Society of Saint Gregory

Dear Friends,

As part of my MMus dissertation I am looking to catholic composers to answer some basic questions about their compositional style and wonder if you would mind spending ten minutes answering the following - your answers will all be anonymous and will be used for data purposes only:

1) How would you define the genre of your compositions?

2) How does your understanding of liturgy affect your approach?

3) Did the anglican tradition have any effect on your approach?

4) Does the listeners emotions come into your compositional processes?

5) How have you found composing for the new translation of the Mass?

6) Do you feel composers are adequately supported by the hierarchy in their endeavours?

Thank you in advance for your time. If you'd prefer to email privately: jonathan.p.eyre@gmail.com

Best wishes
Jonathan

Have you had any replies by email, Jonathan? I hope so, because I guess that people might well be reluctant to reply so publicly on the forum.

(Having said that, I suppose I ought to send an email response!)

I am informed that Jonathan also made direct contact with some composers, so he may have had replies via that route too.

Southern Comfort wrote:so he may have had replies via that route too.

I'll put my hand up to that.

Likewise. He raises some good questions, particularly the link between liturgical music and emotion. Perhaps liturgical music needs to have some impact emotionally on the listener and participant, to draw us beyond ourselves and into a deeper relationship with God.

Thanks to the people that have replied to this, I've had some really interesting responses which will make for good research etc.

I was sad that of the hundred or so people that looked at this, very few chose to reply, but again my sincere thanks to all those who did and a particular thanks to Paul Inwood and Peter Jones who were particularly helpful.

Best
Jonathan

Don't be too sad - your question was specifically addressed to 'composers': I doubt I'm the only one of your hundred or so to have read it, mentally wished you well, looked forward to hearing about what you find, but (on the basis of lifetime Opus count of zero) did not feel qualified to answer...

Jonathan, I've an opus count of 1 since doing my degree so I don't consider myself a composer either. Here's my reply if it helps.

1) How would you define the genre of your compositions? Simple to sing for a congregation

2) How does your understanding of liturgy affect your approach? It was a Mass setting for the new translation and was drafted after studying the 'Guide for Composers' and completed after attending the Day for Composers sponsored by the Liturgy Office and SSG.

3) Did the anglican tradition have any effect on your approach? No, I'm a cradle (Roman) Catholic

4) Does the listeners emotions come into your compositional processes? Insofar as I tried to mirror the emotions suggested by the liturgical text. I'm not one of those who believe that music should not try to engage the emotions - it plainly does.

5) How have you found composing for the new translation of the Mass? The Gloria and post-consecration acclamations were the only real new translation pieces as I didn't set the Creed. I just treated it as a necessity to do the best I could with the words and got on with it.

6) Do you feel composers are adequately supported by the hierarchy in their endeavours? They produced a guide and were involved in the 'Day for Composers'. They also signed off on the setting after I had corrected some 'editorials'. There are some who are not happy with this process and the criteria being used for rejection; there was ire on this forum at the lack of a transparent appeal process.

Hope this helps.
John