the sake of truth are technically not lying! After all, I am sorry [that they live under this guise!], and I am still getting used to everything! And I will try [albeit not very hard] to remember next time, but trying is not the same as promising!]

Anyway, until I receive a thundering proclamation from the priest, who signs my checks, I will continue this little game. Is this behavior disagreeable? Perhaps. Will I create enemies? Undoubtedly.

Therefore, "draw your strength from the Lord and from his mighty power. Put on the armor of God so that you be able to stand firm against the tactics of the devil. For our struggle is not with flesh and blood but with the principalities, with the powers, with the world rulers of this present darkness."
- Letter to the Ephesians, 6:10-12

The Matrix

When I chose the background for this blog, I was drawn to the vertical binary code. Although I'd love to take the time to fully explain the multiple reasons why the background is relevant to the blog, it'll probably happen in small posts over time.

In a nutshell, it has to do with perceived reality versus REALITY. This can be interpreted as Earth vs. Heaven. Another idea is our perceived world, including sunshine and bunnies, and the reality of demons and good angels constantly battling around us while we walk around oblivious to the situation.

But neither of these ideas is foremost. What if you realized that your understanding of a situation, something you took for granted, was mind-numbingly wrong?  What if the very people you trusted appeared to be working against you?  And what if ALL of you were Catholic, attending church in the same small community?   All of this is hypothetical, of course.

My Matrixesque background is a reminder to be cautious, aware, and never trust too much.

Symphonie Romane - Charles Marie Widor, Final

This is the last movement of Widor's 10th Symphony. The theme is taken from the Easter Gradual "Haec dies quam fecit Dominus" (“This is the day the Lord hath made.”)

This piece will conclude my recital, which will be held most likely sometime in the first two weeks of November.

Mah Test Post

Since the death of my first blog, there have been several occasions when I thought, "I must blog that!"

I remember not one of those critical items that came to mind.  Alas.

Now I have a new blog, and a good place to file all of those random and definitely-not-random ideas that come to mind.

Thanks for stopping by.