organist wrote:Perhaps saddest of all is that someone trained in the liturgy has to go outside the Catholic church to find a suitable paid post.
Whilst I did managed to remain in the RC church, i did have to travel 3000 miles across a rather large pond to find such a suitable post! It is indeed a shame that so few English Catholic churches/ cathedrals are able to offer suitable recompence for those for wholm liturgy and music is their livelihood.
My wife and I enjoy evensong - could it be that in heaven they use Anglican chant?
You can't say that - they're Protestants - they're going to the other place*.
I have to confess that I adore Anglican chant: if the singers are paying attention to the meaning of the words and put the stresses in sensible places it can be the most wonderful experience. But it's so difficult to do at all well...I think it was Christopher Dearnley when he was organist of St. Paul's Cathedral who said that no composer in his right mind would ever have written an extended recitative for SATB chorus..
*For full details, including in some instances actual proposed dates and times, see any number of US websites...
One year on and things are looking bright! New vicar installed this week and she is a BMus from Iowa. Husband plays the cello professionally! One alto left the choir on the pretext that she didn't like the direction things were going - just an excuse I think. I have introduced some responsorial psalms and chanted psalms at Eucharist and some Latin motets. Great thrill was to conduct Faure Requiem at the Good Friday concert. Am now facing up to doing Stainer's Crucifixion - a work I have avoided up to now as I think the text portays a very weak Christ. Some of it is gloriously slushy. Got to get through Christmas first - oh yes we have made a CD of carols in aid of the local hospice - it's going to be very good I hope!
